The bill’s passage by the California State Assembly comes on the heels of two other food safety-related bills authored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel and passed into law.
The news comes on the heels of the Trump Administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) Report specifically citing titanium dioxide as a food chemical potentially having harmful effects on health.
The Trump administration released its "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) Report on May 22, laying a foundation for the overhaul of government policy on childhood nutrition, food chemicals, environmental toxins found in food contact materials, and other concerns.
Taking effect by the 2026–2027 school year, the Arizona Healthy Schools Act has been signed into law, banning “ultra-processed foods,” defined as foods containing any one of 11 artificial food dyes and additives, from being sold in schools.
Less than two months after the filing of a first-of-its-kind lawsuit against ultra-processed food manufacturers, President Trump released an Executive Order establishing the Make America Healthy Again Commission.
California Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel has introduced a bill that aims to define and identify “ultra-processed foods” so that they can be phased out of state public schools.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has issued an executive order that mandates state agencies explore the safety of ultra-processed foods, food dyes, and "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) ingredients, and recommend actions to mitigate the adverse health effects.
