Understanding your fruit's UPC symbol

M

marilynfl

Moderator
I will be joining the current Master Gardener 2022 class in NC when I get home mid-August. The class started last week but the teacher provided me with current class assignments and reading materials.

Basically, it's a established fact that I kill everything. However, my 1.5 acre property is loaded with invasive weeds and I want to kill those thorny, eye-swelling suckers. However, I'm also on well water so it's rather important that I not kill myself in the process. This is why I'm taking this course.

This image was on the WNC (Western North Carolina) Urban Farms facebook page.
I love when things is easy for me to understand. In this case, the code number tells you quite simply what you're buying.

UPC code.jpeg
 
Color me dense, but how am I supposed to realize a difference in these numbers? Every Apple is going to have a different number for example, how does the label tell me whether it’s organic or not - does it start with a different number for example? It looks like in your example that genetically modified is the same number, but starting with an eight.

I’m jealous you’re doing the master gardeners program! I was also accepted into the program, but realized I’m just not up to the physical challenge right now, so I had to skip it. ygg!
 
I think I need to start wearing my glasses while shopping.
I'll be interested to see how this relates to UPCs here.
 
Maria, regular produce (NOT organic) has a four number PLU code (I was incorrect with the name in the post title above). Organics have a 5 number code (9) and GMOs have 5 numbers but start with an 8. (this one was new to me)

To tell the difference in regular apple codes, the UPC changes. For example, here's an apple chart:

I had to look this part up: When a UPC is scanned, it tells the retailer important information about the product. The first 6 digits tell the products assigned manufacturers number, and the next 5 digits are chosen by the manufacturer to identify the item.

I'm mostly taking the MG class because my land is covered with invasive weeds and I want to know how to deal with them without killing myself. We're doing soil samples when I get back to NC and this should be interesting. I had samples done back in 2018 when I first moved there, but could not figure out the analysis at all.
 
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marg-cdn2 said:
I think I need to start wearing my glasses while shopping.
I'll be interested to see how this relates to UPCs here.
Click to expand...
Marg, it looks like US and Canada share the same UPC symbols. Europeans have their own numbering.

"UPCs are the primary barcode used in the US and Canada. Other countries can read and scan UPC codes, but they more commonly use EANs (European Article Numbers). Also known as International Article Numbers, these are similar to UPCs but with different country codes and slightly varying lengths."
 
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