A new bill in California continues the state’s efforts to crack down on ultra-processed foods, proposing that manufacturers put a sticker on the front of their products to indicate that they are not ultra-processed.
Rep. Jesse Gabriel said at a news conference Wednesday that he hopes the seal, which is voluntarily applied for by manufacturers, will help people make healthier choices at the grocery store and encourage companies to reformulate to meet eligibility requirements.
“You don’t need a PhD in chemistry to understand what parents are feeding their children,” said Gabriel, who introduced the bill, AB 2224. Democratic politicians are also the architects of California’s landmark bill against certain food colorings and additives, as well as last year’s bill targeting ultra-processed foods in schools that was signed into law in the fall.
Proposed California State Seal.Provided by Jesse Gabriel
What ultra-processed foods are is the subject of much debate. The bill uses the same definition as last year’s California Schools Act. Foods are ultra-processed when they contain certain additives such as emulsifiers, flavors, and preservatives, are high in sugar, salt, or fat, or contain sweeteners that have no nutritional value.
Alyssa Moran, a nutrition policy researcher and epidemiologist at the University of Pennsylvania, said on a conference call that about one-third of packaged foods would be considered not ultra-processed by that definition. She said the new certification will make it easier for school food service providers to identify items that are not ultra-processed.
“Ultra-processed foods clearly increase the risk of chronic disease, and while we debate whether the science is good enough, ultra-processed foods kill approximately 1,400 Americans every day,” Moran said, citing known links to chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
The Consumer Brands Association, the largest trade group for food manufacturers, did not respond to a request for comment.
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Gabriel compared the plan to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Certified Organic label, noting that California’s decades-old organic product regulations were the basis for the federal government’s actions. “We hope that Washington state will follow our example,” he said, adding, “but until then, there is no reason why companies cannot use the California seal at grocery stores outside of California.”
The bill would also require large grocery store chains to prominently display foods bearing the California mark if the number of products they sell with the California mark meets the criteria. Items such as yogurt, bread, snacks, baby food, and cereals may all be eligible for the seal.
Gabriel said he hopes to get the bill to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk by August or September.
Meanwhile, Texas passed a labeling law last year targeting ultra-processed foods. In that case, manufacturers would be required to put warning labels on foods containing any of 44 additives. A federal judge last month temporarily blocked the law, saying it could violate the First Amendment.
Other countries, such as Mexico, have adopted front-of-pack labels on food products that warn consumers about excess calories and sugar. “We thought maybe there’s a better way…to recognize people who are doing the right thing and making healthy products,” Gabriel said.
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