Question
Are all foods with a barcode that starts with 8 GMO?
Are all food products that have barcode that starts with 8 GMO? No exceptions?
Submitted by: Detroit313
Answer
Expert response from Community Manager
Moderator for GMOAnswers.com
Wednesday, 27/05/2015 13:02
In short, yes, when checking out food at the grocery store, a four-digit number that is preceded by an “8” means the food is genetically modified. The excerpt below is from an answer by Katie Pratt, an expert from GMO Answers, who offers the following explanation in an article that addresses various misconceptions and misleading claims from Dr. Oz.
“PLU stickers, or price lookup codes, are meant to offer grocers an easier way to check out and inventory produce. The numbers on them do have a purpose: A four-digit number preceded by a ‘9’ means organic, and preceded by an ‘8’ means genetically modified. Four digits on their own means the produce is ‘nonqualified’ — i.e., it doesn’t fit in either category. So the assertion that an apple sporting a four-digit code ‘could be genetically modified’ is a blatant lie.
a) It would have been labeled with an “8.”
b) There are no genetically modified apples! Or peaches! Or grapes! Or tomatoes! Or carrots! Or lettuce…”
Similarly, Rod Herman, a company expert from Dow AgroSciences, addresses this bar code system here. Below is part of his answer:
“Currently, a voluntary system is available for retailers to designate GM and organic produce. This system is similar to the voluntary kosher label to assist consumers in making religious, rather than health-related, choices. Health related labels are mandatory and required by the U.S. FDA. SKU produce lookups, or PLUs, that start with the number 8 designate GM produce, and PLUs that start with the number 9 indicate that the produce is organic. For example, the PLU code for a standard yellow banana is 4011, while an organically grown standard yellow banana would be 94011.This system was developed by the Produce Marketing Association. It is an example of a voluntary system that already exists and could be more widely adopted if retailers chose to do so (Source: GMO Answers Explore Section).”
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