California has become the first state in the US to commit to phasing out some ultra-processed foods from public school meals and create a formal legal definition for UPFs.
The move from the state legislature take the form of a bill (Assembly Bill 1264) introduced by Assembly member Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino). The Bill received strong bipartisan support from legislators in the Assembly and Senate. It now has to be signed off by Governor Gavin Newsom.
“Our public schools should not be serving students ultra-processed food products filled with chemical additives that can harm their physical and mental health and interfere with their ability to learn,” said Jesse Gabriel.
“In California, Democrats and Republicans are joining forces to prioritize the health and safety of our children, and we are proud to be leading the nation with a bipartisan, science-based approach.
“This new legislation will ensure that schools are serving our students the healthy, nutritious meals they need and deserve.”
UPF are industrially manufactured and chemically modified products. They’re often made with potentially harmful additives to enhance taste, texture, appearance and durability.
The new bill would also task the Department of Public Health to work with University of California experts to research UPF links to disease and health harms. These experts would then identify UPF that are “particularly harmful” and should be phased out of public school food.
The food vendors that supply California’s K-12 schools would be required to comply with the law starting July 1, 2032.
“Engineered for over-consumption”
“Ultra-processed foods aren’t just unhealthy – they’re engineered for overconsumption. Like addictive substances, they hijack the brain’s reward system, making it difficult for people to cut back, even when facing serious health consequences,” said Ashley Gearhardt, Ph.D., and professor of psychology at the University of Michigan.
“America’s diet is now dominated by ultra-processed foods, many of which were shaped by the same corporate strategies that once hooked people on cigarettes. The result? Rising rates of obesity, diabetes and diet-related diseases, especially in children.”
If Governor Newsom signs AB 1264 into law, it would establish the first US legal definition of UPF. A type of food would be considered UPF if it was high in saturated fat, added sugar or sodium and contains a food additive such as flavor, color, emulsifier or a thickening agent.
Commenting on the development, Bernadette Del Chiaro, senior vice president at US non-profit Environmental Working Group, said: “Processed foods can have a place in a healthy diet, but Americans – especially children – consume too many ultra-processed foods, which contributes to increased rates of cancer, heart disease and diabetes”
“AB 1264 takes an important step toward protecting student health by identifying and removing the most harmful ultra-processed foods from California schools. We commend Assembly member Gabriel and all of the bill’s co-authors for taking common sense steps to better protect the well-being of California’s children.”
