California – California is taking a groundbreaking step in school nutrition with a new bill that could phase out ultra-processed foods from public school meals. Assembly Bill 1264, set to be unveiled Wednesday, aims to remove what lawmakers call “particularly harmful” ultra-processed products, with a gradual phase-out beginning in 2028 and full elimination by 2032.
Democratic Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, who is introducing the bipartisan bill, says the move is necessary to protect children’s health. “The more evidence we see, the stronger our conviction becomes that it is important to protect our kids from dangerous chemicals,” Gabriel said. “Our schools should not be serving students ultra-processed food products that are filled with chemical additives that can harm their physical and mental health.”
Ultra-processed foods are made with long-lasting, low-quality ingredients and include common items like chips, candies, instant noodles, mass-produced ice cream, and soft drinks. Gabriel points to ingredient lists as a key indicator. “If you pick up a product and turn it over, and it’s got 50 ingredients and you can’t pronounce 45 of them, that’s a good indicator that scientists are going to look closely at it,” he said…