Uncoding Fruits and Vegetables

Fruit & Vegetable Codes

Most fruits and vegetables have little stickers on their skin.  These stickers tell us how that fruit or vegetable was grown. If is has a 4 digit number then pesticides were sprayed on it. 

If it has a 5 digit number, with the first number being a 9, then it has not been sprayed with pesticides. 

If it has a 5 digit number being with an 8 then it is genetically engineered (see glossary). 

Codes: look at the stickers on the pieces of fruits and vegetables,

4 digit number:  may be grown with use of pesticides/insecticides, not organic

5 digit number, starting with “9”:  Organic

5 digit number, starting with “8”:  Genetically engineered

*it's best to buy organic or local

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) researched which fruits and vegetables has the highest and lowest levels of pesticides to help us determine which ones to buy organic and which ones can be bought non-organic (or with a 4 digit number sticker).

Buy these Organic (highest in pesticides if not organic)

apples

celery

cherries

grapes (imported)

lettuce

nectarines

peaches

pears

potatoes

spinach

strawberries

sweet bell peppers

Buy these Non-organic (lowest in pesticides if not organic)

asparagus,avocado

bananas

broccoli

cabbage

eggplant

kiwi

mango

onions,

pineapple,

sweet corn

sweet peas (frozen)

*Fruits and Veggies with tough skins are less susceptible to pesticides.