California legislation · 2025-2026 Regular Session
California AB2244: Non-Ultraprocessed Certified food standard.
Status: Chaptered, September 28, 2026
What the bill says
An act to add Article 4 (commencing with Section 104670) to Chapter 2 of Part 3 of Division 103 of, and to add and repeal Chapter 12.9 (commencing with Section 114379.80) of Part 7 of Division 104 of, the Health and Safety Code, relating to food. food Non-Ultraprocessed Certified food standard. Existing law defines, for certain school-related purposes, “ultraprocessed food” as any food or beverage that contains a specified substance and either high amounts of saturated fat, sodium, or added sugar or a nonnutritive sweetener or other substance, as specified…
From the chaptered text, September 28, 2026:
An act to add Article 4 (commencing with Section 104670) to Chapter 2 of Part 3 of Division 103 of, and to add and repeal Chapter 12.9 (commencing with Section 114379.80) of Part 7 of Division 104 of, the Health and Safety Code, relating to food. food Non-Ultraprocessed Certified food standard. Existing law defines, for certain school-related purposes, “ultraprocessed food” as any food or beverage that contains a specified substance and either high amounts of saturated fat, sodium, or added sugar or a nonnutritive sweetener or other substance, as specified. Existing law requires the department to adopt regulations, on or before June 1, 2028, to define “ultraprocessed foods of concern” and “restricted school foods,” as specified, and requires the department, when defining ultraprocessed foods of concern and restricted school foods, to consider specified factors, including, among others, whether the substance or group of substances are banned or restricted in other state, federal, or international jurisdictions due to concerns about adverse health consequences. This bill would require the department, no later than June 1, 2029, to accredit certification agents that can certify food products as “Non-Ultraprocessed Certified.” The bill would prohibit an accredited certification agent from certifying a food product as “Non-Ultraprocessed Certified” if it is an ultraprocessed food, ultraprocessed food of concern, or a restricted school food, as defined. The …