UNSPSC 50521700: Non GMO bananas

The type of non GMO fruit known as non GMO bananas. This means that they are produced without the use of methods that genetically modify organisms by means that are not possible under natural conditions. Such methods include cell fusion, microencapsulation and macro-encapsulation, and recombinant DNA technology (including gene deletion, gene doubling, introducing a foreign gene, and changing the positions of genes when achieved by recombinant DNA technology).

Traditional methods of breeding, conjugation, fermentation, hybridization, in vitro fertilization, or tissue culture are considered to be non-GMO.

UNSPSC 50521700 Non-GMO bananas is a Class code that represents a narrow commodity within the fresh produce supply chain for institutional food service, though recent solicitations show state and local governments treating bananas as one line item within broader fresh produce procurements rather than as a standalone purchase category. School districts and county education boards dominate buying activity under this code, sourcing bananas—typically in standard case packs of 150 units or bulk quantities ranging from 70 to 1,500 cases annually—as part of child nutrition programs serving elementary through high school populations. The specifications emphasize ripeness standards (often Chiquita color-grade stages 3.5 through 4.5), size consistency (petite varieties at 5" to 5.5" length), internal temperature control (55°F minimum on delivery), and high fill rates (98% or above), with delivery windows of 5:00–7:00 a.m. or 6:30–2:00 p.m. depending on district. Recent procurements are almost exclusively Request for Bid (RFB) or Invitation for Bid (IFB) notices issued by independent school districts and county boards of education, often bundled with other produce, dairy, proteins, and prepared foods under single-award or multiple-award contracts.

Geographic activity concentrates heavily in Georgia, with recent solicitations from Madison Metropolitan School District (Wisconsin), Hancock County Board of Education (Georgia), Bartow County School System (Georgia), Bulloch County School District (Georgia), Liberty County Board of Education (Georgia), Muscogee County School District (Georgia), Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (Georgia), Glynn County Board of Education (Georgia), McAllen Independent School District (Texas), Austin Independent School District (Texas), and Douglas County School System (Georgia cooperative). Madison Metropolitan School District posted RFB 4162 on July 8, 2026, for petite bananas with a bid due date of July 29, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. Central Time, with an estimated annual contract value of $78,000 for 70–90 cases weekly during school sessions (September 1, 2026–June 30, 2027); the Hancock County Board of Education issued IFB #SN002-2027 on June 10, 2026, with a June 26, 2026, deadline, covering over 200 produce line items including multiple banana specifications delivered to three school locations for the 2026–27 school year. Douglas County School System's cooperative procurement through GEC Buying Cooperative estimated total annual produce and egg spending of $4.4 million (Area One) and $1.1 million (Area Two) serving 30 school districts, with proposals due March 4, 2026. Contract terms are typically annual, July 1 through June 30, with renewal options for one to four additional one-year periods, and awards are generally made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder on a line-item or category basis.