A bill introduced in California seeks to create a certification seal for non-ultra-processed foods that can be displayed on the label of qualified food products.

Assembly Bill 2244 (AB 2244) was introduced by California Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-46), the same legislator behind the now-passed California Food Safety Act, California School Food Safety Act, and the Real Food, Healthy Kids Act, which directed state officials to define UPFs and phase out “particularly harmful” UPFs from schools.

California’s Definition for UPFs

Paving the way for the country’s first statutory definition for UPFs, the Real Food, Healthy Kids Act generally defines the category as foods that contain one or more of certain types of ingredients, such as colorants, flavorings, sweeteners, emulsifiers, and thickening agents. The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is required to come up with a more specific definition for UPFs by July 1, 2026.

It is possible that California’s definition for UPFs may be superseded by a federal statutory definition for the category, which U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) has promised is coming as soon as April of this year.

The “California Certified” Seal for Non-UPFs

Building on California’s history of enacting precedent-setting state restrictions on food additives and UPFs, AB 2244 would establish a first-of-its-kind “California Certified” seal that food manufacturers could place on products that meet clear standards for not being “ultra-processed.”

Modeled after the “USDA Organic” label, the “California Certified” seal is intended to provide consumers with a way to quickly identify “healthier” food options.

The bill also would require grocery stores in California to feature products bearing the “California Certified” seal in prominent, high-traffic areas for greater visibility to consumers.

According to the office of Assemblymember Gabriel, AB 2244 would create 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.