Frozen Sweet Corn Kernels (IQF, Yellow Super Sweet)

IQF whole kernel sweet corn, super sweet or sweet varieties, to Codex CXS 320-2015

Frozen sweet corn is bought as whole kernels cut from the cob, blanched and individually quick frozen, and the Codex standard for quick frozen vegetables (CXS 320-2015) sets out what a buyer can hold a processor to. Its annex on whole kernel corn, which replaced the older CXS 132-1981, covers kernels of sweet corn (Zea mays L. convar. saccharata) in yellow, white or other varietal colours, and separates super sweet varieties - higher natural sugar and a crisper bite, sometimes slightly darker with a tougher skin - from conventional sweet varieties that turn sugar to starch through the milk, cream and dough stages. The product must be reasonably uniform in colour, reasonably tender and developed, reasonably free from loose skins, crushed or broken kernels, damaged or blemished kernels, pulled kernels with cob attached, and pieces of cob, husk or silk, assessed on a 250 g minimum sample; garnishes such as pepper pieces may not exceed 5% of the finished food. The general sections require the thermal centre to reach -18 °C and product held at -18 °C or colder through the cold chain. Buyers write the variety type, colour, Grade A defect limits, Brix where they use it, and microbiology into the specification. Sweet corn carries a particular Listeria history: EFSA and ECDC traced a 2015-2018 multi-country Listeria monocytogenes outbreak to frozen corn from one processing plant, with matching strains later found in other frozen vegetables from the same plant, so post-blanch hygiene and environmental monitoring are audited before a supplier is approved. EU-bound product is tested against the maximum residue limits of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005.

UN Comtrade 2024 export declarations under HS 0710.40 total USD 544 million and about 432,000 MT across 86 reporters. The USA leads by value with USD 88 million and 50,900 MT at an average USD 1,736/MT, China leads by volume with 105,200 MT worth USD 84 million at USD 797/MT, and Hungary follows with USD 68 million and 48,300 MT; then Belgium (USD 45 million), France (USD 38 million, 32,200 MT), Spain (USD 33 million), Poland (USD 32 million, 23,600 MT), Thailand (USD 31 million, 24,000 MT), India (USD 28 million, 35,700 MT at USD 784/MT), Canada (USD 23 million), Peru (USD 15 million) and Serbia (USD 5.6 million, 4,400 MT). The buyer is a foodservice distributor, a pizza, salad or ready-meal manufacturer, a supermarket private-label desk or an importer-wholesaler. CBIL is a commodity brokerage company and brokers IQF sweet corn from freezers in the USA, China, Hungary, Belgium, France, Spain, Poland, Thailand, India, Canada, Peru and Serbia against the processor's certificate of analysis for defects, colour, pesticide residues and microbiology including Listeria, the plant's BRCGS or IFS certificate, a halal certificate per lot where the destination requires one, a certificate of origin, a health certificate from the origin authority and a phytosanitary certificate where the destination's rules call for one. For China-origin product the growing and processing region is stated on the contract. Retail bags, 10 kg catering cartons or 20 kg bulk cartons move in 40-ft high-cube reefers at -18 °C on FOB, CFR and CIF terms, with the shelf life stated by the processor, commonly up to 24 months at -18 °C. Send the variety type, colour, pack, volume and discharge port, and the enquiry is screened and worked against it.

Excluded origins are not offered, including product re-exported, blended or re-processed through a third country. Every lot moves with a certificate of origin naming the producing plant, mine or grower country, and nothing is quoted before the seller and loading point are known.