Read the Numbers on Your Fruit
by David Askaripour
I just found this out about a month ago and I’ve been an organic vegan for over four years, go figure. That just goes to say that we must all remain as students and continue to learn and learn — never stop studying and gaining new information.
Okay, so what did I learn?
I learned that sticker labels on the fruits actually tell you how the fruits have been grown — whether they were organically grown or conventionally grown with pesticides and herbicides; oh, and let’s not forget about the genetically engineered fruits.
Conventional Fruit Labels
Four digits and does not start with 9
** mostly starting with the digit 4
Organic Fruit Labels
Five digits and starts with number 9
Genetically Modified Fruits
Start with the digit 8
** this is good to know because stores aren’t obligated to tell you if a fruit has been genetically modified (grrr….)
Okay, so if you come across an apple in the store and it’s labels 4922, it’s an conventional apple grown with herbicides and harmful fertilizers. If it has a sticker 99222, it’s organic and safe to eat. If it says 89222, then RUN!!!! It has been genetically modified (GMO).
So next time you go shopping, remember these critical numbers and know how to avoid purchasing inorganic and GMO fruits.
Shop Safe :)
deal
What? You have nothing to say?
Now is not the time to be silent. These issues affect us all
May 6th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Purchasing a an apple that is not labeled “organic” does not make it inorganic as it is still biologically derived and it contains carbon.
Organic labels (not applied here) only indicate that the product is contains 95% ‘organic’ material
No pesticides also means natural pest control which can lead to the introduction of invasive species that also harm the ecosystem.
Further - how far did the fruit travel to get to you? Is local better than organic?
May 6th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Unless you’re a clone, you’re a genetically-modified person. Perhaps we should run for you?
May 6th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Hey Steve, thanks for the comment. Thank you too, David. The bottom-line here, semantics aside, organic fruits do not undergo herbicide / pesticide / and other dangerous chemical spraying. As well as not being genetically modified and used on humans as guinea pigs. It’s just that simple.
May 6th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Why is genetically modified evil? Many things are genetically modified for the better. Plants are sprayed with a hormone specific to it’s species to create seedless fruit. Do you run from seedless grapes? Most other types of genetic modification involves taking a gene from an animal that is something like mosquito resistant, and putting it into the plant, thus eliminating the need for pesticide. Look things up before you open your ignorant mouth. You can eat inorganic fruit all you want, the pesticide won’t kill you.
May 6th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
I’ve been “looking things up” for years, thank you. Yes, I do run from seedless grapes. I run from anything that GM-ed. There is absolutely no proof the GM foods are safe foods for us. None at all. You think that GM-ed fruits still don’t endure pesticide sprays?? ha, what sort of research have you been doing. Hit the books, bro!
May 6th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Genetically modified crops are the most rigorously scrutinized foods in America, regulated by the EPA, USDA, and the FDA. Genetic modification merely allows crops to produce higher yields while thriving in conditions it would be unable to naturally. It’s not like scientists are fiddling with the “be more poisonous” gene.
It’s wonderful that America has such an overabundance of food that you can afford to RUN!!!! from GM foods, but they are a matter of life or death in countries where that is not the case.
Also, unless you’re eating nothing but wild berries picked off a hidden bush in a secret forest on an alternate-dimension Earth, everything you eat has been modified over time through human selection and modification.
May 6th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Not to jump on the bandwagon here, but I have to agree with the other two commentors here; genetically modified is not bad and a cursory knowledge of genetic history will show that most cultivated produce has been genetically modified pretty much since plant-grafting was developed centuries ago.
Many people tend to associate genetically modified with steroid and chemical enhancement which couldn’t be further from the truth.
I do appreciate the label numbering information though. It’s interesting to see.
As for “organic”, I really wish they’d re-label that as eating something inorganic would be… difficult.
Keep up the posts.
May 6th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Running from GM food seems to be a bit of an overreaction…
Genetically modified foods that are farmed intensively (just as conventional and organic foods) are applied pesticides - while in the case of organic foods the pesticides have to be natural products and herbicides cannot be used (instead, people have to pick weeds constantly in organic fields).
However, the difference between a GM food and a conventional (or organic) food is the gene make-up, which as the end result produces a protein - which in almost all cases (for the purposes of GM food) acts as an enzyme, changing one chemical into another. Now, the word “chemical” does have some harsh connotations in the English language, but since we’ve put semantics aside I’ll continue to use it and point out that all of the genes added to GM food have to come from natural products (i.e. scientists do not create genes for a specific purpose out of nothing, it must come from a specific animal). I’m sure you’re already aware of that and I’m sorry to go over it again, but it’s a nice reminder that GM food is not purely science-fiction - this food is still natural and is just the product in the next step of artificial selection - the same kind of selection that led to the organic foods you love so much. This next step, however, lets developers have more control over the outcome so people don’t have to sacrifice flavor for fruit that last in storage longer, for example.
Genetic modification mainly tries to do the following: increase yields, increase storage length and reduce bruising, and reduce pesticide use. And as long as there’s no plastic in your apple, all of the genes in it came from living things nature created.
**Sorry to bump an older thread, I just thought that the idea of “running” from GM foods shows a lack of consideration of the motives and the design of genetic modification.
May 6th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Frohergeist, sorry but to say that all foods have been GM-ed it nothing close to the truth. Of course, through nature, plants genetically modify themselves through cross-pollination and simply through evolving, no doubt. But what you are doing is painting a gross distortion between what scientist do in a lab and what mother nature does in the forest.
Hey Netbug, sorry but not most plants have been injecting with animal DNA. We haven’t been injecting apples with salmon genes since plants were being grafted. This is something new. GM-ing plants is relatively new. Unsafe. Untested. And we, humans, are the test animals of this experiment.
If GMO’s were so superior and safe, then why do these companies lobby “AGAINST” having to label the fruits and vegetables that have been genetically altered? Why? Please give me a good reason to this. I’m so curious.
Thanks for your comments, guys! Keep ‘em comin’
:)
May 6th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
David, I appreciate the blog, but as much as it is a forum for you to put your thoughts out, you gotta keep an open mind that your opinions may change and what you may think you know could be incorrect. I’m not saying it is, but be mindful of the possibility.
Most of the people that have posted here have been in favor of genetically modified foods; that doesn’t mean they’re all correct, but were I to get that many people countering an opinion, I’d want to investigate further on some un-biased sites that aren’t regulated by a body for or against.
And the reason that companies lobby against having to say their product is modified is because the media (including yourself, no offense intended) scare the populace.
That said, I would like a citation for the salmon spliced produce as I can’t think, off-the-top of my head, what they could be aiming for with that splice. I am curious though, please provide more information; which company did it and for what goal?
May 6th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
I have to agree with David. While I’m not completely opposed to GM products, I do remain extremely skeptical. We are only beginning to realize the real power in genetics. Without proper, unbiased, extremely thorough testing, we won’t know what the GM foods might do.
I bring up unbiased because the USDA for one, is there for the benefit of companies, not consumers. That’s why the organic labeling was changed from required the product to be 100% organic to 95%. Many companies petitioned for the change to make it easier and cheaper to sell organic labeled products.
May 6th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
David,
You asked why they lobby against labeling the genetically modified fruit and the answer is rather obvious. There are nuts on the internet who make unfounded claims about the “danger” of genetically modified products and many people are gullible enough to believe what they read on the internet.
Although I must admit that I always feel a little anxious around the tangelos. I wonder what poor soul was the first to eat/test that genetic monster?
May 6th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
As someone who works on the food-service side of this debate, I can say without a doubt that the USDA isn’t on the companies side. The 95% isn’t so that companies can cut corners. It is there because an organic farmer can’t guarantee that a tiny bit of the pesticides being sprayed several fields over, won’t drift over to their crops. In most cases this doesn’t even happen, but this does help ensure that a farmer doesn’t loose an entire crop just because a tiny, harmless amount of chemical got onto a small section of their crop.
May 6th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
I love the way some people say scientist with a sort of hisssss to it like a snake. For some reason we evil scientists have gotten a bad rap just for trying to make the world a better place. While your out there buying hemp underwear and rubbing rock salt under your pits for deodorant, some people in the world haven’t eaten in days. I doubt very seriously with all of the ignorant tripe you’ve chosen to waste your time and money worrying about that you’ve ever had to go a second without food. If the difference is between your body slowly and agonizingly devouring itself for nutrients, or a bumper crop of GM food, I think I’d sink my teeth into an ear of corn with a little mosquito DNA in it wouldn’t you?
Also, I personally am a clinical scientist. When I’m not worshiping the devil, or drowning baby seals, I save peoples lives. If you don’t like what us evil scientists are doing next time you get an infection, bacteria, or virus, try to avoid hospitals. Maybe you could try an incantation or meditation. Maybe they make organic coffins these days, I’ve heard stupider things.
May 6th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Uggh, so much frustration. I edited out half my comment to prevent further flame wars.
On GMOs I see two major problems that go beyond the health issue(which for the present is based on personal views of the individual, since little evidence exists).
The first, for me, is patent rights. Biotech companies are trotting across the globe and taking wild and natural genomes of plants and claiming rights to them. Yes this sounds fair since they “found” the gene that does STUFF. But entire plants are getting patented. Than international trade agreements require those villages to stop planting those crops. Next its our genes, if you have an anti-BADTHING gene a company can own it and sell it.
Second and which scares me the most is the destruction of biodiversity. What protects all living things from being annihilated from disease is its inherent genetic differences from thing to thing. If GMOs are promoted to help curb world hunger, crops worldwide will slowly come from a single strain of DNA, since GMOs are generally sterile so you have to buy more seed. Then a new disease comes along and wipes out an entire nation’s supply of that crop. Yes, this is very cynical, but it’s a very string belief by many people, enough so to start a seed bank in Norway.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svalbard_Global_Seed_Vault
Thankfully some of the companies pushing GMOs are helping fund it, maybe to curb some guilt. For more literature on GMOs, I would pick my favorite University and look for lectures for environmental science classes online.
The power we have in this topic is the freedom to choose. Which I guess trumps my 2 peeves above. These companies, like David mentioned, are pushing to prevent us from being able to make that choice. Which forces many to almost unwillingly promote GMOs. Thanks for allowing me choose David.
May 6th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
Artificially forcing natural selection pressure (centuries of agriculture) is very different from splicing bacterial genes into soybeans so that they are immune to pesticides (genetic modification). These pesticides are toxic and their use is not sustainable. There is enough evidence that GMO’s may produce health risks that they should not be on the market without further independent research. Instead, 90% of all soybeans are now Roundup Ready, and over half of the items in an American grocery store contain a soy by-product.
Health risks aside, the corporate behavior surrounding GMO’s is beyond criminal. This video keeps popping up and getting pulled from the sites all over the internet. Search for “world according to Monsanto” if it won’t play.
May 6th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
I dont think people should be genetically altering anyting. You start messing with nature and before you know it you will end up having children that have 5 arms 3 heads.
May 6th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
I am opposed to GMs. Ever f’ing hear of Monsanto?? Look at the politics it has created/destroyed. They think they can sue farmers because of wind pollination essentially screwing the farmers out of their entire farms!
Round-Up Ready? You’re eating freaking round-up!
Terminator Gene: Prevents farmers from saving last years seeds, thus spending unnecessary money for more seeds from guess who? Monsanto.
Please, tell me how the things they do can benefit the greater good. How much good can a GM crop be if it can’t be sustainably produced?
Anyone?
May 7th, 2008 at 12:46 am
Monsanto. Shell. Chevron. Etc… All of these companies speak ONE language. Can you all guess? It’s MONEY. They don’t give a shit about feeding the world, making “great” crops, or helping people in any way. They want money, money, money. The more, the better! This is what’s fueling GMO’s. That’s the only thing. And they’ve convinced the world, without them even knowing it, to be the largest test bunny experiment ever conducted by forcing GM-ed foods down their throat and painting it “healthy and cheaper and better” than what mother nature has created, naturally. We need to awake to the alarming conclusion that we aren’t smarter than nature and that we need to live in harmony with nature, not against. Not trying to conquer. I sympathize with those who are starving right now and I agree with the comment that they should eat GM-ed foods rather than NO food… but that’s a short-term solution and a narrowed-minded solution. The better solution is to figure out ways to grow superfoods in these countries and implement permaculture ideals and practices to provide sustainable ways of growing and maintaining food… GMO FREE. Thank you all for your continued comments. Much love. :)
May 7th, 2008 at 1:58 am
The claim that animal genes are being spliced into plant genes (I believe salmon and bacteria were mentioned) is wholly untrue. There’s no need to incorporate animal genes into plants, simply because plants are better at being plants than animals are.
The genetic encoding for higher yields, or less need for pesticides, or whatever else a plant may be modified in favor of, already reside within the plant’s genes. As an example, tomatoes naturally manufacture nicotine, which, as you may know, is a wildly effective pesticide.
I agree with other posters, I would love to see some cited references for this information you’re getting wherein all these anti-GM claims are being made.
I notice the word “they” being thrown around a lot without a lot of clarification of who “they” are (in context of: “they” are the ones pushing GM foods in spite of unspecified health concerns). Do you mean the three governmental regulatory agencies which oversee GM foods? The corporations producing the modified crops? The scientists developing them?
Lastly, it’s wildly disingenuous and tangental– a straw man, really– to argue that since corporations stand to profit from GM crops, there must be something inherently wrong with GM crops. I assure you, even if the producers of GM crops “don’t give a shit about feeding the world… they want money, money, money”, the agricultural scientists who actually develop the crops DO give a shit about feeding the world.
This video features one of my personal heroes, Norman Borlaug– not only one of my personal heroes, but an honest-to-goodness hero to the entire world. He’s an agricultural scientist, and he truly has an astonishing love for the people of the world, as well as the knowledge, dedication, and talent to save their lives. The clip is from Penn & Teller’s Bullshit, and is wildly slanted towards pro-GM views, but I still urge you to watch if just to see the dedication to a better world that an agricultural scientist has– a far cry from the heartless “money, money, money” bastard you envision. If I fucked up the HTML: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIvNopv9Pa8
May 7th, 2008 at 3:48 am
If you think technology is so bad, then get off the internet.
My husband has been a vegan for 16 years now (since he was 11). He majored in biology, with his passion behind it being GMOs.
Yes, you should do your research- some companies modify their products in ways to be resistant to pests and things, but they also genetically modify things to extend shelf-life, or provide a lacking nutrient. Just because a scientist had an idea- doesn’t mean that their product is bad or the person is evil. Do research before investing in GMOs, but don’t ‘eek, run away’ just because technology had a hand in its creation.
To the comment that someone said “don’t mess with nature”, were that the case, we wouldn’t have most modern vegetation as we know it. I just roll my eyes at that comment, and wonder if the guy has ever in his whole life eaten corn.
May 7th, 2008 at 8:06 am
Just so you know I work at a grocery store more specifically the produce department. A little secret with “organic” fruits is that in order to be organic for grocery store standards is that it must use 10% less chemicals. So that could be 10% less the 100% and it would pass for organic.
May 7th, 2008 at 8:24 am
I’m glad to see so much passion here. I just wanted to remind our readers that we never intend to offend.. only to spread the word of truth as we know it. My prob with GMs is the way they just passed through without any of our say, without testing etc.
Because my son wound up having a deeply damaged immune system due to environmental toxins, I know that messing with mother nature has a down side.
why do we need GMs anyway? It seems that the more we mess with nature the more we need to, and the food supply has gone up, while the nutritional value has gone down.
I am starting a project called seeds of love — where I am sharing seeds from my garden with anyone who wants to grow them.. anywhere in the world. I will have more details soon. But if this sounds interesting to yo please let me know.
May 7th, 2008 at 8:32 am
Jeremy,
I’d like to add, that I do not hate or even dislike science or those in your profession. I admire you. I think that the best scientists understand nature very very well. And, look at where we are today because of all of the break through in science. it is not science that is to blame. as a culture we have begun to abuse science. we demand immediate cures for everything. we demand gardens without weeds etc. and you give it to us, and then the cycle continues. this is a problem of the collective society. we have all done our part.
we are in a place now where people are becoming much more aware of the damage that we cause when messing with nature. balance is key and I can feel that we are working towards it
May 7th, 2008 at 9:09 am
I appreciate that everyone can choose their own opinion on these foods, but I strongly believe that the greatest threat to the world in the internet age is the inability to reason using some sort of acceptable logic. If we don’t cross-pollinate some minds with the ability to think, we are going down the tubes no matter what we eat.
The anti-GMO posts make the strong assertion that GMOs are bad because the companies that produce them make money. Do you all see this as good logic? If so, then organic food is equally as bad until I see someone giving it all away.(I bet you’ll think that when I use your logic it sounds absurd, correct?) Organic farmers don’t have any financial reason to oppose GMOs?
One anti-GMO post states “there is enough evidence” that they are harmful but noticeably makes no mention of or link to this evidence. Is the poster referring to scientific evidence or sh*t they read on the internet? Are they speaking of data or speculation? If speculation, is there some reasonable basis for the speculation? We don’t know because the assertion is just thrown out as if it is fact and we are expected to mindlessly absorb it (see Bush Administration; Media; Propaganda).
One anti-GMO post asserts that fear of GMOs has directly led to the creation of a seed bank and actually provides a link! This is the trick I love the most and it is used by anti-climate changers, anti-vacciners, etc again and again - provide a link that actually refutes your claim and count on the fact that very few people will follow your link. Mentions of GMOs in this link (even in the mission statement of the seed bank) ZERO. Though the “Mission” section does note that the portrayal of their mission in the popular press differs from their actual mission. It appears to be this incorrect portrayal that is corrected in the cited article that the poster is citing as support. Hint: If you want to use the incorrect mission to support your claim, link directly to one of the popular press articles that got it wrong. The person you’re debating may be less likely to track down the correction. Linking to the correction of your misperception is rather useless (unless you are so confident in the intellectual laziness of your reader that you know for sure they won’t follow your link).
This is one of the biggest problems with the internet and with America and our education system. We now lead the world in “conspiracy theory logic”, where a lack of evidence is cited as evidence that my position is correct.
Presenting your projection that no one at these companies cares about anything but money says an awful lot about you, but it doesn’t make it true. Even if we assume it is true, it is TOTALLY UNRELATED to the discussion of the safety of GMOs. If the discussion is safety of GMOs and the best you can do is, “Yea well, the companies that produce them make money!”, we should all be educated enough to recognize that this poster is waving the proverbial white flag. I’ve got nothing on the safety discussion I started, so I’m going to try to switch to money. Anyone who cares about the truth should recognize this trick and call it whenever you see it. Talk to any of the people who espouse these ideas on the internet and watch how many times the subject changes when evidence is requested.
The only way that these “issues” become hot issues is through people not being educated enough in logic to pick up the scam. As we are exposed to more and more of this faulty internet logic, the ability of the populus to think is degraded. But that shouldn’t be a problem as long as they aren’t eating GMOs. Personally, I will take a population who can think critically over a non GMO eating population any day. We would all be safer.
The other ideas for growing crops are fine but once again have nothing to do with the assertion that GMOs are dangerous and that people should shudder in fear and run from them.
Your conclusion is basically this, I can’t trust the fill in the blank (corporations, government, etc) therefore I should stop thinking critically and substitute an emotional response to whatever they produce. It is this virus that will kill us. One post mentions people promoting GMOs without awareness. Promoting this thought virus without awareness actually IS dangerous. It makes the populus more, rather than less susceptible to manipulative attempts by government and corporations. It is the mentality of the villagers with pitchforks and not the mentality of critical thought that brought us to the point of being able to have these discussions in the first place.
Just to be proactive, here is the usual next step in the internet logic discussion - “Yea well, you didn’t present any evidence that they are safe!” Absolutely correct! Because I didn’t make a claim about their safety. The initiating assertion is that one should run in fear from GMOs. We still await some supporting statement or evidence that has to do with SAFETY. An argument that refuses to support itself is self-refuting. An argument that refuses to support itself is what is commonly called “religious belief”. If the poster is expressing a religious belief that GMOs are the devil, then just state that and discussion over. We can all respect your religion but if you put your religious beliefs on the internet as if they are fact or science, I can assure you they will be attacked (rightly so) until you admit to the religious nature of your assertion or present some evidence to support your argument.
May 7th, 2008 at 10:00 am
I read the article and the following comments with great interest. As someone who seeks to be as balanced and healthy as she can be with her dietary needs, especially in order to avert the danger of developing diabetes, cancer, the works, perhaps I can offer a different perspective.
If you are someone who feels passionate about the food we eat and whether or not it is organic, or a GMO, etc, then instead of being anti-this or anti-that, be pro-this or pro-that.
Instead of fighting a “war” against corporations, be pro-peace with the intention of nonviolently and quietly persuading others to come around. It’s also called voting with your dollars. If we created larger demand for foods that haven’t been messed with, genetically, those who had not considered such a thing before might be inspired to go the non-GMO route.
Same thing with organic food. If we create more demand for foods that have never seen artificial fertilizer or pesticides, more farmers will jump on the “100 % organic bandwagon” and stop the usage of harmful products altogether. All we have to do is create the demand for this stuff, just as we ended up creating the demand for weedless gardens and lawns. I truly believe this is do-able.
We *can* roll back the harmful effects that fertilizers, pesticides and GMOs can cause, all by way of education. Once we have intelligent, rational education in place, then people will understand over time, and more demand for naturally grown products will win out.
But the key, as I see it, is rational education. This does not mean spirituality cannot enter into it, as many spiritual folks I know are the ones most likely to be into the organic-and-non-GMO idea. But we must season our fervent spiritual beliefs with an equally fervent dash of unbiased science.
So, yes, while you are passionate about non-GMO and organic foods, I do recommend along with the other commenters that if one is posting information along these lines that intense research be done and citations be given. It is truly the most balanced way to get one’s admirable ideas across without completely sounding like an ideologue.
Health and Balance to you,
Kat ^.^
May 7th, 2008 at 11:00 am
well said Kat.
thank you
May 7th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
GMO’s while scary contain the potential to really help solve some of the hunger issues in the world. However they are creepy.
Thanks for the numbers
May 7th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
[…] How to tell if the food you are buying is organic, conventional, or genetically modified–just by looking at the PLU code [skrewtips] […]
May 7th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
If you oppose genetic engineering on the grounds that genetic modifications might have unforeseen consequences, you may as well stay away from everything else that could potentially be harmful as well. I think one of the worst side effects on the internet, is how quickly the paranoia and fears of others can become considered fact.
I take a risk every time I get into my car, board an airplane, heat something up in the microwave, fire off an aresol can, or crash an oil cruiser. I accept those risks because the benefits outweigh the risks.
Genetically modified foods have more benefits than they do risks. They’re genetically modified in ways as safe if not safer than natural methods.
GMO’s are becoming more and more popular every year…the farm land dedicated to GMO’s has increased 50 fold since the 1990s specifically because it does offer so many benefits.
May 7th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
ok man its pretty bad that you have been a vegan for a long as time before figuring that out so you are a fuckin doosh
May 7th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Thank you all for your comment. I truly appreciate your feedback. I love you all very much. Be happy :) and peace unto you.
May 7th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
This is like a religious debate about food.
I would love to see someone change Davids opinion even slightly but I can’t see it happening any time soon.
I’m not in posession of any facts so I just try to buy british(cos thats where i live) and organic where it’s available and the price is right. Also I try to avoid taking a plastic bag whenever i can.
Ben
May 7th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Oh, and I just want you all to know that I am a proponent of science as well as nature. I love science. But that’s no to say that I love GM-ed food. For all you scientist out there reading this article, my attack on GMO’s isn’t a direct attack on you — it’s more of an attack on the industry as a whole. But as one commenter noted, it’s more about “pro-organic” than “anti-GMO’s”
You may all also delight in the fact that I’m not “religious” at all — but spiritual. So you can scratch out the thought that I wrote this article on a religious premise. Nope. :)
May 7th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Hi David, Thats not what i was getting at. I didn’t think that you prefer non GM because its “Gods way”, i would not have even posted on this blog at all if that was what i thought(cos im an athiest and would have stumbled off to another page).
What i meant was convincing you that GM is fine or even more outragously that dairy and meat are ok too would be a bit like me saying to a devout christian “you know god isn’t real don’t you?”. It would just end up in a “yes he is”, “oh no he isnt”, “yes he is” etc.
Anyway, this seems to have gone off on a bit of a tangent, i always thought that the codes on apples were to do with the variety so im glad that you put me straight with the prefix.
May 7th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Hey Ben, you analysis of me / my reasoning is precise. Glad that you read and commented on this article. Right on!
May 7th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
I know there’s a lot of heat here, but I just wanted to say thanks for this simple key to labels. I will use it as a cue for when to RUN!
May 7th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
In Response to David ~ It is a general mis-understanding that ‘Organic’ foods are not sprayed with Pesticides and Herbicides, or are Not fertilized, and/or hybridized.
Organic Standards vary from state to state with different regulations, but the National Standards allow “Organic” Pesticide and Herbicide use as well as the use of “organic” Fertilizers and “Hybridized” seeds….and crops….. and I find the ‘hybridization’ of our food is as dangerous as Genetically Modified Plants and Seeds…
The best food we can eat is food we have cultivated ourselves…… and we know the source is whole and Good..
The next stage would to be eating with in a Local (25-50mi) Radius….. With know pesticide and herbicide sprays and know fertilizers. And please use heirloom variety no-hybridized……. Enjoy good food
May 7th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
hey labelsareforjars,
You are very welcome. And yes, always remember to RUN!!! from those GMO’s :)
May 7th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Thanks Justin, that’s AWESOME advice. Can you tell us more about “hybridized” — is that literally creating a hybrid crop of different plant species?
May 7th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Nothing dangerous about GM foods. Buck up hippies. And of course you’re “spiritual”, which is just a more diluted version of religious, for people who ,like totally feel theres something, like out there man, but like I don’t know what it is. At least you can take a god fearing zealot seriously, even if they are just as big a bunch of idiots. Feel free to get in touch with mother earth, while you’re at it, why don’t you see if the tooth fairy is in. Gonna need her if you keep packing away the high-acid fruits.
God I hate hippies.
May 7th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Hybridized Seed ~ In agriculture and gardening, hybrid seed is seed produced by artificially cross-pollinated plants. Hybrids are bred to improve the characteristics of the resulting plants, such as better yield, greater uniformity, improved color, disease resistance, and so forth. Today, hybrid seed is predominant in agriculture and home gardening, and is one of the main contributing factors to the dramatic rise in agricultural output during the last half of the 20th century. In the US, the commercial market was launched in the 1920s, with the first hybrid maize. Hybrid seed cannot be saved, as the seed from the first generation of hybrid plants does not reliably produce true copies, therefore, new seed must be purchased for each planting.
Resources
http://www.farm-garden.com/feature/2006_heirloom_seeds
May 7th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Resources ~
Hybrid Seeds
Organic Food
Organic foods are produced according to certain production standards, meaning they are grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, human waste, or sewage sludge, and that they were processed without ionizing radiation or food additives.[1] Livestock are reared without the routine use of antibiotics and without the use of growth hormones. In most countries, organic produce must not be genetically modified.
Organic food production is legally regulated. Currently, the United States, the European Union, Japan and many other countries require producers to obtain organic certification in order to market food as organic.
Historically, organic farms have been relatively small family-run farms[2] — which is why organic food was once only available in small stores or farmers’ markets. However, since the early 1990s organic food has had growth rates of around 20% a year, far ahead of the rest of the food industry, in both developed and developing nations. As of April 2008, organic food accounts for 1-2% of food sales worldwide. Future growth is expected to range from 10-50% annually depending on the country.
May 7th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Thanks, Justin!
May 7th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
GMO is around for a reason.
Organic is bureaucratic bull.
Just like we eat meat for a reason.
If you’re going to go organic, might as well be an omnivore.
May 8th, 2008 at 2:39 am
I believe (with no hard evidence to support my view) that organic food is wrong and the world population can not be fed without more intensive farming measures than just a plant it and let it grow approach (and before anyone comments on it i know there is slightly more to organic farming than that). This is proving to be even more likely with the ever increasing demand for biofuels, however even a cursory search on the internet can uncover evidence supporting both sides of this argument (aren’t statistics wonderful….).
my point: arguments like this really annoy me. people throwing around spurious comments dressed up as facts based on little or no real information. if it is your belief and helps you sleep at night then say as much rather than creating some bullsh*t about splicing fish genes into apples to make them shinier (actually heard that one in the pub the other night). if you have facts then that is better, but they are still biased by source, statistical model used, country the data was gathered in and so many more factors. no data source is perfectly representative, and as such no single comment should persuade you one way or the other. but having your argument based on the sole assumption that because the companies are making money then they dont care about peoples health is just plain dumb. i mean, how long would they stay in business if they killed off all their customers?
as i have already said i think that organic food is wrong, however when i see it in the supermarket i dont run away from it (in fact i will even buy it if there are absolutely no other alternatives). that is a highly irresponsible approach and i pity your closed minded approach.
May 8th, 2008 at 3:38 am
My apples don’t have stickers on them, and I don’t think putting stickers on every apple is the right way to go. Get apples from a local farm, and not from the supermarket. It is as easy as that.
May 8th, 2008 at 4:16 am
Thanks… especially good to know about GMO one
May 8th, 2008 at 5:52 am
You don’t know very much for someone advising people on what to eat. I assume you are a woman?
May 8th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
I have to laugh at that one!
May 8th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
These Blogs are incredibly inane….. what purpose do people have in spouting of there irrational and uninformed beliefs….. Is there any intent to look deeper into the source of our food and how it is grown………… There are methods (Not beliefs) that can be employed to produce an abundance of food with out Petro-chemical Herbicides and Fertilizers.
But we do not seem to have the willingness to support this possibility with out deissention
Cheers
I’m off enjoying my lunch from the local coffee house ~
Justin
May 8th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Hey justin, I like that word “inane” — thanks for using it. I’ll add it to my vocab :)
May 8th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Dave,
I have a plastic bag made of GM corn that I fill to the brim with ridiculous comments — which I print out with my color printer. Once its full I just drive fast down the highway in my SUV with the window down and let the paper fly out the window. Then I burn the bag and start over. Its how I balance all this peace love and environment stuff. its healthy. Then If I am lucky I drink some milk and get wasted casein.
May 8th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
[…] artìculolo he leìdo aquì,y puesto que no soy conocedora de èste tema si alguien puede verificarlo todos aprenderemos […]
May 8th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
To all,
GMed fruits and veggies was safe since scientist put a lot of knowledge making those… but if come to think of it GMed kinds are less Nutritious.. care to oppose.. try a Native rice(No pesticide, Native People Planted and Hervested one).. vs. Genetically engineered One. if you look into thier composition , the first would be the winner.
May 8th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Can’t we all just…get along?
kumbai ah my lord, kumbai ah…
May 8th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Almost all foods are GMed. It sounds scandalous, but a lot of what they do is making the fruits bigger and more aesthetically appealing. You have to look hard to find produce that hasn’t been modified at all.
I, for one, love seedless grapes.
May 9th, 2008 at 12:06 am
not trying to be a smarty pants here but i knew that from working in grocery retail for over two years and working in the produce department but you are right about the numbers and what they mean because when we got in new produce they were separated out into regularly grown, organically grown and then the ones that have been grown a different way
May 9th, 2008 at 7:50 am
You have to look hard to find produce that hasn’t been modified at all.
hahahaha… why i have a feeling you havent look harder. i just went to market earlier and i found so many native fruits and veggies.. how can i tell. no sticker. and the fruits was still on sap. so you can tell that its naturally Raised and picked. and not GMed. thats how we do it here on our land. native fruits and veggies are not sealed with sticker since they are not tested by food authority and they dont have to. because it was raised naturally. and since this is the way of the old theres no way you have to test that.
May 9th, 2008 at 9:40 am
You are asking for facts, please have a look at “The world according to Monsanto”, as someone rightly pointed out. If you can’t find the whole movie, have a look at YouTube.com, there is enough there to genetically modify your brain, if it has stopped evolving.
Or just make a google search, there are hundreds of independent (not industry funded) scientific articles that will tell you a lot.
And here is just one article, sure from a pro-organic web site, but that is very well documented, and with a lot of “serious” references.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_11361.cfm
May 9th, 2008 at 9:57 am
and while we are at it…
document 1
document 2
So yes, may be all they are after is money money money, and by looking at a lot of the posts here it seems the propaganda they have been using hit its public. May be that gene they inserted to repulse mosquito (although I have never heard of mosquito being a nuisance for crops) will jump species and You will in turn be mosquito resistant… would not that be great?! Then you could thank them for something.
Yours.
May 9th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
To you who hates hippies? what do you think of yuppies?
May 9th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
“If it has a sticker 99222, it’s organic and safe to eat”
You clearly do not understand what the term ‘organic’ means. Do you really think that NO herbicides or pesticides are used in the production of organic fruit? Try to google for information before you decide to post factually incorrect statements in the future.
Oh and by the way if you ever eat anything that contains soya you may well be eating GM foods, this is due to the fact that since introducing GM soya to the world, and the fact that birds easily redistribute the seeds, no source of soya can be ‘guarenteed’ to be GM free.
May 9th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
This blog is a fine example of ignorant fear-mongering inherent in our society with regards to things which could be beneficial for humanity. Fools such as David Askaripour are the reason we can’t have nice things like nuclear power, genetically enhanced food, proper genetic research; things that have the potential to solve many of the problems that ail the human race, but which are endlessly stifled by ignorant idealists who blow the “potential risks” out of context and out of proportion.
And he had to be a vegan as well. Another group of “self-sacrificing” holier-than-though “do-gooders” who preach an idiotic lifestyle mainly perpetuated by ignorant, inaccurate and incomplete myth and folly.
“Oh my! GM food! Everyone run for their lives!”. You should be shot in the name of scientific progress.
May 9th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Used to be veggy & this sort of gibbering, protein-starved nonsense reminds me how right I was to get back on the steaks.
May 9th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
I love being an Organic Vegan, don’t ya’ll love it too? :)
May 9th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
thumbs down. bacon (GM cruelly farmed bacon filled with antibiotics and hormones)is life. without all these evil things, even more of the world wouldn’t be able to afford to eat.
May 9th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
I must say, after reading the original blog post, I was pleasantly surprised at the responses that followed. The (seemingly voluntary) ignorance of the author really rubbed me the wrong way, but it seems it did so for others as well.
Of particular note are arjuna108 and Veganhater’s responses, both for hitting the mark so accurately, and for making me grin.
Were the internet filled with more people like the two of you, I think it’d be a much more palatable place. Instead, I must stumble across blog posts that attempt to help me identify and avoid purchasing “inorganic fruits”.
May 10th, 2008 at 6:37 am
Genetically modified food is not bad you fuck monkeys… I wonder how many of you asshats that got uninformed countries to turn down seeds that could have produced the food to feed there starving populations have eaten said food without knowing it? like for the majority of your lives growing up, but what do I know I eat meat so I am evil
May 10th, 2008 at 10:25 am
To Youveganshats~
What makes one a ‘fuck monkey’? Must be all those GMO’s and what are you doing for starving children in Bangladesh, I would like to help out….
What was the purpose or your knowledge in being able to comment on this information. Did you read any of the Wikapedia post that explained “Organic”(one of the largest agricultural sectors in California) and having one the highest planted yield rates in agricultural production.
Lets see should I go on about the science of loss of crop diversity, cross pollination, food allergies, a surge in auto-immune deficiencies, global mal-nutrition (because our foods don’t have the nutritive value that they did 20-50-100 years ago), Loss of Habitat, Soil Erosion, environmental degradation, air pollution ~ All of these things have had a direct scientific correlation to Modern Day Petro-Chemical Agriculture. I is not enough to get stark raving mad because you share a misinformed and opposing point of view.
The Democratic process allows for open and honest clear dialog with well informed participants, with an interest in the well being of all concerned to have a better life.
And this is coming from a Human Eating a Petro-Agriculture Omnivorous Diet (it’s what available to me) but is willing to look at the well documented science, and impacts of our industrial culture.
Enjoy your next meal (I hope it is not to Hot for you)
P
May 11th, 2008 at 2:54 am
*vomits*
Give me a break…while I was in school, I worked in agricultural market research. I talked to all sorts of farmers every day, asked them what sorts of things they used to control pests, what sorts of pests they were trying to control, etc. Organic farmers use everything from plain old soap and water, sulfur, copper, crop oil, to organically approved PESTICIDES. I asked a farmer once what makes a pesticide approved for organic farming, and he said that as long as they contain a reduced amount of carbon, or no carbon at all, it’s organic.
Most of the apples you eat have had a growth regulator of some sort applied to them at some point during the growing season, usually during the cover/summer sprays.
A lot of the farmers, especially those out on the West Coast, are pretty much FORCED into organic farming…and they don’t like it one bit. The prices they have to pay just for one gallon of an approved pesticide is outrageous, we are talking nearly $1000 for one gallon of the junk. This is why the prices of produce are going through the roof.
If you don’t want GMOs in your food…grow it yourself.
May 11th, 2008 at 8:54 am
This is a great guide. Perusing my tiny local grocery store, they carry absolutely no organic and plenty of GMO fruit.
May 11th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
I hope you’ve never recived any immunizations and never took any antibiotics for serious bacterial infection. Otherwise you’re just like this apple full of “pesticides”. ;)
May 11th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
[…] upon this article, and I thought I’d share for all those who try to use all organic foods! Read the Numbers on Your Fruit | Skrewtips Read the Numbers on Your Fruit by David Askaripour I just found this out about a month ago and […]
May 12th, 2008 at 12:42 am
it is remarkable how many people aggressively present opinions based on only the most superficial knowledge of the topic. equating GM “foods” with strains of plants selected for traits the specie already possessed is either ignorant or dishonest.
GM foods contain genes never found in the human food chain before now. there is evidence that cancer and other illnesses/ syndromes can be a consequence, and absolute PROOF that human symbiotic gut bacteria can have these novel genes transferred to them, with consequences only the most outrageous of liars would claim to be able to predict.
May 12th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Anyone who has been a cashier at a store selling produce has known this “numbers on your fruit” thing for years.
May 12th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
i always thought those fruit numbers were for the checkers to code in the price. i never realized they corresponded with organic/inorganic. that makes sense though.
May 12th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Did you know the labels are edible? Well, they are…
May 13th, 2008 at 5:51 am
Have you ever seen the security barriers around a genetic plant facility? Nobody can walk in there and see what they are actually working on. I can almost guarantee that you wouldn’t want a lot of them to get loose.
May 13th, 2008 at 9:16 am
[…] Oh, before I leave to slave away for the rest of the day, I just found this. Some may know this, some (me) don’t. Skrewtips […]
May 13th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
vegans are ******* retarded get a ******* life you morons. its perfectly safe eating regular grown apples and humans need proteins that come from animals.
May 13th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
wow your an idiot, or an ignorant hippie. it seems to me that you formed your opinion about herbicides/gmos just because society has labeled them as “bad”. go to school so you can develop a relevant opinion on the matter
May 13th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
David,
DON’T LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE WHO TRY TO PUT YOUR PIECE DOWN! I swear if I did not know better I’d think they worked for Monsanto. I’ve watched the videos, I know the DANGERS, yes real dangers of genetically modified foods and I know organic is the way to go. Granted, I might buy something local here (where pesticides aren’t used even if it’s not certified organic) before I buy something grown all the on the “other coast” in California that is organic.. Just so I can support a local farmer and also not eat something that isn’t truly organic anymore after it’s traveled over 2000 miles and used lots of fuel to get this far.
But people, I’m not sure what Fox News special you had shoved down your gullible throats but this is a real threat.
And to the person who said natural pesticides can lead to the production of invasive species that can harm the ecosystem?!?!?! Uh hey there Steve, wouldn’t it be the BAD PESTICIDES that the bugs eventually become RESISTANT to and then become SUPER bugs… isn’t that the threat? HELLO?
And to JOE the BIGOT who was rude to David calling him names. Go check any encyclopedia or text book about the harm that pesticides have caused. You make me embarrassed for you. Go back to school dude. You need help.
Thanks David, again a wonderful post. and so kind of you to even bother replying to some of the rude idiotic posts trying to defend Monsanto, genetically modified dangerous food and pesticides.
These people are brainwashed and have no brains of their own.
BRAINY blonde
May 13th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
I just learned on NPR that the tomatoes we’re familiar with never existed in nature until humans bred them. Natural tomatoes were less than a gram each - tiny. So if you eat ANY kind of tomato, you’re eating genetically modified fruit.
The reason companies lobby against labeling fruit GM is because of the irrational, anti-intellectual attitudes of the kind of people who evidently run this website.
May 14th, 2008 at 12:07 am
Hey Brainy Blonde,
Thanks SO much for your support, greatly appreciated! Yes, it’s so hard to see an army of people who have been brainwashed into thinking GM is safe, following the herd…without thinking for themselves and doing their own research.
I totally expect / accept these sort of responses from these sort of people who protect the status quo any way that they know how to — i.e., name calling, cursing, and childish behavior.
These ignorant responses received from my article is a testament to show how well the media, monsanto, and even universities have done to inculcate the masses into accepting, obeying, and trusting in GM foods.
My heart goes out to these people who know no better.
Thanks again!
Dave
May 14th, 2008 at 2:50 am
I know David.. I have one word for them; Sheep.
I was fortunate enough to have a brilliant high school biology teacher (who was supposed to be on the shuttle that crashed by the way- thank God he wasn’t) anyway, he showed us a video of food grown organically vs food grown with chemical and i was sold. i knew right then at age 16 that i would vow to eat as much possible local organically grown food as possible. ideally i’d grow my own which i’m finally doing.
i remember my mom telling me similar arguments people made to smoking 50 years ago… now i’m sure they’re not laughing (or breathing) anymore…
Keep up the good work ;)
BB
May 14th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Well you article sure provoked a lot of different opinions! Personally I would rather eat organic food, with a preference for local grown produce in season. Why take a chance?
May 14th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
[…] Read the numbers on your fruit. How to tell if the fruit you are about to buy is regular, unleaded or high octane. […]
May 14th, 2008 at 10:45 pm
GM foods: you’re right, they have not been proven to be safe. Likewise, they have not been proven to be dangerous. The words “truth” and “proof” are thrown around regularly with respect to GM foods, and put simply: no one knows.
The same however, CANNOT be said for organic foods. Organically grown crops have been studied for over 50 years, and review after review of the literature (of which there has been PLENTY, with the sector booming in recent years) all agrees:
-organic food is absolutely NO different in nutritive value than conventionally grown crops, with the exception of some organic potatoes and leafy greens having higher levels of vitamin C - a nutrient in which deficiencies are VERY rarely observed today.
-organic foods do contain less synthetic pesticides and herbicides than their conventionally grown counterparts. however, due to run off, aerosolized chemicals from nearby farms, unapproved use and improper reversion of conventional farmland to organic farmland, residues are still often found on organic crops. not only that, but the levels (traces amounts, let it be said) of pesticides found on conventional crops HAVE been shown to have NO ill effects on human health, even after long term exposure.
-furthermore, due to the abstinence of use of synthetic pesticides and fungicides in organic practice, and the lower efficiency of their organic counterparts, organic crops are more susceptible to fungal infection, sometimes leading to higher levels of dangerous mycotoxins. and example: several studies have shown significantly higher (and dangerous )levels of patulin in organic apples and apple products, including my own research.
- many polyphenolic compounds, considered to be one of the large ‘perks’ of organic produce have been shown to be carcinogenic. additionally, while higher levels of nitrates are found in conventionally grown crops, cancer the preventative properties of the conventional nitrate-containing vegetables seem to outweigh the risks of consuming nitrates.
-E. coli 0157:H7 is a risk that should be considered with respect to organic foods, as composted manure is used a fertilizer in organic practice, and it’s proven to be a resistant little pathogen
The food industry is just like any other: it boils down to business. In the end, companies just want to bring in more revenue. With the organic market, they are doing just that. Selling consumers a product that is in no way superior, for an inflated price.
But you’ve got to appreciate their marketing effectiveness.
May 15th, 2008 at 1:00 am
Save yourself the trouble of reading those labels and just eat a steak instead :-)