Today we are not just citizens of our country but also a global citizen, with most of us having trotted half the globe. Similarly our foods and produces too have undergone globalization. About half a century back, who would have thought that an Indian Alphonso mango would make its way into the platter of a US senator and likewise a Kiwi becoming a favorite fruit of an Indian prince? The food we consume every day, many of which have travelled far and wide. With urbanization most of us are conscious about our health and our food intake. In many ways the PLU codes are the mouth piece of the fruits and vegetables we purchase.
Conventional produce are the fruits and vegetables which have been sprayed with pesticides and insecticides to keep it safe from insect and pest infestation. These chemicals form a layer on the produce and needs to be rinsed thoroughly to ensure we are not consuming any pesticides. On the other hand organic produce are the fruits and vegetables which do not use any chemicals, from the time its sown to the time it is harvested no chemical are used for organic produce. Genetically modified foods are foods produced from genetically modified organisms (GMOs), specifically, genetically modified crops. GMOs have specific changes introduced into their DNA by sleek genetic engineering technologies.
These are however technical details and for a consumer when an orange that is conventionally produced, organically produced and a genetically modified are presented; all three will appear to be similar. There was a need to introduce the consumer to the product they are buying and thus the PLU code was introduced as a step to help the consumers and the retailers to identify the type of products. Also the tags help in identifying the place of origin of the produce.
There are PLU codes for most of the fruits and vegetables, however for procures such as beans, mushrooms, grapes it is difficult to tag the product. A retailer can apply for new PLU codes for their produce; the application is given to IFPS, which has the authority o grant a new PLU code or reject the application. An important point that deserves a mention here, is that, a product that is marketed in more than two countries will have PLU codes and not otherwise. Also if the cultivar or variety is subject to patent or trademark protection, a PLU number will not be assigned to that patented or trademarked variety.
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