In this final installment of the Food for Thought series, we’re taking a closer look at produce.

The health benefits of fresh produce are widely publicized … from being low-calorie snacks to sources of helpful antioxidants. But as you navigate your way through the produce aisle, do you know what?s lurking behind those fresh leaves and bright colors?

Know the code ? the secret language of produce

Understand the numbers on the product look-up (PLU) codes. All produce has small oval stickers on them with a series of numbers. Anyone who has gone through the self-service checkout lane at the market, knows that those numbers help identify the item along with the price per pound.

But those little numbers tell you more than just the price, they contain a wealth of ?secret? information. PLUs were developed by the International Federation for Produce Standards, a coalition of fruit and vegetable associations that started in 2001. There is no regulatory body for the use of PLUs and grocers are not required to use them, but most do.

PLUs consist of four or five numbers. Four numbers starting with the number three or a number four indicate produce grown in conventional methods, for global distribution and sustained with pesticides. Five numbers, starting with the number nine, are organic, and five numbers starting with the number eight are genetically engineered/genetically modified (GE/GM). The PLU codes also indicate the type of produce, variety (white grapes or red grapes for example), distribution information and price per pound. For organic and GE/GM varieties, the numbers nine and eight respectively are added as a prefix to the existing PLU code for the conventional version of that type of produce.

Conventional/Traditional Produce

Conventional crops are fed synthetic fertilizers, which force the plant to grow bigger in mass, in a shorter period, thereby not allowing the plant the time to take up the same full amount of nutrients as organic crops.

Some examples:

Alfalfa Sprouts (4514)

Granny Smith Apple, small (4138)

Beefsteak Tomato (3061)

California Sweet Onion (4165)

Yellow Banana [including Cavendish] (4011), small (4186)

Organic Produce
Five numbers starting with a “9″

Organically grown produce means that the produce has been grown without the use of artificial chemicals, synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, and do not contain the residues of toxic pesticides. Organic produce follows the principles of ecological sustainability.

Example:

An organically grown California sweet onion would bear the number 94165

GE & GM Produce
Five numbers starting with an “8″

Genetically engineered or genetically modified produce means that genetic material (whether natural or manufactured) is introduced into the DNA of a host species, a procedure that results in disruption of the genetic blueprint of the organism.

The FDA describes GE/GM produce as ?an extension of traditional plant breeding [or grafting, but] involves direct modification of DNA … [and makes] it possible to direct and predict changes without introducing … undesirable traits … and will allow scientists to introduce genes from essentially any organism into a plant.”

There are many who caution against consuming GE/GM foods because of concern over allergies, toxicity, an increase in viruses and resistant bacteria, and yet unknown adverse effects on human and animal biology.

Examples:
A GE/GM Beefsteak Tomato would bear the number 83061.

For some produce contain residual traces of pesticides even after washing, something that we tend to think is a reliable way to protect ourselves. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) studied 43 fruits and vegetables, among which many stapes in our family?s diets ? including peaches, apples, lettuce, spinach, carrots and cucumbers. It?s important then, that the next time you?re in the produce aisle, consider what those little oval stickers may mean for the health of your family.

Learn more about understanding the organic label.

Inexpensive ways to buy organic.

Genetic engineering: The future of foods?

Get/View the EWG?s produce report.

What’s in Your Food?
A Closer Look at Dried Fruits & Nuts

As many parents are opting for healthier meals and treats, it means making a bee-line for the produce aisle or for the sundries like raisins, figs and, when allergies aren?t at issue, nuts. They?re fresh (or dried). They?re all-natural. They allow you to encourage good nutritional habits. They?re safe. Or so it seems. As we make healthier choices, it?s also important to be aware of what?s going into the production, growing and maintenance of them as they make the journey from the ground to the table.

The questions to ask are:

• Were pesticides used? If so, which ones?
• Which preservatives were used?
• Are they naturally grown or genetic derivations?
• And now, with a year of various produce companies and the FDA announcing recalls because of harmful bacteria, we must ask: is this safe for my family to eat?

Many food manufacturers produce or use sundries in their products: from Ocean Spray to Sunmaid to Nabisco, names we trust in fact. But their nutritional value might not outweigh the potential toxicity. Sunmaid raisins ? both the red and golden varieties not marked ?USDA Organic,? Fig Newtons (a Nabisco product) and many other dried fruits and dried-fruit related products contain sulfur dioxide. But, you wouldn?t know that unless you read the tiny fine-print on the side of the box opposite the side with the nutritional information.

What is sulfur dioxide? – Sulfur dioxide (SO₂), also a greenhouse gas, is a preservative used because it inhibits the growth of bacteria, yeast and molds; retards rancidity by slowing air oxidation of fats and lipids; and blocks the natural ripening and enzymatic processes that occur after harvest. And according to Hassan Gourama, an Associate Professor of Food Science at University of Pennsylvania, SO₂ ?keeps raisins and other dried fruits from losing their light color by blocking both enzymatic browning and a nonenzymatic browning reaction between reducing sugars and amino acids called the Maillard reaction. The reaction darkens raisins, alters their flavor, and reduces essential amino acid levels.?

Sulfur dioxide is part of the chemical group sulfites. The FDA has estimated that more than 1 million asthmatics are sensitive or allergic to sulfites. Since 1986 the FDA has required that sulfites are listed on the labels of products where they are used as preservatives regardless of the amount used. (Sulfites are banned for use on fresh produce.)

But the problem may not only be in the preservatives. A main cause of acid rain is SO₂, which means that some sundries may be exposed to harmful cellular degradation by substance long before they are even harvested, unless they are grown inside the confines of greehouses.

What can you do?

Read labels carefully and avoid the products that contain sulfur dioxide, sodium sulfite, sodium and potassium bisulfite, sodium metabisulfite orpotassium metabisulfite

Choose USDA-certified or organic-growers certified products.

Being aware of what is in your food and how it is produced is an important part of the quest for healthier diets and lifestyle for our children and families.

Next and final installment in the series?a closer look at your produce.

A lot of people would buy more organic foods if they were easier to come by and didn’t cost so darn much. Well, there is a great little article on Noshtopia.com that points out a few ways for the health conscience person to buy organic foods without busting your budget.

Here are some of the highlights:

• Shop at your local farmers market for better deals
• Look for the brands produced by the market you are shopping in
• Shop near closing time at independent grocery stores
• Simply, ask around. Family, friends, or co-workers may know where to find the deals
• Create a list of affordable organics when you go to the store
• Look for sales and coupons
• Try before you buy