With previous article "No American Apples ever crossed the borders" we have tried to answer the question whether the origin of the apples available in markets in Mongolia really match what the reseller claim to be.
This time we are focusing on the small stickers on apples that probably everyone wondered about. In consultation with Senior Inspector PhD. Ts Itgel of Special Inspection Authority we have unveiled what information those small stickers might be telling us.
CHINA AND US ARE LEADING IN APPLE PRODUCTION
The apple tree (Malus domestica) is a deciduous tree in the rose family best known for its sweet, pomaceous fruit, the apple. There are over 30 types of species in the family and the most cultivated is the Malus domestica Borkh. There are over 10,000 sorts of apples worldwide.
For Mongolian climate mainly Russian sorts are more considered to have big harvests for bigger apples such as Papirov, Borovinka, Antonovka and etc as for small sized apples Ranetka apples are more famous.
About 69 million tons of apples were grown worldwide in 2010, with China producing almost half of this total. The United States is the second-leading producer, with more than 6% of world production. The largest exporters of apples were China, U.S., Turkey, Poland, Italy, Iran, and India while the biggest importers in the same year were Russia, Germany, the UK and the Netherlands.
According to the FAOSTAT about 76.3 million tons of apples were grown worldwide in 2012 and China alone produced 37 million tons and US came up second with 4.1 million tons.
Apple is rich in vitamins B, C, and E and other minerals and has the low content of proteins and carbohydrates, therefore is considered to be good for health and the most favorite sorts used worldwide are:
· Red Delicious
· Golden Delicious
· Fuji
· Empire
· Jonathan
· Rhode Island Greening
· New York Pippin
· Idopid
· Gravenstein
· Rome Beauty
· Granny Smith
· Macintosh
· Cortland and more.
WHAT DO SMALL STICKERS SAY?
Have you ever wondered what those small stickers say to us? What information can we get from those?
If we look close we can notice country of origin and number with 4-5 digits.
But what those numbers say to us?
According to the International Federation for Produce Standards the codes have been in use since 1990, and there are over 1400 PLU codes assigned as of 2012.
Price look-up codes, commonly called PLU codes, or produce labels, are identification numbers affixed to produce in grocery stores and supermarkets to make check-out and inventory control easier, faster, and more accurate.
Fruits and berries have their specific 4 digit PLU codes and for instance number 4011 will identify a banana.
As of apples:
If the code starts with “3 or 4” and contains four digits: it means that pesticides were used in growing the particular fruit or berry.
If the code starts with “8” and contains five digits: it means the fruit is a GMO – genetically modified organism, which is lately have been considered as having potential threat on human body.
If the code starts with “9” and contains five digits: it means that the produce is 100 percent organic. For instance 94011 code means that banana is organic.
Source: http://www.plucodes.com/docs/Users_Guide_July_2012_FINAL.pdf
DO WE HAVE ORGANIC APPLES IN MONGOLIA?
In order to check if organic apples are sold on Mongolian market we have visited Bars market, Sky Department store and Mercury market. Our observations revealed that only apples labeled with PLU codes starting with 3 and 4 are sold in Mongolia.
There were no apples with codes starting with 8 or 9. Does it mean that there are no organic fruits and berries are sold in Mongolia? Probably many businesses would label their imported produce as organic. This is our assumption.
It is important to know what information those small stickers say to us, therefore next time doing your grocery shopping we recommend to read the labels carefully.
Consumption of pesticide and its health impact
Most of the fruits, berries and produce imported and sold in Mongolian market have labels starting with numbers 3 and 4, which means the produce was grown using pesticides.
Meaning we are consuming those pesticides as well.
What effect do pesticides have on health?
Authors U.Tserendolgor, J.Batjargal, J.Khalzankhuu, B.Davaadulam, N.Saijaa and B.Burmaa have explained in their work Consumption of Pesticide and its Health Impacts in more detail.
Even though the use and production of polychlorinated biphyls (PCBs) and organochlorine (OC) pesticides have been regulated worldwide, in agreement with the Stockholm convention in 2001, they are still posing serious environmental threat both to wildlife and humans. These lipophilic compounds, with high resistance to degradation and long half- lives in humans, have been confirmed to bioaccumulate in fatty tissues of biological specimens such as blood, breast milk, and adipose tissues through dietary intake. The analysis of these tissues reveals the rate of exposure and distribution in the environment.
Source: http://www.mongolmed.mn/article/375
WHAT IS THE COATING ON APPLES?
Senior Inspector PhD. Ts Itgel of Special Inspection Authority specified that special coating for fruits and sometimes on vegetables is done in order to prevent water loss and therefore reduce the spoilage and improve appearance. In other words, it can be understood as supplemental and usually wax coating is used in accordance with international standards.
However, professional agency officials did not specifically recommend to peel the apple before consumption, therefore it is more on the personal preference.
HOW LONG APPLES SHOULD BE STORED?
Apples require specific conditions to be adhered after its harvesting such as cooling, sorting, packing, transportation, storage and at the selling point.
Mongolia has adopted standard on apples knows under Apple General Requirements MNS CAC 299:2014.
Main bacteria or spoiling factors for apples are attributed to the infected trees and leaves, which transfer to fruits and can spoil the fruit during its transportation and storage.
In this regard, Mongolia has adopted standard on fruits storage known under Trading Warehouse General Requirements MNS 5364-2011, main provisions of which are:
· Basic processing should be done before the apples reach the storage facilities.
· Fruits should be stored in wooden or paper boxes in layers and fruits should not be touching each other.
· Boxed fruits should be stored on special shelves, not touching the floor.
· Storage should have humidity levels at 90-95% and temperatures at 0-4 C /fridge temperature/, while some specific apple sorts require temperatures to be at 0-2C.
· Depending on the apple sorts the storage life for apples range between 120-210 days and most of the apples are good at 180-210 days.
CONCLUSION
· China and USA are leading in apple production
· Small stickers on apples can give us information whether apples are organic, GMO or used pesticides
· In Mongolia there are no organic apples and mostly there are apples labeled with 3 or 4.
· Pesticides have negative effect on health such as allergies, cause of cancer and etc.
· Coating on apples are special wax used to prevent the loss of water and prolong the storage life and experts at Special Inspection Authority haven’t mentioned on peeling being obligatory.
· Apples should be stored at temperature of 0-4C and no more than 120-210 days.
With previous article "No American Apples ever crossed the borders" we have tried to answer the question whether the origin of the apples available in markets in Mongolia really match what the reseller claim to be.
This time we are focusing on the small stickers on apples that probably everyone wondered about. In consultation with Senior Inspector PhD. Ts Itgel of Special Inspection Authority we have unveiled what information those small stickers might be telling us.
CHINA AND US ARE LEADING IN APPLE PRODUCTION
The apple tree (Malus domestica) is a deciduous tree in the rose family best known for its sweet, pomaceous fruit, the apple. There are over 30 types of species in the family and the most cultivated is the Malus domestica Borkh. There are over 10,000 sorts of apples worldwide.
For Mongolian climate mainly Russian sorts are more considered to have big harvests for bigger apples such as Papirov, Borovinka, Antonovka and etc as for small sized apples Ranetka apples are more famous.
About 69 million tons of apples were grown worldwide in 2010, with China producing almost half of this total. The United States is the second-leading producer, with more than 6% of world production. The largest exporters of apples were China, U.S., Turkey, Poland, Italy, Iran, and India while the biggest importers in the same year were Russia, Germany, the UK and the Netherlands.
According to the FAOSTAT about 76.3 million tons of apples were grown worldwide in 2012 and China alone produced 37 million tons and US came up second with 4.1 million tons.
Apple is rich in vitamins B, C, and E and other minerals and has the low content of proteins and carbohydrates, therefore is considered to be good for health and the most favorite sorts used worldwide are:
· Red Delicious
· Golden Delicious
· Fuji
· Empire
· Jonathan
· Rhode Island Greening
· New York Pippin
· Idopid
· Gravenstein
· Rome Beauty
· Granny Smith
· Macintosh
· Cortland and more.
WHAT DO SMALL STICKERS SAY?
Have you ever wondered what those small stickers say to us? What information can we get from those?
If we look close we can notice country of origin and number with 4-5 digits.
But what those numbers say to us?
According to the International Federation for Produce Standards the codes have been in use since 1990, and there are over 1400 PLU codes assigned as of 2012.
Price look-up codes, commonly called PLU codes, or produce labels, are identification numbers affixed to produce in grocery stores and supermarkets to make check-out and inventory control easier, faster, and more accurate.
Fruits and berries have their specific 4 digit PLU codes and for instance number 4011 will identify a banana.
As of apples:
If the code starts with “3 or 4” and contains four digits: it means that pesticides were used in growing the particular fruit or berry.
If the code starts with “8” and contains five digits: it means the fruit is a GMO – genetically modified organism, which is lately have been considered as having potential threat on human body.
If the code starts with “9” and contains five digits: it means that the produce is 100 percent organic. For instance 94011 code means that banana is organic.
Source: http://www.plucodes.com/docs/Users_Guide_July_2012_FINAL.pdf
DO WE HAVE ORGANIC APPLES IN MONGOLIA?
In order to check if organic apples are sold on Mongolian market we have visited Bars market, Sky Department store and Mercury market. Our observations revealed that only apples labeled with PLU codes starting with 3 and 4 are sold in Mongolia.
There were no apples with codes starting with 8 or 9. Does it mean that there are no organic fruits and berries are sold in Mongolia? Probably many businesses would label their imported produce as organic. This is our assumption.
It is important to know what information those small stickers say to us, therefore next time doing your grocery shopping we recommend to read the labels carefully.
Consumption of pesticide and its health impact
Most of the fruits, berries and produce imported and sold in Mongolian market have labels starting with numbers 3 and 4, which means the produce was grown using pesticides.
Meaning we are consuming those pesticides as well.
What effect do pesticides have on health?
Authors U.Tserendolgor, J.Batjargal, J.Khalzankhuu, B.Davaadulam, N.Saijaa and B.Burmaa have explained in their work Consumption of Pesticide and its Health Impacts in more detail.
Even though the use and production of polychlorinated biphyls (PCBs) and organochlorine (OC) pesticides have been regulated worldwide, in agreement with the Stockholm convention in 2001, they are still posing serious environmental threat both to wildlife and humans. These lipophilic compounds, with high resistance to degradation and long half- lives in humans, have been confirmed to bioaccumulate in fatty tissues of biological specimens such as blood, breast milk, and adipose tissues through dietary intake. The analysis of these tissues reveals the rate of exposure and distribution in the environment.
Source: http://www.mongolmed.mn/article/375
WHAT IS THE COATING ON APPLES?
Senior Inspector PhD. Ts Itgel of Special Inspection Authority specified that special coating for fruits and sometimes on vegetables is done in order to prevent water loss and therefore reduce the spoilage and improve appearance. In other words, it can be understood as supplemental and usually wax coating is used in accordance with international standards.
However, professional agency officials did not specifically recommend to peel the apple before consumption, therefore it is more on the personal preference.
HOW LONG APPLES SHOULD BE STORED?
Apples require specific conditions to be adhered after its harvesting such as cooling, sorting, packing, transportation, storage and at the selling point.
Mongolia has adopted standard on apples knows under Apple General Requirements MNS CAC 299:2014.
Main bacteria or spoiling factors for apples are attributed to the infected trees and leaves, which transfer to fruits and can spoil the fruit during its transportation and storage.
In this regard, Mongolia has adopted standard on fruits storage known under Trading Warehouse General Requirements MNS 5364-2011, main provisions of which are:
· Basic processing should be done before the apples reach the storage facilities.
· Fruits should be stored in wooden or paper boxes in layers and fruits should not be touching each other.
· Boxed fruits should be stored on special shelves, not touching the floor.
· Storage should have humidity levels at 90-95% and temperatures at 0-4 C /fridge temperature/, while some specific apple sorts require temperatures to be at 0-2C.
· Depending on the apple sorts the storage life for apples range between 120-210 days and most of the apples are good at 180-210 days.
CONCLUSION
· China and USA are leading in apple production
· Small stickers on apples can give us information whether apples are organic, GMO or used pesticides
· In Mongolia there are no organic apples and mostly there are apples labeled with 3 or 4.
· Pesticides have negative effect on health such as allergies, cause of cancer and etc.
· Coating on apples are special wax used to prevent the loss of water and prolong the storage life and experts at Special Inspection Authority haven’t mentioned on peeling being obligatory.
· Apples should be stored at temperature of 0-4C and no more than 120-210 days.