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California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law creating a certification seal for foods that meet the state’s non-ultra-processed food standard. The law sets state oversight, renewal and retailer display requirements, with accreditation of third-party certifiers due by June 1, 2029.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a law creating a “non-ultra-processed certified” seal for foods that meet the state’s standard, giving consumers a new way to identify qualifying products. The law also requires some large grocery retailers to make certified foods easier to find, while placing certification oversight with the California Department of Public Health.
The law sets up a certification system in which the department will approve and accredit third-party certifiers to assess products. Certifiers must register with the state, and the department can audit their records. Products must be recertified at least every three years. The department is directed to accredit certifiers by June 1, 2029.
Only products that meet the state’s non-UPF standard may carry the seal. Under the law as described by Food Safety News, a product does not qualify if it contains substances or additives—including dyes, flavor enhancers, non-sugar sweeteners or processing aids—used to manipulate its taste or quality. The state must keep a public online list of certified products, and misuse of the seal is illegal and subject to enforcement.
Retail display rules apply to grocery stores with more than $10 million in annual sales that sell more than 25 individually certified non-UPF products. Those retailers must make the products easy to identify, for example through special signs or physical separation in the store. The source report does not specify when that display requirement takes effect.
How the Seal Could Change Shopping
The law aims to make a complex food-processing distinction more visible at the point of purchase. Consumers who want to avoid products that meet California’s definition of ultra-processed food may be able to use the seal and public product list instead of trying to infer processing methods from an ingredient label alone. The requirement for certain retailers to highlight qualifying products could make the certification more noticeable in stores.
The seal’s practical value will depend on how many products are certified, how the standard is applied, and whether shoppers recognize and trust the mark. The law does not require all foods to be certified or all retailers to carry certified products. Its retail provisions apply only to stores that meet both the sales and certified-product thresholds.
Food Safety News reports that research has found ultra-processed foods make up more than two-thirds of children’s diets and more than half of adults’ diets. It also reports that scientific research has linked diets high in these foods to health concerns including cancer, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic disorders and mental health issues. Those are reported associations; the source does not establish that the new seal itself will improve health outcomes.
From School Rules to Store Labels
The certification law follows a 2025 California law, also authored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, that established what the source describes as the first U.S. legal definition of ultra-processed food and barred such food from public schools. The new measure extends the state’s approach beyond school settings by creating a voluntary product seal and requiring certain retailers to make certified items easier to locate.
Gabriel, a Democrat representing Encino, introduced the measure, which received bipartisan support in the Assembly and Senate, according to Food Safety News. The new law also builds on California’s earlier actions concerning food additives. Gabriel said the state began that effort three years ago by banning what he called the most dangerous additives; the source does not list those substances or detail the scope of those earlier restrictions.
Supporters frame the seal as a consumer-information tool. Environmental Working Group senior vice president for California Bernadette Del Chiaro said the law gives families a way to identify foods “closer to what comes from a kitchen rather than a factory.” That is her characterization of the policy’s purpose, rather than a formal description of the certification test.
““Parents shouldn’t need a Ph.D. in chemistry to understand what they’re feeding their kids.””
— Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, the bill’s author
Certification Rules Still Ahead
The law establishes the system and its broad eligibility restrictions, but the source report does not provide the department’s detailed certification procedures, application process or fees. It is also unclear when the public product list and retail display requirements will begin operating. The stated deadline for accrediting third-party certifiers is June 1, 2029.
The source does not say how many companies plan to seek certification, how many products may qualify, or how the state will enforce against improper use of the seal. Nor does it provide a detailed comparison between the non-UPF certification criteria and the definition established under the 2025 law. Those details will affect how readily consumers can use the mark and how consistently it is applied.
State Accreditation by 2029
The next specified milestone is the California Department of Public Health’s accreditation of third-party certifiers by June 1, 2029. The department will need to establish the certification and oversight process, including how agents register and how product records are reviewed. Once accredited, certifiers can assess products against the state standard; certified products must then be renewed at least every three years.
As the system takes shape, the state’s public list should provide consumers and retailers with a way to check which products hold certification. The source report gives no launch date for that list or a schedule for retailers to begin displaying qualifying products. Further state guidance will clarify when those parts of the law take effect.
Key Questions
What does the new California seal mean?
It identifies products certified as meeting California’s non-ultra-processed food standard. Only qualifying products may display it.
Who will certify products?
The California Department of Public Health will approve and accredit third-party certifiers. Those agents must register with the state, and the department can audit certification records.
When must certifiers be accredited?
The law directs the department to accredit third-party certifiers by June 1, 2029. The source report does not give a separate date for the seal’s first appearance in stores.
Which grocery stores must highlight certified foods?
The requirement covers grocery stores with more than $10 million in annual sales that sell more than 25 individually certified non-UPF products. They must make the products easy to identify, such as with signage or separate placement.
How often must certified foods be renewed?
Products must be recertified at least every three years. The state will maintain a public online list of certified products.
Source: rss
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