What is genetically modified (GM) food?
Genetically modified food uses modern biotechnology or gene technology, which is also called Genetic engineering, which allows selected individual genes to be transferred from one plant species to another and then used to grow GM plants and food crops. Genes from animals and other plants are literally shot into the cells of plants to create super crops that are larger, more resistant to bugs, and have longer shelf lives. One example may be to take genes from a fruit fly and inject them into a tomato, attempting to make the tomatoes repel the flies. Now we’re eating the genes of that fruit fly, which is not Vegan-friendly.
Stores aren’t obligated to tell you if a fruit has been genetically modified. I know what you are thinking…how am I going to know if what I am eating is organic and truly Vegan?
All produce has a label on it with a few numbers, here’s a guide to what the numbers mean and which are truly Vegan & safe to eat.
Genetically Modified Fruit Labels
Code starting with the number 8
Example – 8879
Conventional Fruit Labels
Grown with herbicides & harmful fertilizers
Four digit code usually starting with the number 4
Example – 4489
Organic Fruit Labels
Five digit code starting with the number 9
Example – 97044
So next time you go shopping, remember these critical numbers and know how to avoid purchasing inorganic and GM fruits.
I had no idea that those numbers contained a secret code! I will stay away from 4’s and 8’s from now on! THX
Hi,
Nice to see other people covering these issues, but I am afraid there are a few common misconceptions in your post. First off, 99% of genetically engineered foods are one of four crops: soy, corn, canola and cotton (the seeds of which are pressed into vegetable oil), so you won’t find any GE fruit.
Second of all, PLU numbers are optional, and the PLU number for GE is a fifth number that comes before the regular 4 numbers. Please read this post for more details: http://www.undoge.org/?p=25
keep up the good work!
IT IS A GOOD AND MODERN THEQNIQUE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY BEING USED FOR THE BENIFIT OF HUMANITY.A BETTER FRUIT OR CROP BEING RESISITANT TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSES WILL HELP THE WORLD TO FACE THE CHALLENGE OF FOOD SHORTAGE.
i beleive that you need more information on what we were really asking
WE NEED MORE PEOPLE TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST GMO aka MUTATION OF HUMAN NATURE via MUTATION OF ITS FOOD! THANK YOU – KEEP TALKING 🙂
My question:There are many vegies and fruit which have NO code.I just remember ROMA TOMATOES in our super store.How do you classify them?