How to tell if your produce is geneticaly modified

[monkeywrangler71]

hummm the orange I'm peeling starts with a 3. 3108 actually. Says it is grown in CA USA. So what is a 3?

The code for genetically modified is a prefix to the standard 4 digit code. As long as it has 4 digits, it is conventional. They can't all start with a 4 because there are more than 1000 different ones.

You can look up your code here, many oranges start with a 3:
Fruit Sticker - What does the number mean? Search PLU codes.

[morrisjlm3]

For fresh produce there are three types you can choose from.
There is Organic, conventional and Genetically modified.
Most organic food is labeled as such but there really is no way to know if that apple is conventional or genetically modified.
Or is there?
It's in the code.
The numbers on the sticker either begin with a 4, 8, or 9. 9 IS ORGANIC. 4 is conventional, and 8 or 5 is genetically modified. So always look at the little sticker on the apples, tomatoes, bananas, etc. and make sure it starts with a 9 or a 4. Stay clear of 8 or 5.
The code on my Braeburn apple is 4103 so it's a conventional apple.

Thanks this is extremely helpful. I'll keep an eye out for the numbers next time I'm at the grocery store. I still prefer to grow my own produce using heirloom seeds. If I can't do that I'll usually find a coll independent organic farmer at a local farmers market