UNSPSC 50596214: Dried Non GMO middle eastern squash

The variety of Non GMO summer squashes and summer pumpkins known as Non GMO middle eastern squash 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 50596214 Dried Non GMO middle eastern squash is a Commodity code that covers specialty dried vegetable products, but recent state and local procurement activity under this code shows minimal direct relevance to the nominal scope. Instead, opportunities tagged with this code span broader food-service categories including fresh produce, packaged grocery items, and prepared meals for school nutrition programs, senior meal services, and institutional food supply. Issuing bodies include school districts (Hancock County Board of Education in Georgia, Pascagoula-Gautier School District in Mississippi, Bridgeport Board of Education in Connecticut), county governments (Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners in Florida), state agencies (Texas Health and Human Services Commission, State of Georgia), and special-purpose districts. The mix reflects institutional food-service procurement across K–12 nutrition programs, senior congregate and home-delivered meal services, and state-supported living centers, where dried specialty vegetables appear as line items within larger commodity bundles rather than standalone procurements.

Recent activity spans Connecticut, Texas, Georgia, Mississippi, and Florida. Representative solicitations include the City of Bridgeport's June 2026 IFB for over 1,100 grocery-item line items (response due June 30, 2026) supporting the National School Lunch Program; Hancock County Board of Education's June 2026 IFB for fresh produce with 200+ line items including specialty items (response due June 26, 2026); Texas Health and Human Services Commission's June 2026 IFB for food and consumable products to supply El Paso State Supported Living Center with an estimated historical value of $1.5 million (response due July 11, 2026); and Hillsborough County's June 2026 ITB for senior meal preparation and delivery services valued at $17.8 million over three years (response due June 25, 2026). The code appears misaligned with its stated commodity name, suggesting either miscoding by issuing bodies or minimal independent market for dried non-GMO Middle Eastern squash at the state and local level.