I Learn Something New Everyday
By pyewacket
@pyewacket (43903)
United States
August 2, 2009 3:43am CST
I'm still awake very late (don't ask)--I'm sitting in front of my TV vegging out and came across this show and it revealed something I didn't know.
Now we all probably hate those sticky labels on fruits and vegetables right? ...They all have numbers on them, but did you know those numbers have a meaning that we should be aware of?
Here's the rhyme that was said on the show to make you remember what they mean:
4 is a bore
8 you should hate
9 is fine
What the heck does that mean you ask? The clue is with the first number...
Any fruit that has a sticker that starts with four (4) means its commercially produced and NOT organic
Any fruit that has a sticker that starts with eight (8) means the fruit was GENETICALLY ALTERED
Any fruit that has a sticker that starts with nine (9) means its ORGANICALLY GROWN and instead of four numbers total on the label have five numbers
Here's an article that backs this up
http://www.plantea.com/genetically-modified-foods.htm
(NOT a referral link but to an article)
So..did you know the how and why of those nuisance stickers? I think for now on, I'll have more respect for them nuisance as they are since I'm trying to buy as organic as possible...and I'll definitely avoid the "8" number
Will this change how you shop now for fresh fruits and vegetables?
10 people like this
39 responses
@dolphin2406 (1224)
• Poland
2 Aug 09
Hi, thanks for sharing this info. I never knew about this and it's good to know about it. From now on I'll start checking the fruit and veggies that I buy. Here we don't get stickers on the locally produced veg and those sold in vans in villages. But there are stickers on the imported veg and fruit like bananas that some people may prefer because they say it's not local but sometimes it is not as good as the one grown here. We sometimes notice that some fruit like grapes are so bigger than ours but then it results that these are given some sort of vitamins or whatever it is to be as big.
Good article.
Good day/night (here it is 11am, I assume there is the night) 
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
4 Aug 09
I went grocery shopping today, and with the exception of some produce sold in my supermarket, most don't even have stickers--wish they would
1 person likes this
@kprofgames (3091)
• United States
2 Aug 09
LMAO! I'm still awake too!!!
No I didn't know what, always wondered but then something else comes up and forget about it. Yes, I mostly go for farmers markets or do vege swaps with neighbors. Sadly, I don't have a garden this year though.
Yes this will change my shopping somewhat. I mostly shop local town - not in the bigger stores so there can be a limited selection. I know I'll be watching those numbers now pye.
Cool find!
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
4 Aug 09
I've only just now noticed the numbers on the stickers I have on the apples and lemons I bought the other day....darn, they're number 4...I wonder though how one can tell what kind of category produce are in though, when there are no stickers...
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
4 Aug 09
Well all I know is that I really doubt the produce in my supermarket is locally grown as I live in a city environment...and yes, most have that waxy spray on them..like the cucumbers, green peppers and tomatoes I got just today (been eating a lot of salads lately..LOL)
@kprofgames (3091)
• United States
4 Aug 09
When there are not stickers Pye, I know they came from a local farmer. Here, remember I'm rural area, when the local store has bins full of fresh looking produce with hand made signs, I know it came from a local farmer.
Granted, some, well most of them, still use chemicals, BUT they aren't sprayed with the retarder to keep them fresh. So I know they still might now be organtic grown, but I know they are coated in the spray retarders the keep them from rotting faster.
I wonder if that's done in the store or by the producter though? When I think about this more, you look at transportation and the freshness. Does that mean that anything organic isn't sprayed? Or is the spray to make it stop rotting faster not on them? I guess that would be a question too here.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
4 Aug 09
I only just noticed that most of the produce that do have stickers have the number 4 on thm--so commercially produced
@Capsicum (1444)
• United States
2 Aug 09
What a shocker! I never knew this and ,I try to keep our foods as pure as possible. I will now check out every piece ,I buy. I think I may be safe except, for the farmers market.In the store we always buy organic and other things we can grow are all organic. I just might let my hb. make the green house ,I have wanted for so many years after hearing this.Then I know where my fruits and veggies are totally safe. Thanks alot for the info.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
4 Aug 09
I sure wish I had noticed the "9"----I did grocery shopping today and it seems all the produce with stickers had the number 4, meaning it's commercially produced and not organic...I too, like to buy as organic as possible
@prashanthalva (2272)
• India
2 Aug 09
Oh .. Thank You for spreading the word .. I Have indeed learnt something Today about the Ways Of your Country .. It is Indeed a Nice Way of Marking Stuff ..
2 people like this
@celebratelifeh (1142)
• China
2 Aug 09
congrats and i found i have not renewed my knowledge for a long long time already. so i appeaciated your learning spirits and keep on that still.
now your experience inspired me again and i decide to learn at least one thing every day from now on. thanks dude.
2 people like this
@ishavasyam (1801)
• India
3 Aug 09
Hello pyewacket ,Good morning..that is the reason for this gr8 achievement of urs..1.10908 posts so far & 2.u r ranked as 1st among 10627 in health...I am quite impressed..this performance clearly indicaatees that U must be learning every day..u r quite effective... congrats..have a nice day..bye
@ishavasyam (1801)
• India
7 Aug 09
Good morning..thats why the friends are here for..have a cheerful day ahead..bye
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157546)
• United States
2 Aug 09
I am not sure I will change how I purchase, maybe avoiding "8", but this is fascinating information. There are codes for everything. I know there is a freshness code in the colors of the tags on bread, but for the life of me, I do not remember what it is.
1 person likes this
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
6 Aug 09
http://www.snopes.com/food/prepare/breadtag.asp 
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
6 Aug 09
Thanks blackbriar...seems to work different around me though...no matter what day I get bread the tags are always white--never any colors
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
6 Aug 09
I didn't know about the tags on bread..they usually do have it labeled best by..and the date
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
3 Aug 09
I did know about. When I told my friends about, they are often ask me later on to repeat...like is too hard to remember few numbers....they often call me to ask what if....the conventional number doesn't start with 4.....
I didn't see number 8 and it scares me, because some are maybe hiding genetically modified fruits and veggie without the numbers...or....(?)
1 person likes this
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
7 Aug 09
it is possible...at least I am safe with my home grown tomatoes....
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
7 Aug 09
You have a point. I noticed that many of the produce DON'T have stickers...so are they the genetically altered ones?
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
2 Aug 09
I didn't know that, Pye. Thanks for the heads-up and link. This is why I freeze as much of my own food as possible. Least I know it's grown organically and that the food hasn't sat around for days/weeks before I get it.
1 person likes this
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
6 Aug 09
I never buy canned fruit or veggies. What canned food I do have was given to me. I like the Green Giant veggies in the steam bag. I got a ton of coupons out of a sunday paper once and matched them with a sale. Ended up buying over 20 bags for round $5.00. We love frozen mixed veggies so I'm growing all the veggies we like and going to freeze them mixed together in quart bags. Will last us a long time. Just hope the freezer doesn't break down now.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
6 Aug 09
It does make you wonder how long produce has been sitting around before it gets to the market--that's why for a lot of things like veggies I usually get frozen as it's processed right away
@jdyrj777 (6530)
• United States
5 Aug 09
Having worked in a grocery store before ...we had to enter those numbers into the register to get the price per pound.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
7 Aug 09
Nice to know they also have a different meaning as well, right?
@celticeagle (158947)
• Boise, Idaho
6 Aug 09
Not sure I know what 'sticky number' thingy you speak of but this is great information. Do mean the sticker on vegetables and such? Ah, the fog is clearing.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
7 Aug 09
Yup--those little stickers that are on produce...one can even find the number on the plastic bagging sealing iceberg lettuce...since I had some I looked and the number starts with a "4"
1 person likes this
@pweety_princess (2012)
• Australia
2 Aug 09
Wow, I didn't know that either, and yes we all do learn something new everyday. I learnt what you told me today. =) I never knew that numbers would kind of tell you where they were grown and how. I'm also staying away from the 8 now! How unhealthy. I guess in the end there's a reason why you get cheap fruit. If you want something decent, you usually have to pay for it.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
3 Aug 09
Thankfully I've never yet noticed any produce with the number 8 on it. I was looking at the apples and lemons I have...they have the stickers and have the number 4...the bore...LOL
1 person likes this
@wonttakelong (3555)
• United States
2 Aug 09
wow that is interesting!
I work in a grocery store and I just thought those numbers were inventory ID numbers
I had no idea that they had that sort of meaning
I am happy to report that none of our produce is an "8"of course none of it is a 9 either but most people around here dont eat 9s
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
6 Aug 09
All the produce in my supermarket seems to be the 4 bore...crap and here I thought I was eating healthy
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
6 Aug 09
BTW--since you do work in a grocery store...what does it mean when there aren't any stickers???? Is it locally grown then?
@wonttakelong (3555)
• United States
6 Aug 09
that means the sticker fell off!! LOL
what does it mean if the PLU starts with a 3?
1 person likes this
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
4 Aug 09
I use the self-checkout lane in the grocery store so I use those numbers all the time. I thought that they were just to identify them. I hit Produce on the screen, then either look for the item or punch in the number. It's easier to punch in the number because some things have more than one name - yams/sweet potatoes is a good one. I didn't realize they meant much more than that. I don't know that I've seen an 8, but I get a fair amount of 4's and 9's! I'll definitely be paying more attention.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
7 Aug 09
I guess it's a two way thing...the stickers identify what kind of produce it is for the scanners and what type of produce they are...I'm going to try and find more "9" type from now on
1 person likes this
@trixyteddy (1070)
• India
4 Aug 09
Hey, thanks for the information. I've never noticed numbers. I just pull out the stickers, wash the fruit and eat it. I'm alert.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
7 Aug 09
I just pull off those stickers too without realizing what they meant
@BarBaraPrz (45476)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
2 Aug 09
So what does 3 mean? Or any other number not mentioned, for that matter...
(I recently bought some "Heirloom" tomatoes and that's what their number started with.)
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (45476)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
4 Aug 09
Thanks for that info. I saved some of the seeds from those tomatoes, so next year I'll have organic heirloom tomatoes (if I remember to start them early enough).
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
4 Aug 09
I just did a search as I never heard of the number 3 being on produce...from this article it's the same as number 4 in that it's commercially grown
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_269/ai_n15929281/
(NOT a referral link)
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
4 Aug 09
i wondered what those meant.
oh yea..don't think i'll be buying more 8's.i don't trust altered stuff.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
6 Aug 09
Thankfully so far I've never seen the "8" labels...uh, yet--most seem to be "4"
@Milesxiao (104)
• China
2 Aug 09
Oh, the magic digits! Lol. Surely many shop label different price to the fruit, vegetable, as we all know. But I think they only consider the price is suitable or not to the cousumer, this is the key point.
As to the idea of the article, I consider that is only the analysis for some researcher who interested on it. Is it right?
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
2 Aug 09
I think you're confusing the sticky label numbers with barcodes..barcodes are completely different from what I'm talking about...barcodes are the numbers that give each item a price.....what I'm talking about is the numbers on fresh foods to indicate whether it's commercially grown, organically grown, or genetically altered foods.....all together different
1 person likes this
@Milesxiao (104)
• China
2 Aug 09
Oh, perhaps I misread your idea somewhat. Actually, most of us pay attention to quality of the fresh goods, and only judge it by sense. if the sticky label could tell us some useful information, we should very appreciate it.
2 people like this
