UNSPSC 50596813: Dried Non GMO bittermelon

The variety of Non GMO vegetable known as Non GMO bittermelon 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 50596813 Dried Non GMO bittermelon is a Commodity code that typically names a single agricultural product line, but the recent state and local opportunities posted under this code show little direct procurement of dried bittermelon itself. Instead, the code appears in solicitations for broad food and consumable products spanning fresh produce, packaged goods, meal services, and kitchen supplies for schools, county facilities, and senior nutrition programs. The issuing bodies are predominantly school districts and county or state agencies operating food service operations: the City of Bridgeport Department of Public Purchases (on behalf of the Bridgeport Board of Education), the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Hancock County Board of Education in Georgia, Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners in Florida, the State of Georgia, and the Pascagoula-Gautier School District in Mississippi. The work being solicited reflects the National School Lunch Program and other state-supported nutrition initiatives, with compliance requirements including Buy American provisions (51 percent domestic agricultural content in processed products), Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act nutrition standards, HACCP plans, and extensive food safety documentation.

Recent opportunities span multiple states with activity concentrated in the Southeast and Texas. Representative solicitations include the City of Bridgeport's grocery items RFQ for the Board of Education (over 1,100 line items, due June 30, 2026), the Texas Health and Human Services Commission's IFB for food and consumable products at El Paso State Supported Living Center (historical value $1.5 million annually, proposals due July 11, 2026), Hancock County Board of Education's fresh produce IFB for the 2026–27 school year spanning over 200 line items (bids due June 26, 2026), and Hillsborough County's ITB for senior meal preparation and delivery services (estimated three-year value of $17,832,659.90, bids due June 25, 2026). The mismatch between the code's nominal scope (dried non-GMO bittermelon) and the actual procurement activity suggests the code may be misapplied in state and local systems, or that bittermelon appears as one item among hundreds in broader food solicitations. Vendors pursuing this code should verify the specific commodity inclusion in each opportunity before responding.