UNSPSC 50595807: Dried Non GMO kelp

The variety of Non GMO sea vegetables known as Non GMO kelp that has been dried 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 50595807 Dried Non GMO kelp is a Commodity code that in practice captures a narrow slice of state and local food procurement — specifically specialty and commodity food items used in institutional nutrition programs. The recent opportunities tagged under this code, however, show little actual demand for dried kelp itself. Instead, the issuing bodies are soliciting broad grocery and fresh produce contracts for school lunch programs, senior meal services, and state-supported living facilities. The scope spans fresh vegetables, fruits, proteins, dairy, and prepared meal components rather than seaweed products. School districts (Hancock County Board of Education in Georgia, Pascagoula-Gautier School District in Mississippi), city purchasing offices (Bridgeport Department of Public Purchases in Connecticut), county commissions (Hillsborough County in Florida), state health agencies (Texas Health and Human Services Commission), and state procurement offices (Georgia) are the repeat issuing bodies. All contracts include Buy American requirements (minimum 51 percent domestic agricultural content in processed goods), HACCP certification, nutritional compliance with federal meal standards, and firm fixed pricing with no fuel surcharges.

Recent activity spans Connecticut, Texas, Georgia, Mississippi, and Florida. Representative opportunities include the City of Bridgeport's solicitation (BNB052266, IFB, due June 30, 2026) for over 1,100 grocery line items spanning cereals, baked goods, frozen products, vegetables, fruits, dairy, and meats for school lunch; the Texas Health and Human Services Commission's request (HHS0017449, IFB, due July 13, 2026) for food and consumable products at the El Paso State Supported Living Center with historical annual volume of $1.5 million; Hancock County Board of Education's fresh-produce bid (IFB, due June 26, 2026) covering over 200 line items across apple varieties, berries, cruciferous vegetables, melons, citrus, and leafy greens for July 2026–June 2027 delivery; and Hillsborough County's senior meal preparation and delivery services contract (ITB-26-00289, due June 25, 2026) estimated at $17,832,659.90 over three years. The code shows limited recent procurement specifically for dried kelp; vendors pursuing this category should verify whether individual issuing bodies have itemized kelp in their scope or expect to place orders against broader grocery or produce frameworks.