Food Labeling: How to Identify Conventional, Organic and GMO Produce

The price look-up (PLU) code system used by most produce distributors has the side benefit of allowing consumers to identify conventional and organic produce at the grocery store. Even though the defeat of Proposition 37 means that genetically engineered information will not be added to labels at this time, PLU codes do have the potential to identify genetically engineered produce. This video shows you how to read PLU codes to unlock the information that is already right at your fingertips. Written and Produced by Mike Kahn.
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If we increased our consumption of conventionally-produced fruits and vegetables how much cancer would be prevented versus how much cancer might be caused by the additional pesticide exposure?

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That was the final installment of my 5-part video series on organics. I hope you feel you have a better understanding of the science, rather than just the hype and anti-hype on both sides. To recap:
• Are Organic Foods More Nutritious? (http://nutrititionfacts.org/video/Are-Organic-Foods-More-Nutritious)
• Are Organic Foods Safer? (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/are-organic-foods-safer)
• How to Make Your Own Fruit and Vegetable Wash (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/How-to-make-your-own-fruit-and-vegetable-wash)
• Are Organic Foods Healthier? (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/Are-Organic-Foods-Healthier)

I’ve covered the issue of cadmium in our diet before in Cadmium and Cancer: Plant vs. Animal Foods (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/cadmium-and-cancer-plant-vs-animal-foods/) and Male Fertility and Diet (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/male-fertility-and-diet/). Heavy metals are found concentrated in seafood and organ meats, but can also be found in certain supplements (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/amla-and-triphala-tested-for-metals/) and protein powders (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/heavy-metals-in-protein-powder-supplements/).

Have a question for Dr. Greger about this video? Leave it in the comment section at http://nutritionfacts.org/video/are-the-benefits-of-organic-food-underrated-or-overrated and he’ll try to answer it!

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24 thoughts on “Food Labeling: How to Identify Conventional, Organic and GMO Produce”

  1. CHANGING IN PLU CODES! They are changing organically grown PLU codes to "8" digits as well in the future, so we won't be able to make a difference between them. Be aware of that people!

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  2. Does this apply to  BAGGED produce, lettuces, collards, kale….and well the cornucopia of BAGGED fruits and vegetables today which have PLU's & UPC's?
    Also that which is packaged in jars and all sort of plastic containers. I have yet in 6 years  of  seeing all this seen any commentary on bagged, jarred, plastic container packaged produces, identifying their codes!
    Although I do not consume any of this toxin tainted frankenfoods nor feed it to my family, all this is good to know! We buy local and from Amish farmers, also Local Farm Co-Ops and GROW OUR OWN!
    We MUST starve this beast!
    BEFORE IT STARVES US & THE ENTIRE PLANET.
    Punch in your zip code…….More than likely you are surrounded with your brethren growing more wholesome foods!
    http://www.localharvest.org/

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  3. WoW — maybe there should be a code for dumb & uninformed… .. Hey people, there ain't any GMO bananas,apples,peaches,pears,plumbs,grapes,lettuce,tomatoes,,wheat,radishes and so on and so on… A few staple crops, NO fish or meat,,Just corn (mostly for ethanol, corn syrup, animal feed), soy,cottoncanola,sugar beets, some Hawaiian papaya, rare – but some zucchini and squash varieties,and a small amount of alfalfa…Gain some knowledge if you are gonna speak on these matters…. And not from junk pseudoscience websites like natural news, institute for irresponsible technology, Mercola,cornucopia,mother Jones,food babe, etc…. 

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  4. I agree 100%. But how can this compete with morons wearing unicorn heads, especially if they are porn stars at sporting event.

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  5. Thanks for the comment. Why do you think #3's are genetically engineered? I have seen no evidence of this and the PLU Code website does not differentiate between #3s and #4s in this way. If you do a web search for IFPS FAQs – PLU Code Lookup you can find what they say.

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  6. Thanks for the comment. I think that what you are saying is along the lines of what I was trying to convey in the video. There are currently no incentives or requirements to use the #8 GMO designation on PLU codes so they don't get used. I think it is interesting that this designation at least exists and has the potential to be used.

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  7. They have the potential to identify GMOs but they don't because that's not what they were created for. The 8 is just not used because it's not mandated that GMOs be labeled. The Institute for Responsible Technology is a great resources of information for that topic (couldn't post a link to it here). I wish it were that simple but it's not and without labeling requirements, GMOs will continue to sneak into our food systems.

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  8. Should have mentioned GMO… when you buy organic Oreo cookies… BT corn sales plummet… like to support the organic industry$

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  9. The price. I just spent 20 bux for 4 lbs of organic apples. Times are tight. I am considering just not eating apples in the future because I can't afford to regularly spend that much on apples. Is it better to just not eat apples if you can't afford organic? Same goes for berries and any others on the "dirty dozen"?

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  10. Thanks for the video Dr Gregor. I wonder if only looking at differences in incidences of cancer is sufficient to measure the potential benefit of eating organic. I mean, of course there are more disease conditions than just cancer. Couldn't there be other conditions that may be influenced by pesticide consumption? And, aside from specific conditions directly affected by pesticide consumption, what about those conditions that may be indirectly affected? Imagine: pesticide consumption could negatively affect gut flora, which would predispose the body to all sorts conditions that a healthy gut flora would be protective of. Just a thought experiment, and haven't dived into the literature to provide specific examples or mechanism by way this could be true – I just had a big dinner and am feeling a tad over-parasympathetic 🙂 cheers

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  11. I agree with this, but what about the dirty dozen? Assuming you were someone who only bought conventional produce, would it be best to eat as much produce as possible but exclude the dirty dozen?

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  12. I would like to know if there is any truth to what I've been hearing about organic, though? Sure, no synthetic pesticides are allowed, but I've heard that many times, the substances used are just as toxic to humans … Unnatural Vegan's channel talks about this, and I've also read comments by people who were into that kind of research. Be nice to know if it's really worth the extra buck. It's also interesting that when I am willing to shell out the extra cash for organic, that it often looks like hell, and so I end up buying the healthier looking conventional produce. For certain organic crops, whatever they are doing isn't enough to produce a good-looking product … celery is a big one, broccoli generally looks worse etc.

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  13. This is a great video, since not only I completely avoid the 'dirty dozen', but avoid buying any conventional produce out of very real fear of pesticides. So unless I find an organic alternative, I simply won't buy some of the fruits & veggies, whole grains & legumes I could benefit from.

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  14. Your video content is a bit of an oxymoron when compared to your title… You've basically highlighted that eating more fruit and veg is better for us… isn't that an obvious statement to make? Then you link it to exercise… a bit of stretch in your argument…

    Going back to your video title: are Organic foods better for us?? Well of course they are!!! There are studies to show they have far higher levels of nutrients and don't use disease causing pesticides etc. If more people switched then the price would reduce considerably.
    I totally support eating more fruit and veg whatever the status, but also doing what can in regards to gradually switching to organics. Better for us and the environment including wildlife.

    Stick to your title next time, I do not support Monsanto pesticides, Gmos. They put profit before human welfare and are systematically destroying our natural ability to grow healthy, non mucked around with, life enhancing produce. They want to control all of our food production, totally focused on power over us.. not, I repeat not for our health & welfare. Don't let their massive pockets,influence and media lies influence your decisions otherwise! Research and dig for yourselves.

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  15. "but I think the bottom-line is sound. We get a tremendous benefit from eating conventional fruits and vegetables that far outweighs whatever tiny bump in risk from the pesticides, but hey, why accept any risk at all when you can choose organic—I agree, but we should never let concern about pesticides stop us from stuffing our face with as many fruits and vegetables as possible."

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