California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill allowing food companies to display a "non-ultra-processed certified" seal on qualifying products, with third-party certifiers accredited no later than June 1, 2029.

Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, D-Encino, introduced the bill, which drew bipartisan support in both the Assembly and the Senate. It builds on a 2025 law, also authored by Gabriel, that created the first U.S. legal definition of ultra-processed food and banned it from public schools.

"While Washington D.C. is paralyzed by inaction, Republicans and Democrats in California are joining forces to empower consumers to avoid harmful ultra-processed foods," Gabriel said.

What does the seal require?

The California Department of Public Health will oversee certification, approving and accrediting third-party certifiers to evaluate products against the state's non-UPF standard. Certified products must be recertified at least every three years.

A food will not qualify if it contains substances or additives — including dyes, flavor enhancers, non-sugar sweeteners or processing aids — used to manipulate the taste or quality of foods.

The law carries four oversight and transparency measures:

• Certification agents must register with the state
• The state can audit certification records at any time
• The state must maintain a public, online list of certified products
• Misuse of the label will be illegal and subject to enforcement

What does it change for retailers?

Large grocery operators face a new merchandising obligation. Stores that sell more than 25 individual non-UPF-certified products and record more than $10 million in annual sales must display certified products so shoppers can identify them easily — through special signage or physical separation within the store.

For packaged-food manufacturers and grocery chains, the calculus now includes a certification decision: reformulate to exclude dyes, flavor enhancers, non-sugar sweeteners and processing aids, or forgo a label the state will promote through mandatory in-store merchandising.

Consumer groups, including the Environmental Working Group, backed the law. "Today California raised the bar for what we consider healthy food," said Bernadette Del Chiaro, EWG senior vice president for California. "Consumers deserve labels they can trust, and with Gov. Newsom's signature, families now have a simple way to tell which foods are closer to what comes from a kitchen rather than a factory."

Gabriel compared the seal to an established federal benchmark: "Like the USDA Organic label, this new seal will provide consumers with clear, trustworthy information and make it easier for them to locate healthier foods that are free from harmful additives. Parents shouldn't need a Ph.D. in chemistry to understand what they're feeding their kids."

Why the state acted

Research cited in the law's backdrop shows ultra-processed foods make up more than two-thirds of children's diets and more than half of adult diets. Scientific studies have linked high-UPF diets to cancer, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic disorders and mental health issues.

California began regulating the category three years ago with a ban on what Gabriel called the most dangerous food additives. The new seal extends that trajectory from prohibition to positive labeling — and with the June 2029 accreditation deadline, food companies selling into the nation's largest state market now have a fixed timeline to decide whether certification fits their formulation and shelf strategy.