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California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed legislation creating a voluntary certification and labelling programme for non-ultra-processed foods, alongside new requirements covering sugar warnings on restaurant menus and children’s meals.
Assembly Bill 2244, authored by Assembly Member Jesse Gabriel, establishes what supporters describe as the first certification programme of its kind in the US. The legislation creates a ‘Non-Ultra-processed Certified’ seal for food products that meet specified standards relating to processing and ingredients.
Under the programme, manufacturers will be able to apply for certification through accredited certification agents, with oversight from the California Department of Public Health.
The scheme is modelled on the USDA Organic programme and is intended to provide consumers with a front-of-pack indicator for products that meet California’s definition of non-ultra-processed foods.
The legislation also requires grocery stores to make certified products easier for consumers to locate through in-store placement.
Gabriel said the new seal would provide consumers with “clear trustworthy information” about the foods they buy.
He added: “Parents shouldn’t need a PHD in chemistry to understand what they’re feeding their kids.”
The bill was announced earlier this year, with Newsom's signing making it official this week.
In 2025, Newsom signed the Healthy Foods, Healthy Kids Act, which established a statutory definition of ultra-processed foods and set out a process for phasing certain products out of California Schools.
California has also introduced restrictions on a number of food additives through legislation including the California Food Safety Act of 2023 and the California School Food Safety Act of 2024.
Alongside AB2244, Newsom signed legislation requiring chain restaurants to offer at least one children’s meal that meets minimum nutritional standards.
Senate Bill 869 will require restaurant menus to identify drinks containing more than the recommended daily intake of added sugar. The measures form part of a wider package of legislation focused on nutrition, food access and public health.
Other bills signed by Newsom include legislation establishing a programme to identify locally based suppliers able to provide healthy food to California public schools. The state has also banned the sale of over-the-counter diet pills and dietary supplements marketed for weight loss or muscle building to people under 18.
Newsom said the measures were intended to shift the focus of healthcare towards prevention.
He added: “We should be about health care, not sick care, recognising that preventing illnesses is far preferable to finding and affording treatments.”
The introduction of the certification scheme comes as governments, health organisations and the food industry continue to debate the role of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in diets.
