California to Ban Ultraprocessed Foods in Schools

The state of California is the first in the nation to enact a ban on ultraprocessed foods in its schools, after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law AB 1264, which also puts in place a definition for UPFs in the state.

The new law will phase out what the governor’s office called “the most concerning” UPFs from school meals in the state. The legislation reportedly had bipartisan support in the state assembly. The law as signed, requires the state’s Department of Public Health “to adopt regulations, on or before June 1, 2028, to define ‘ultraprocessed foods of concern’ and ‘restricted school foods.’” Schools would need to begin to phase out these foods no later than July 1, 2029, and would be outright prohibited from offering these items on July 1, 2032.

According to a Consumer Reports article covering the news (CR co-sponsored the legislation, it said), foods that are “high in saturated fat, or added sugar, or sodium, (or has a non-sugar sweetener), and contains one or more of certain industrial ingredients, including colors, flavors, sweeteners, emulsifiers, and thickening agents” would be targeted for the ban. It added that raw agricultural products, minimally processed foods, and pasteurized milk would be exempt from the definition of UPFs.

The UPF ban builds on laws passed in California over the past two years that eliminate four chemical food additives from the statewide food supply chain and stop the use of synthetic food dyes in school foods. In January 2025, Newsom began the quest against UPFs, issuing an executive order requesting more research into UPFs and synthetic food dyes.