Many people have asked me how you can tell if produce is certified organic. There is a simple way of being able to tell if something is organic by reading the label. It is set up by the International Federation for Produce Standards. Buying organic ensures that you are getting the highest quality of produce with no pesticides. Buying certified organic produce is the only way to ensure that the produce isn’t genetically modified (GMO), which does not have any labeling codes. Genetically modified foods have been altered from their original form, and may introduce allergenic or toxic characteristics to the produce. The way GMO foods are made is bad for  the environment.

Organic produce: Always begins with a 9 and has a PLU number that is 5 digits long.

Example: Organic Bosc Pear #93296

Conventional produce: Always begins with a 4 and has a PLU number that is 4 digits long.

Example: Conventional Bosc Pear #4568

So always check to be sure that you purchase produce that begins with a PLU code on the sticker on your produce that starts with a 9 if you want to get organic produce.