TL;DR
Get kitchen gear delivered free — and shop member deals
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Access to Prime Big Deal Days deals on October 6–7
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law creating a “non-ultra-processed certified” seal for qualifying food products. The state will oversee accreditation of third-party certifiers, and certain large grocery stores will have to make certified products easier to find.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law creating a “non-ultra-processed certified” seal for food products that meet the state’s standard, giving consumers a new label to look for when shopping. The law also requires some large grocery retailers to make qualifying products easier to identify, though the state has until June 1, 2029, to accredit third-party certifiers.
The bill was introduced by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, a Democrat from Encino, and passed with bipartisan support in both the Assembly and Senate, according to Food Safety News. Under the law, the California Department of Public Health will oversee certification by approving and accrediting third-party organizations. Products must be recertified at least every three years, and only products meeting the state’s requirements may display the seal.
Foods will not qualify if they contain certain substances or additives used to manipulate taste or quality, including dyes, flavor enhancers, non-sugar sweeteners or processing aids. Certification agents must register with the state, which may audit their records. The department must keep a public online list of certified products, and misuse of the seal will be illegal and subject to enforcement.
The retail display requirement applies to grocery stores with more than 25 individual certified non-UPF products and annual sales above $10 million. Those retailers must make the products easy to identify, for example with special signage or by physically separating them from other goods. The law does not require stores to stock a particular number of qualifying products.
A New Label for Grocery Shoppers
The seal could give shoppers a state-defined way to identify products that meet California’s non-ultra-processed standard, rather than requiring them to interpret ingredient lists on their own. The accompanying display rule is intended to make certified foods easier to find in qualifying stores. Its practical reach will depend on how many products are certified and how retailers present them.
The source report says research has found ultra-processed foods make up more than two-thirds of children’s diets and more than half of adults’ diets; it does not provide a study, date range or comparison baseline for those figures. It also says scientific research has linked diets high in ultra-processed foods to cancer, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic disorders and mental health issues. Those are reported associations; the source does not establish that the new seal itself will improve health outcomes.
California’s Earlier Food Rules
The seal law builds on a 2025 California law, also authored by Gabriel, which established what the source describes as the first U.S. legal definition of ultra-processed food and banned such food from public schools. The new measure extends the state’s approach from a school food restriction to voluntary product certification and grocery-store visibility.
Gabriel also referred to a California law from three years earlier that banned what he called the most dangerous food additives. That characterization is his. The supplied report does not list the additives covered by that earlier law or provide details on its implementation.
““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.””
— Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel
Certification Rules Still Ahead
The state has not yet accredited the third-party certifiers that will evaluate products. The law sets June 1, 2029, as the deadline for that accreditation, but the source report does not say when certifications will begin or when shoppers can expect the first products to carry the seal.
The supplied report also does not detail the full non-UPF standard, explain how borderline ingredients or manufacturing processes will be evaluated, or name companies planning to seek certification. The number of products that will qualify—and how many stores will meet the display threshold—remains unknown.
State Accreditation by 2029
The California Department of Public Health must establish the accreditation process for third-party certifiers by June 1, 2029. Once certifiers are accredited, they can evaluate products against the state’s standard; certified products will then be eligible to use the seal, subject to recertification at least every three years.
As the program develops, the department’s public list of certified products and its oversight of certification records will provide ways to check which foods qualify. The source report does not give a separate launch date for the online list or for the required retail displays.
Key Questions
What does the new California seal mean?
It identifies food products certified as meeting California’s non-ultra-processed food standard. Only qualifying products may display it.
Who will certify products?
Third-party certifiers will evaluate products, while the California Department of Public Health will approve and accredit those certifiers. The department’s accreditation deadline is June 1, 2029.
Which foods are excluded from certification?
The source report says foods do not qualify if they contain substances or additives such as dyes, flavor enhancers, non-sugar sweeteners or processing aids used to manipulate taste or quality.
Which grocery stores must highlight certified foods?
The display requirement applies to grocery stores with annual sales above $10 million that sell more than 25 individual non-UPF-certified products. Stores may use signage or physical separation to help shoppers find them.
When will products start carrying the seal?
The law sets a deadline of June 1, 2029, for state accreditation of third-party certifiers. The source report does not specify when certification or the first product labels will begin.
Source: rss
Fall Picks
fall essentials
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
