Fictitious representation of 12 digit UPC symbol. Fictitious representation of glyph-type symbol We've all seen these symbols, no doubt. There are other graphic codes in use, as well; some look even more like alien glyphs. Nearly every product currently marketed on the shelves of stores, supply houses, warehouses, and other product handling entities in many parts of
the world have a UPC (Universal Product Code) or an EAN (European
Article Number) or another type of symbols printed on the product
labels and packaging. The numbers are for human reading; the bars and glyph type symbols are for digital reading, via electronic scanning devices.
These product codes and symbols tell the
following information:
UPC-12 digits:
-The first six digits represent the manufacturer's specific identification number.
-The next five digits represent the specific product identification number.
-The last digit represents a "check digit", which tells barcode scanners whether or not an item scanned properly. EAN-13 digits:
-The first two or three digits represent the country where the company
maintains registration (not necessarily country of product origin).
-The next four, five, or six digits (depending on how many digits are
used in country code) represent the manufacturer's specific
identification number.
-The next five digits represent the specific product identification number.
-The last digit represents a "check digit", which tells barcode scanners whether or not an item scanned properly. The glyph-type symbols (and there are others besides the one shown here) are intended to be read by camera-equipped cell phones and other mobile camera devices with the appropriate web-application software. Merely snap a shot of the symbol, and you will be linked to information about the product the symbol is attached to.
Enough information is contained within these product identification codes and symbols, that a simple scan or snapshot with the properly setup mobile or in-store devices could link consumers to relative sites, including (possibly) Quing-It.com, which we hope will soon be capable of assembling and evaluating
data from several reliable sources about product ingredients; health
hazards, MSDS information, toxicity information, body-burden
information, disease relationship information, and others; and, based
on specific algorithms, will return a "Safe","Caution", or "Unsafe"
rating to the consumer. Consumers could
also drill down to look up specific ingredient components, to learn
more details or review MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) for those
substances.
Armed with this information at their fingertips, consumers can make
intelligent, informed decisions about the products they use; thereby
minimizing exposures to known toxins and other hazardous substances
that are currently being used in so many everyday items.
Eventually, manufacturers will be forced to reconsider their product ingredient recipes;
if people begin to pay closer attention to their body-burden and other
exposure issues, and begin to purchase only products which are
certified to be safe for our health and for the environment.
(c) 2008 C.R.H.
Consumer Reports
Daily Health Tip
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