- Noah Marty
- Legislative/Communications Assistant
- Noah.Marty@asm.ca.gov
LOS ANGELES, CA — Today, at a signing ceremony at Belvedere Middle School in Los Angeles, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 1264 – the Real Food, Healthy Kids Act – first-in-the-nation legislation that will eliminate harmful ultra-processed foods from school meals in California. Authored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D - Encino), AB 1264 establishes the first-ever legal definition of “ultra-processed foods” and tasks the California Department of Public Health with identifying and phasing out the most harmful ultra-processed foods from California schools.
“With Governor Newsom’s signature on AB 1264, California has taken a historic step toward protecting our children from harmful ultra-processed foods and chemical additives,” said Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino). “While Washington DC is paralyzed by inaction, California is once again leading the nation with a bipartisan, commonsense, science-based approach. Here in the Golden State, Democrats and Republicans are joining forces to ensure that students are receiving healthy, nutritious meals that are made from real foods, not harmful chemical additives. I applaud Governor Newsom for his continued leadership on food safety and I am grateful to the dedicated advocates from around the country who worked tirelessly to help pass this important new law.”
“California has never waited for Washington or anyone else to lead on kids’ health — we’ve been out front for years, removing harmful additives and improving school nutrition. This first-in-the-nation law builds on that work to make sure every California student has access to healthy, delicious meals that help them thrive,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom.
AB 1264 builds on California’s national leadership in school nutrition and food safety and sets a new standard in response to growing evidence that ultra-processed foods have serious health consequences. In recent years, doctors and scientists have issued urgent warnings about the dangers of ultra-processed foods and Americans of all political stripes have called for stronger protections. While federal officials continue to stall, California has chosen to lead with decisive action and AB 1264 now sets the bar for progress nationwide. Reflecting the breadth of public support for stronger government action on ultra-processed foods, AB 1264 was co-authored by a diverse group of legislators from across the political and ideological spectrum, including Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher (R-East Nicolaus) and Progressive Caucus Chair Alex Lee (D-San Jose).
Background on AB 1264 and Ultra-Processed Foods
California is Leading the Nation in Food Safety & School Nutrition
In recent years, California has helped to lead the national conversation about food safety and school nutrition. Over the past two years, the state has passed two landmark laws authored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel with strong bipartisan support: AB 418 (Gabriel 2023), the California Food Safety Act, which banned four dangerous additives from all foods sold in California; and AB 2316 (Gabriel 2024), the California School Food Safety Act, which prohibits the use of certain harmful synthetic food dyes in school meals. These reforms have inspired nationwide changes, with the FDA subsequently banning two of the chemicals identified in AB 418 and more than 20 states introducing versions of Assemblymember Gabriel’s legislation. Earlier this year, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an Executive Order directing state officials to crack down on ultra-processed foods and further investigate food dyes.
AB 1264 Will Phase Out the Most Harmful Ultra-Processed Foods
AB 1264 establishes the first-ever statutory definition of ultra-processed foods (“UPF”) and directs California’s Department of Public Health, in cooperation with leading experts from the University of California, to identify and phase out the most harmful UPFs from schools by 2035.
State scientists will determine whether a product should be phased out of schools based on certain factors, including:
- Whether the product includes additives that are banned, restricted, or subject to warnings in other jurisdictions;
- Whether, based upon scientific research, the product or ingredients in the product are linked to cancer, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, developmental harms, reproductive harms, obesity, type 2 diabetes, or other health harms; and
- Whether the product or ingredients in the product contribute to food addiction;
California schools are projected to provide over 1 billion meals this school year. AB 1264 will protect California’s students from harmful, addictive chemicals and ensure that all children – including those from disadvantaged backgrounds – can access real, healthy, nutritious foods.
The Harmful Impacts of Ultra-Processed Foods
Ultra-processed foods are industrially manufactured, chemically modified products that are often filled with harmful additives to enhance taste, texture, appearance, and durability. Many of these products have been scientifically engineered to trigger the brain’s reward center and can contribute to food addiction and interfere with brain signals that prevent overconsumption.
Scientific research has linked UPFs to serious health harms, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic disorders (such as Crohn’s disease and fatty liver disease), reproductive harm, neurobehavioral harm, and mental health issues. In 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee issued a systematic review of scientific evidence that confirmed the link between consumption of UPFs and greater risks of being overweight or obese. That same report found that 73 percent of U.S. adults 20 years and older are overweight or obese, and 38 percent of children and youth between 12 and 19 years old are prediabetic.
Americans are among the world’s biggest consumers of UPFs, with many American children consuming nearly two-thirds of their daily calories from UPFs. Excessive UPF consumption is a leading driver of poor health outcomes and rising healthcare costs. As the Newsom Administration has noted, “California’s health system is being increasingly strained due to rapidly increasing costs for prescription drugs that combat diabetes, obesity and other chronic health conditions.”
Food companies have consistently opposed efforts to regulate UPFs and have continued to market and sell these products to California consumers without disclosing the potential harms they may cause.
What Healthcare and Food Safety Experts are Saying About AB 1264
“Our schools are no place for UPFs, and AB 1264 will make sure the worst of the worst UPFs are phased out of California’s schools. I applaud Assembly Member Gabriel and California’s legislature for passing this first-in-the-nation legislation to make our kids’ health our top priority, and I applaud Governor Newsom for signing this legislation into law.” - Chef Andrew Zimmern, Chef, Writer, Traveler, TV Host and Leader on Eat Real’s Chef for Kids Council
“AB 1264 takes a historic step toward protecting children's health by identifying and removing the most harmful ultra-processed foods from California schools. We commend Assemblymember Gabriel for authoring and Governor Newsom for signing this commonsense first-in-the-nation bill into law and continuing California’s legacy of protecting the well-being of our children.” - Bernadette Del Chiaro, Senior Vice President for California, Environmental Working Group
“As a pediatrician, I see every day how diet impacts children’s physical, emotional, and cognitive health. Ultra-processed foods are fueling obesity, diabetes, and even mental health challenges in our kids. AB 1264 is a smart, measured step to phase out the most harmful of these foods from our schools. I am grateful to Assemblymember Gabriel and Governor Newsom for championing this issue because I know AB 1264 will help provide California’s children the healthy foundation they deserve.” - Dr. Ravinder S. Khaira, M.D., MBA, MPH, FAAP
“After spending decades in school food service and years working alongside a vast number of community members, health allied advocates and farmers, I’ve seen how deeply children’s health is tied to our agricultural communities. For too long, highly processed foods have dominated school menus because of industry pressure, tight district budgets, and policies that don’t always prioritize student nourishment. Sincere appreciation to both Assemblyman Gabriel and the Governor for their leadership in moving forward with this policy that will continue to improve the wellbeing of children in our schools. AB 1264 is smart policy — it helps to ensure students are provided healthy and nourishing meals, invests in local farms, and strengthens California’s future.” - Miguel Villarreal, Interim Co-Executive Director, National Farm to School Network
“Governor Newsom's signature on AB 1264 is a monumental step forward for California's children, and I extend my deepest gratitude to Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel for his visionary leadership. This first-in-the-nation bill brilliantly builds upon the foundation of School Meals for All, ensuring that every student not only has access to free school meals, but that those meals are truly nourishing and free from harmful ultra-processed foods. By prioritizing the health of our youth, we are investing in a brighter future for all Californians, and I applaud this critical commitment to their lifelong well-being.” - Kat Taylor, Co-founder of TomKat Ranch and School Meals for All Co-sponsor