UNSPSC 50542804: Frozen non GMO black currants

The variety of dark purple or black berries, 5-6 mm across, bristly, with stalked glands that have been frozen for preservation. 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 50542804 Frozen non-GMO black currants is a Commodity code that captures specialty frozen fruit procurement for school nutrition programs and institutional food service, though recent state and local solicitations show minimal direct activity for this specific item. The code nominally identifies a single frozen produce line item — black currants with non-GMO certification — but the solicitations in the recent-opportunities block treat frozen berries and specialty fruits as minor line items within much broader grocery and frozen-food procurements that emphasize produce variety, whole grains, low-sodium formulations, and domestic sourcing under USDA Buy American and National School Lunch Program compliance requirements. School districts and county boards of education dominate the issuing-body mix, with five of nine recent opportunities originating from Georgia school systems (Douglas County, Hancock County, Early County, Savannah-Chatham County, and City Schools of Decatur), Rockwood R-VI School District in Missouri, and the City of Bridgeport, Connecticut serving their nutrition programs. None of the recent solicitations explicitly name frozen non-GMO black currants as a line item; instead, frozen fruits appear as minor subcategories within larger bids for frozen foods, grocery items, or fresh and processed produce alongside apples, berries (blackberry, pineberry, raspberry, strawberry), melons, and specialty items (kiwis, mangos, papayas, starfruit).

Recent procurement activity clusters heavily in Georgia, with secondary activity in Connecticut and Missouri. The City of Bridgeport, Connecticut issued an IFB for over 1,100 grocery line items with an electronic bid due June 30, 2026, supporting the Board of Education's Food and Nutrition Services under the National School Lunch Program; the solicitation requires Buy American compliance (at least 51 percent domestic agricultural ingredients), product samples for blind testing, and firm pricing with Net 45 payment terms. Hancock County Board of Education in Georgia solicited fresh produce under IFB #SN002-2027 with sealed bids due June 26, 2026, spanning over 200 line items of fresh produce varieties and specialty items delivered to three school sites across the 2026-27 school year. The Douglas County School System issued RFP SN 26-004 through the GEC Buying Cooperative covering 30 school districts across two Georgia areas, with an estimated annual spend of approximately $4.4 million for Area One and $1.1 million for Area Two for fresh produce and eggs, with sealed proposals due March 4, 2026. Vendors across these opportunities must maintain HACCP plans, carry $500,000 to $1,000,000 general liability insurance, comply with E-Verify and federal debarment requirements, and accept firm pricing with no fuel surcharges for the contract term (typically July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027). The code shows limited standalone procurement volume for frozen non-GMO black currants; participation requires embedding this specialty item within multi-category food supply bids against larger produce and grocery vendors.