Chances are, you’ve never thought much about those little stickers on grocery store produce, other than when you’re struggling to peel them off. Most fruits and vegetables, as well as many nuts and herbs, are labeled with a 4- or 5-digit code. I always assumed the numbers were there to help cashiers ring up items. While that is true—they are referred to as Price Look-Up (PLU) codes—that isn’t the whole story.

These stickers actually contain information about the produce and are set by an organization called the International Federation for Produce Standards (IFPS). Who knew such mysteries were lurking in the banana bin?

Conventional vs. organic

There are currently more than 1,500 codes in use around the world, and they are the same no matter the country. The biggest takeaway from these numbers is that they reveal whether fruits and vegetables are conventionally grown or certified organic. According to the IFPS, there are two common code formats:

4-digit codes

  • These PLU codes are for produce that was grown using conventional farming practices, which may include synthetic pesticides and fertilizers where permitted.

5-digit codes

  • PLU codes beginning with the number 9 identify produce that has been certified as organic. In most cases, the organic PLU is formed by adding a 9 to the beginning of the corresponding 4-digit PLU code. In the U.S., organic certification requires that the land meet U.S. Department of Agriculture organic standards, including restrictions on the use of most synthetic pesticides and fertilizers for at least three years before harvest. For example, the PLU code for conventionally grown Honeycrisp Apples is 3283, and the PLU code for certified organic ones is 93283.

Other information to look for

You might need to pull out your glasses to see it, but some labels include information like where the produce is from, whether that's a U.S. state or a country outside of the U.S. If it is a type of fruit or vegetable that has many varieties, like apples or oranges, that information might be listed as well (for example, a Fuji or Gala apple).

Do these numbers indicate quality?

No. A PLU code can tell you how a tomato was grown, but it doesn’t reveal how long it has been sitting in the grocery store or whether it will actually be juicy.