Food Policy and Regulation

California Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel has introduced AB 2244, a bill that would create a voluntary "California Certified" seal for grocery products that meet state standards for not being ultra-processed and require supermarkets to feature those labeled products in high-traffic areas. The proposal, described by Gabriel’s office as a "first-in-the-nation" label, defines ultra-processed foods by the presence of certain additives such as emulsifiers and preservatives along with high levels of sugar, salt or fat. Gabriel frames the measure as a market-based response to health risks from ultra-processed foods, saying it would strengthen consumer choice and push manufacturers to reformulate products without banning anything. Food-industry voices and some chefs are already warning that the lack of a clear universal standard for "ultra-processed" gives state bureaucrats broad discretion over what qualifies as "real" food, foreshadowing fights over science, definitions and regulatory overreach if the bill advances. Gabriel says he hopes to have the bill on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk by late summer, positioning California once again as a national testbed for health-oriented food labeling that could nudge national brands to adapt packaging and formulations.