Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel Introduces Legislation to Create First-In-the-Nation Seal for Non-Ultra-Processed Foods

• Noah Marty
• Legislative/Communications Assistant
• [email protected]

SACRAMENTO, CA - Today, Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino) announced Assembly Bill (AB) 2244, landmark legislation designed to empower Californians to make better informed and healthier choices by increasing transparency around ultra-processed foods.

AB 2244 would establish a first-in-the-nation "California Certified" seal that food manufacturers could place on products that meet clear standards for not being ultra-processed. Modeled after the widely recognized "USDA Organic" label, the seal would provide consumers with a simple, trustworthy way to identify healthier options with a quick glance. The bill also would require grocery stores in California to feature products bearing the "California Certified" seal in a prominent, high-traffic area of the store, thereby making it easier for busy families to find healthier foods quickly and conveniently.

"Parents shouldn't need a Ph.D. in chemistry to understand what they're feeding their kids," said Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel."Like the USDA Organic label, this new seal will empower consumers with clear, trustworthy information and make it easier for them to locate healthier foods that are free from harmful additives. While Washington DC is paralyzed by inaction, California is stepping up to protect our kids and confront the health risks associated with ultra-processed foods."

A growing body of research has increasingly linked high consumption of ultra-processed foods to serious health harms, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic disorders, reproductive harm, and other chronic conditions. Despite these risks, many consumers struggle to distinguish between minimally processed and highly processed products due to confusing labels and marketing practices.

AB 2244 employs a commonsense approach that provides manufacturers the opportunity to highlight healthier products and helps consumers identify them more easily. It likewise creates a voluntary, market-based incentive for manufacturers to reformulate products in order to qualify for the "California Certified" seal, thereby helping to drive innovation and promote healthier options across the food supply without limiting consumer choice.

AB 2244 Builds on California's National Leadership in Addressing Ultra-Processed Foods

In recent years, California has emerged as a national leader in addressing the growing health risks associated with ultra-processed foods. Last year, Assemblymember Gabriel authored and Governor Newsom signed into law The Real Food, Healthy Kids Act(AB 1264, 2025), groundbreaking legislation which established the nation's first statutory definition of ultra-processed foods and set up a process to ban harmful products from California schools. Assemblymember Gabriel also successfully passed into law two other landmark bills with bipartisan support: the California Food Safety Act (AB 418, 2023) and the California School Food Safety Act(AB 2316, 2024). Collectively, these laws have helped change the national conversation about food additives and ultra-processed foods, shaped federal policy, and inspired similar legislation across more than 30 other states.

AB 2244 Will Empower Consumers

Despite this progress, consumers continue to face significant challenges in identifying healthier food products. Ingredient lists are often long, technical, and incomplete, leaving families without clear, accessible tools to distinguish between minimally processed and highly processed foods.

AB 2244 would address this challenge by creating a simple certification program that would empower consumers with clear, front-of-package information and improve access to healthier options through strategic in-store placement. Modeled after the successful and widely recognized "USDA Organic" label, this legislation would establish a process overseen by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) where food manufacturers could apply to accredited certification agents to use the "California Certified" label on their packaging, thereby indicating that a product meets clear standards for not being ultra-processed.

The legislation also would require grocery stores in California to prominently display products with the California Certified seal in a designated high-traffic area. AB 2244 represents the next phase of California's efforts to improve public health, reduce diet-related disease, and ensure that consumers have the tools they need to make informed decisions.

What Public Health Experts and Community Leaders Are Saying About AB 2244

"Ultra-processed foods clearly increase chronic disease risk. Many of these foods are engineered to be optimally rewarding and easy to over-consume. And food companies are constantly adding new ingredients to the food supply without disclosing their purposes, making it almost impossible for most people to know whether a packaged food is ultra-processed or not. Clear, science-based labels make it easier for consumers to identify healthier items. They also serve as the foundation for other policies, like requirements for retail marketing." - Alyssa J. Moran, ScD, MPH, Deputy Director, Center for Food and Nutrition Policy, University of Pennsylvania

"The astronomical growth of ultraprocessed foods has created one of the most pressing public health challenges America faces today. Americans overwhelmingly believe that UPFs are linked to long-term health risks and want to reduce their consumption, but many don't know where to start. I'm a food law expert and have the privilege of working with some of the smartest food scientists and nutritionists in the world, and even I often struggle at the grocery store, wondering if I am making good choices for me and my toddler! By creating a simple, voluntary "California certified" label for non-UPF foods, AB 2244 will help consumers navigate confusing grocery aisles. It will help people quickly and easily identify non-UPF foods and give companies that want to help consumers a powerful incentive to offer more non-UPF options. EWG is proud to support this landmark piece of legislation." - Melanie Benesh, Vice President of Government Affairs, Environmental Working Group

"Consumers genuinely want to avoid ultra-processed foods, but the reality is, it's nearly impossible to tell what's what when you're standing in a grocery aisle trying to make a quick decision. We've created a system where even the most well-intentioned shopper can't easily distinguish between ultra-processed foods and healthier processed options. That confusion isn't helping anyone live better, it's just holding people back. That's why I believe a voluntary non-UPF seal could be a game changer. Something simple, clear, and trustworthy that helps busy consumers instantly identify better choices without needing a nutrition degree. It's about meeting people where they are and making health feel accessible, not complicated." - Maria Menounos, Emmy Award-winning Journalist, Health Advocate, and New York Times Best Selling Author

"We have a long road ahead to a food supply free from harmful chemicals and a healthier America. In the meantime, we must give consumers the tools and knowledge to make healthier food choices. By creating a 'California Certified' seal to help identify healthier, non-UPF options, Assemblymember Gabriel continues to advance California's leadership in the fight to reduce consumption of the hyperpalatable, addictive ultra-processed foods driving our nation's chronic disease crisis." - Todd Wagner, entrepreneur and co-founder of FoodFight USA