California's Non-Ultraprocessed Seal: Newsom Decides by Sept 30

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (September 13, 2026) -- In late August 2026, the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 2244 to establish a voluntary, state-verified Non-Ultraprocessed Certified seal. Governor Gavin Newsom has until September 30, 2026, to sign or veto the measure, which directs state health regulators to accredit third-party certifiers by June 1, 2029.

Key takeaways:

• California Assembly Bill 2244 passed the state legislature in late August 2026, and Governor Gavin Newsom has until September 30, 2026, to take action.
• If enacted, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) must accredit third-party certifiers by June 1, 2029, under a mandatory three-year recertification cycle.
• Disqualifying ingredients include synthetic color additives, non-sugar sweeteners, artificial flavor enhancers, and industrial processing aids.
• Large grocery retail stores operating in California that stock certified foods would be required to provide clear in-store promotional shelf tagging.

What happened in the California legislature?

In late August 2026, the California State Legislature approved Assembly Bill 2244 (AB 2244), introduced by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino). Following final legislative passage, the enrolled bill was formally transmitted to the governor's office. According to the official California AB 2244 Bill Text and Status record. Under California constitutional rules, Governor Gavin Newsom has until September 30, 2026, to either sign the measure into law, allow it to become law without a signature, or exercise a gubernatorial veto.

AB 2244 establishes a formal, voluntary certification framework across California's commercial grocery sector. Rather than introducing mandatory warning labels or negative stop-sign disclosures on retail packages, the legislation creates an affirmative, state-backed regulatory standard: the Non-Ultraprocessed Certified seal. This seal is intended to allow shoppers to quickly identify packaged food items that are manufactured without specific classes of cosmetic food additives, high-intensity artificial flavors, or intensive industrial modification.

The measure reflects a notable shift in state-level public health and food regulation policy, as reported by Food Safety Magazine. While prior statutory initiatives primarily targeted individual chemical compounds or specific synthetic additives, AB 2244 establishes an overarching standard addressing systemic industrial formulation practices across packaged food categories.

What changed under the new standard?

Under AB 2244, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is instructed to develop comprehensive technical criteria and accredit qualified, independent third-party certifying entities no later than June 1, 2029. Food brands choosing to feature the Non-Ultraprocessed Certified seal on consumer packaging will be required to submit ingredient documentation, undergo independent verification through accredited certifiers, and complete a formal recertification process at least once every three years.

The certification criteria established in the bill set explicit boundaries prohibiting specific industrial ingredients and processing techniques. A packaged food product is disqualified from receiving the certification seal if it contains any of the following:

• Synthetic food dyes and certified color additives.
• Non-sugar sweeteners, such as aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, or saccharin.
• Industrial flavor enhancers, such as monosodium glutamate or disodium inosinate.
• Certain processing aids specified in the bill.

Beyond front-of-package labeling rules, AB 2244 sets specific retail merchandising mandates. Commercial grocery store operators in California that carry certified products will be required to feature distinct visual cues, such as shelf markers or promotional point-of-sale displays, ensuring visibility for certified items in grocery aisles.

Who is affected across retail and supply chains?

AB 2244 directly impacts packaged food manufacturers, retail grocery operators, state public health agencies, and consumers across California. Food companies selling packaged products in the state will have the option to evaluate their existing recipes against CDPH standards if they wish to apply for the voluntary seal. Recent analyses from Agri-Pulse Communications indicate that food processors are already reviewing ingredient specifications to assess compliance feasibility.

Packaged goods formulated with traditional kitchen ingredients can qualify under the standard, whereas products containing heavily modified chemical substitutes will not. For example, a traditional five-ingredient vanilla ice cream formulated solely with cream, milk, cane sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla extract would meet the criteria for the seal. In contrast, an ice cream formulation containing synthetic colorants, non-nutritive artificial sweeteners, polydextrose, and industrial emulsifiers would be barred from receiving certification.

Major supermarket chains operating physical retail locations within California will also need to update their internal planograms, shelf-tagging systems, and point-of-sale marketing displays to accommodate the mandatory in-store highlighting requirements for certified items.

What it means for shoppers in grocery aisles?

For consumers evaluating packaged food options in grocery aisles, the Non-Ultraprocessed Certified seal provides a voluntary front-of-pack indicator verified by accredited third parties under state oversight. This framework differs from mandatory negative warning systems, offering an affirmative label for products formulated without prohibited industrial additives.

Shoppers seeking to avoid specific synthetic ingredients will be able to identify qualifying products directly on the front panel without needing to read complex ingredient lists. For example, processed products formulated with synthetic dyes, such as those tracked on the FDA Dye Tracker Now Says End of 2027: Who's Done dashboard or on menus evaluated in EWG Checked 12 Fast-Food Menus: Dyes on All but Two, would not be eligible for the certification seal.

Similarly, products containing non-sugar sweeteners, such as those reviewed in EFSA Clears the Aspartame-Acesulfame Salt (E 962) and Sucralose Re-Evaluated: What EFSA's 2026 Safety Review Found, or specialized industrial baking additives discussed in FDA Reassesses ADA Dough Conditioner: What It Means for Bread, will be excluded from obtaining the seal.

At the same time, the presence of a non-ultraprocessed seal does not mean a food product is inherently low in total calories, saturated fat, or sodium, nor does it guarantee specific individual health outcomes. Items such as butter, unrefined sugars, and aged cheeses represent minimally processed culinary ingredients under standard classification systems, but individual nutritional requirements vary. Furthermore, current scientific evidence cannot establish uniform metabolic or clinical outcomes across all individuals simply based on the presence or absence of processed food classifications.

The background behind ultra-processed food policy?

California's legislative initiative comes amid ongoing scientific discussion regarding dietary patterns and ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Public health researchers frequently utilize the NOVA classification system, developed by researchers at the University of São Paulo, which categorizes food items into four distinct groups based on the nature, extent, and purpose of industrial processing, ranging from unprocessed or minimally processed foods (Group 1) to ultra-processed formulations (Group 4).

Observational studies have reported statistical associations between high dietary consumption of ultra-processed foods and increased risks of chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease, although these studies cannot prove cause and effect. As noted in a release by the Environmental Working Group, public health advocates view clear labeling standards as an essential mechanism to support consumer choice. To establish clear statutory definitions, California previously enacted AB 1264, which established a formal state definition of ultra-processed foods.

Related regulatory assessments are occurring at both state and federal levels. State-level policy variations are tracked across the country in Which Food Additives Are Banned in Which US State (2026 Tracker), while actions on historic colorants are detailed in FDA Revokes Orange B: The Sausage-Casing Dye Nobody Used. On August 10, 2026, federal public health agencies submitted preliminary definition proposals for administrative review, as detailed in our analysis of the US to Define 'Ultra-Processed Food': What the Proposal Means.

What to watch next before the deadline?

The immediate regulatory milestone is September 30, 2026, which is the statutory deadline for Governor Gavin Newsom to sign or veto AB 2244. If the bill is enacted into law, the formal implementation timeline will follow several procedural steps:

• September 30, 2026: Final deadline for gubernatorial approval or veto action.
• 2027 to 2028: CDPH public rulemaking proceedings, technical formulation standards development, and public comment periods.
• June 1, 2029: Statutory deadline for CDPH to accredit third-party certifying entities and begin accepting manufacturer applications.
• Post-2029: Initial distribution of certified packaging in retail stores and implementation of mandatory retail shelf-highlighting requirements in California supermarkets.