This statement is totally false and belongs to widespread cyber rumours。
The bar code starts with “8”, which does not mean that the food is genetically modified. In fact, bar-code prefixes (previous numbers) are mainly used to identify the place of registration of the commodity or the country/region of production, and have nothing to do with the composition of the food, whether or not it is genetically modified。
To help you uncover this mystery, i have prepared a detailed analysis of the facts for you:
Real meaning of the beginning of barcode “8”
Commodity barcodes (e. G., common ean-13 yards) follow globally harmonized standards (gs1). Prefixes represent countries or areas, not product attributes。
:: 80-83: italy
:: 84: spain
:: 87: netherlands
88: korea, singapore, etc
Conclusion: as long as goods are registered in these countries (or regions), bar codes may start with “8”, the vast majority of which are common foods。
2. Why is there this rumor
The rumour is based on a confusion between the two very different concepts of “trade bar code” and “storage code”:
Characteristics: commodity bar code (barcode)
Global, managing the flow of goods, inventories and receipts. Commercial in-house use (especially bulk fresh) for price searching。
Digits are usually 13 (e. G. 690...). Usually four or five。
The meaning of “8” does not have a special meaning and represents only the country/region. In the plu system, the five-digit number does represent genetically modified genes at the beginning of “8”。
Truth: internet rumours have misapplied the rules for the “fruity fruit label (plu code)” to all “commodity packaging barcodes”, leading to a huge misunderstanding。
3. How can genetically modified foods be identified in china
In china, the most accurate way to identify genetically modified foods is not by looking at bar codes, but by looking at text marks。
According to our agricultural gmo marking scheme, gmos listed in the catalogue must be marked. You can look directly for the following words on the packaging:
:: directly label: “gmo xx” (e. G. Gmo soybeans)。
* process raw material label: “processing raw material is genetically modified xx” (e. G. Process raw material is genetically modified soya oil)。
Concluding recommendations:
Next time at the supermarket, there's a bar-coded “8” food, not to worry about it being a genetically modified food. If you're concerned about transgenics, look directly at the table of ingredients or labels on the packaging, which is clear。
