organic produce

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ORGANIC PRODUCE PURCHASING GUIDE Everything you need to know about buying high quality food -What are GMO's? -What is Organic? -PLU codes for Organic and nonOrganic -Dirty Dozen list -Clean Fifteen list -Other common Label Terms

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WHAT ARE GMO'S? Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are genes altered by the insertion of a modified gene or a gene from another organism using techniques of genetic engineering.

WHAT IS ORGANIC? Organic produce is grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms, or ionizing radiation.

PLU CODES Price Look-up (PLU) codes are identification numbers printed on the little stickers which can be found on many fruits and vegetables. It is this number that makes the check out and inventory control much easier and more accurate. There are three main types of PLU codes to take into account:

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SHOULD I BUY ALL ORGANIC?

Many people can’t buy all organic all of the time - whether it is not available or affordable - but you don’t have to buy all organic produce to reduce your risk for chemical contamination.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) releases lists every year of the most and least contaminated produce to help consumers make informed choices. A total of about 50 fruits and vegetables are tested and ranked by the total number of pesticides detected on the cropSand the percentage of samples tested with detectable pesticides. Use the following lists when shopping to help make the best choices for you and your family, even if you can’t buy entirely organic foods

The Dirty Dozen™ is EWG’s list of the top 12 most pesticidecontaminated fruits and vegetables. Try investing in organic versions of the produce listed. The Clean Fifteen™ are EWG’s 15 least contaminated fruits and vegetables on the list. marinagamundi.com

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TERMS TO CONSIDER Many food labels can be confusing, so knowing what a food claim truly means is a great way to educate yourself about where your food comes from and how it has been produced.

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REFERENCES Environmental Working Group’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in ProduceTM. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php The International Federation for Produce Standards (IFPS) Adapted from http://www.ifpsglobal.com/Identification/PLU-Codes Adapted from www.sustainabletable.org Welcome to Sustainable Table. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.sustainabletable.org

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