NEWTON – The shoppers descended on the produce aisle, but instead of reaching out for the fresh papayas and melons, they grazed their fingers over small labels at the bottom of the display cabinets that told them about each product.

The shoppers were blind or visually impaired, and they were at the Whole Foods in Newtonville trying out the first food labels in Braille at a supermarket on the East Coast; many said they found the experience liberating.

“It’s a sense of freedom, to be able to make your own choice,’’ said Joe Quintanilla, one of the shoppers. “Sometimes, I feel guilty having someone read me everything that is there on a label.’’

To read more of this story, visit Small touches make things clear: Whole Foods adds Braille in its Newtonville store | The Boston Globe