California takes bold step to ban harmful ultra-processed foods from school meals

By isabelle // 2025-03-26

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California lawmakers introduced bipartisan legislation to ban ultra-processed foods from public school meals by 2032.
Ultra-processed foods are linked to 32 health conditions, including obesity, ADHD, and heart disease.
The bill builds on California’s previous food safety laws, like banning toxic dyes in school meals.
Scientists will identify harmful products by 2026, with phased removal starting in 2028.
Industry groups oppose the bill, while health advocates praise it as a critical step for children’s wellbeing.

In a bold move that transcends typical partisan divides, California lawmakers introduced groundbreaking legislation on March 19 to eliminate ultra-processed foods from public school meals, acknowledging these products "have far more in common with a cigarette than they do a fruit or vegetable." The bipartisan bill, Assembly Bill 1264 (AB-1264), would establish the nation's first statutory definition of ultra-processed foods and create a systematic approach to remove harmful products from school cafeterias by 2032. Democratic Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, who introduced the bill alongside Republican Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher, emphasized that "protecting our kids from harm is, and always should be, a bipartisan issue." This rare display of cross-party cooperation underscores the growing recognition of food safety as a critical public health concern that supersedes political differences.

Science shows alarming health impacts

Mounting scientific evidence has linked ultra-processed foods to 32 different health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, mental health disorders, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. These troubling connections have prompted experts to sound the alarm about products that dominate American diets and school cafeterias. "We have not done enough to protect children from ultra-processed foods and beverages that have far more in common with a cigarette than they do a fruit or vegetable," said Ashley Gearhardt, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan and director of the school's Food Addiction Science & Treatment Lab. She called the bill a "courageous step forward" toward treating ultra-processed foods like the serious health threats they are. The legislation comes amid alarming statistics showing that approximately one in five U.S. children between ages 2 and 19 are obese. Research indicates that ultra-processed foods, which typically contain preservatives, sweeteners, and artificial flavors, may be engineered to interfere with brain signals that prevent overeating. "The foods that we see that people show the common signs of addiction with are those ultra-processed foods that are high in both carbohydrates and fats in a way that we don't see in nature, and at levels that we don't see in nature," Gearhardt explained.

California continues to lead on food safety

The bill represents California's latest effort to protect children from potentially harmful food ingredients. In 2023, Gabriel introduced the California Food Safety Act — commonly known as the "Skittles bill" — which will ban foods containing brominated vegetable oil, red dye No. 3, and other toxic chemicals beginning in 2027. Last year, he followed with the California School Food Safety Act, which prohibits schools from serving foods with six artificial dyes linked to neurobehavioral problems in children. These pioneering efforts have inspired similar legislation across the country. West Virginia recently advanced a sweeping bipartisan bill banning a range of food dyes linked to health problems, while New York lawmakers have proposed legislation to ban seven food dyes from public schools and eliminate red dye No. 3 and two other food additives statewide.

Scientists to identify most harmful products

Under the proposed legislation, California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment would work with university experts to identify particularly harmful ultra-processed foods that should be phased out of school meals. Their determinations would be based on multiple factors, including whether a product contains additives banned elsewhere, has been linked to health harms, contributes to food addiction, or contains excessive fat, sugar, or salt. "If you pick up a product and you turn it over, and it's got 50 ingredients and you can't pronounce 45 of them, that's a good indicator that that's probably going to be something that the scientists are going to look closely at," Gabriel noted. The scientists would be required to publish their first report outlining particularly harmful ultra-processed foods by July 1, 2026, and update the list every two years as research evolves. The legislation proposes removing such ingredients from public schools starting in 2028, with complete elimination by 2032.

Industry pushes back while health advocates applaud

Some industry representatives have expressed concerns about the negative perception of ultra-processed foods. General Mills reportedly argued in a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last year that "Not all processed foods are nutritionally equivalent and do not have the same impact on health." The company maintained that processing is "part of a complex food system that helps consumers meet nutritional needs within their abilities, budget and preferences." Similarly, the Consumer Brands Association expressed concern about limiting ultra-processed foods, stating, "Restricting access to shelf-ready foods could exacerbate health disparities, limit choice and create consumer confusion." Health advocates, however, welcome the legislation. "It's not as if we're not going to feed children at school," said Scott Faber, senior vice president of government affairs for the Environmental Working Group, a co-sponsor of AB-1264. "We may just feed them healthier food." California's latest effort to improve school nutrition reflects growing momentum in both political parties to address children's health concerns. As other states follow California's lead in scrutinizing food ingredients, these bipartisan initiatives signal a promising shift toward prioritizing children's wellbeing above political divisions — establishing a healthier foundation for America's future generations. Sources for this article include: ChildrensHealthDefense.org NBCNews.com ABC7News.com