US: Mango PLU Codes and voluntary recalls
As part of the FDA’s investigation, the agency has provided updates on its website regarding mango and mango-containing products that have been voluntarily recalled by suppliers and retailers. In particular, FDA has highlighted that the voluntary recall includes mangos sold between July 12 and Aug. 29, 2012, with PLU codes 4051, 4959, 4311 4584 and 3114.*
“First and foremost, NMB’s priority is to help protect the health and safety of consumers in partnership with its member companies in the mango industry,” said NMB Executive Director William Watson. “As a national promotion and research board operating under the authority of U.S. Department of Agriculture, it is our responsibility to promote best practices among our member companies and to share factual information with the industry as a whole. As it relates to the voluntary recalls of mangos, we want to ensure that retailers and others have access to the specifics of PLU codes for mangos.”
As PLU codes for mangos are predominantly used to identify color (i.e.; red, green or yellow skin), NMB encourages all retailers to contact their suppliers for the most accurate information regarding whether the variety of mangos they have purchased have been affected by a voluntary recall. Consumers with questions about the recall can check the FDA’s website and ask the retailers for more information, too.
Earlier this year, the International Federation for Produce Standards (IFPS), the group responsible for setting PLU codes, approved PLU code 3621 for the Francis mango variety. This mango cultivar has been growing in volume and popularity over the past several years. In addition to the aforementioned PLU codes, there are four retailer-assigned mango PLU codes that are available and can be used by retailers for any whole mango item that does not fit into the above categorization – these are 4313, 4314, 4315 and 4316.
For more information please visit www.mango.org