FRUIT CODES

Pay close attention when buying packaged fruit and when buying loose fruit or vegetables in containers, always ask what the codes are too.

If the code contains 4 digits and the first digit is a 3 or 4, it means that the fruit has been sprayed with pesticides and should be washed thoroughly before consumption ( this applies to almost all fruit you purchase unless it is organic ).

If the code has 5 digits and the first digit is an 8, it means that the fruit ( or vegetable ) has been genetically modified. Avoid buying.

If the code contains 5 digits and the first digit is a 9, this means that the fruit ( or vegetable ) is BIOLOGICAL, but you should still be careful if you buy this fruit ( or vegetable ) outside the usual season.

Fruit and vegetables are stored in cold chambers after picking. To increase storage time as much as possible and prevent ripening and rotting, all air is sucked out of the cold chambers and replaced by a chemical gas. The temperature is lowered to 2 degrees. This way, fruit and vegetables can be stored for more than a year and still look as fresh as immediately after picking.

The apples, pears, carrots, etc... you buy today date from the previous summer season. You should consume them quickly because once they are removed from the cold chambre they rot quickly.