California has taken a significant step toward reshaping how consumers identify healthy food options, passing Assembly Bill 2244 with unanimous support in both chambers.
The California Legislature voted 32-0 in the state Senate and 72-0 in the Assembly to approve the bill, signalling broad bipartisan backing for the measure.
Governor Gavin Newsom now has until the end of September 2026 to either sign or veto the legislation, which could reshape food labelling standards across the state.
Introduced in March 2026, AB 2244 would allow food products to carry a “California Certified” seal modelled closely on the widely recognised “USDA Organic” seal.
The seal is “intended to provide consumers with a way to quickly identify ‘healthier’ food options,” according to the bill’s text.
If signed into law, the California Department of Public Health would be required to accredit certification agents no later than June 1, 2029, and to create a standardised “Non-Ultraprocessed Certified” seal.
Grocery stores would also be required to make at least three certified food products clearly identifiable and distinguishable from other products through physical separation, signage, or other visual cues.
The bill broadly defines ultra-processed food as any product containing one or more ingredients with a “specific technical effect,” including surface-active agents, stabilizers, thickeners, emulsifiers, coloring adjuncts, and flavoring agents.
Products could also fall under the UPF definition if they contain 10% or more of total energy from saturated fat, a sodium to calorie ratio of at least one to one, or 10% or more of total energy from added sugars.
A range of specific substances could also trigger the UPF classification, including erythritol, stevia glycosides, monk fruit concentrate, maltitol, xylitol, thaumatin, isomalt, lactitol, and D-sorbitol.
Manufacturers whose products meet the non-UPF criteria could seek certification from state-accredited third parties, with that certification required to be renewed at least every three years.
AB 2244 builds on earlier legislation by the same bill author, with AB 1264 having already set the first legal definition of ultra-processed food in the United States and banned the worst UPF products from K-12 public schools.
Under the new bill, a Public Health Food and Nutrition Education Fund would be established to support the rollout and application of the non-ultra-processed certified labels across the state.
The legislation marks a broader push in California to use regulatory tools to steer consumers toward less processed food options amid growing public concern over diet-related health outcomes.