The Brief
- Gov. Gavin Newsom this week signed the “Real Food, Healthy Kids Act” into law, which requires state regulators, in consultation with scientists, to create a detailed list of additives and ingredients that qualify foods as ultra-processed.
- Under the new law, the state will finalize its definition of ultra-processed foods by 2028. School districts will then have to begin reporting what kinds of ultra-processed items they serve, and by 2032, those ingredients must be eliminated from all school meals.
- Food manufacturers opposed the bill, arguing it could raise costs and complicate compliance for school districts.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California is the first state in the nation to officially define what counts as an “ultra-processed food” — a move supporters say could change what millions of kids eat in school cafeterias and potentially spark a national shift in school nutrition standards.
Gov. Gavin Newsom this week signed the “Real Food, Healthy Kids Act” into law. The measure requires state regulators, in consultation with scientists, to create a detailed list of additives and ingredients that qualify foods as ultra-processed.
Those include artificial dyes, sweeteners, flavor enhancers, thickening agents and high levels of saturated fats.…