CALIFORNIA STATE – California shoppers already navigate a crowded field of claims on food packages: “natural,” “organic,” “no artificial flavors” and more. A new state law aims to add a different kind of signal — a certified seal identifying packaged foods that meet California’s standard for being non-ultraprocessed.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2244 on September 28. The measure directs the California Department of Public Health to establish a “Non-Ultraprocessed Certified” program, with independent agents accredited by the state to review products. Manufacturers whose products qualify could put a standardized seal on the package. Participation is voluntary.
The practical appeal is easy to picture at a Safeway in Walnut Creek or a grocery store in Palm Springs: Instead of comparing two long ingredient lists in the aisle, a shopper could look for a certification mark. The law also calls for the state to publish an online list of certified products.
But to be clear that is a future shopping trip. The text of AB 2244 gives the health department until June 1, 2029 to accredit certification agents. It does not mean a new seal will appear on every package this fall, and the law does not require every food maker to seek certification. The pace at which labels reach shelves will depend on the state building the program and companies choosing to participate.
What would the seal mean?
Under the law, a product cannot be certified if it meets specified additive criteria drawn from California’s existing ultraprocessed-food law, or if it falls into state categories for ultraprocessed foods of concern or restricted school foods. Those latter categories are to be defined through state regulations. Certifiers would review individual packaged food and beverage products, and certified products would need to be checked again at least every three years — sooner if a manufacturer changes the recipe.
The law leaves the final look of the seal to the state. It may say “Non-Ultraprocessed Certified Food Standard” or “Non-UPF Certified,” and it could appear on the front, side or another part of a package, as long as it does not cover required information.
Grocery shelves could change, too
AB 2244 goes beyond packaging. Once the state creates the seal, a grocery store with more than $10 million in annual sales that carries more than 25 certified items would have to make at least three certified items clearly identifiable. The law allows signs, physical separation or other visual cues; it does not require a dedicated aisle or a storewide rearrangement. Smaller stores and stores below the certified-product threshold would not face that display requirement.
That limited rule could still make the seal more visible as the program grows. But it’s still a little ways off. This law has been signed, but the certification system and the products bearing its mark are still ahead. California has set the rules for a potentially new way to compare packaged foods; it has not yet put that comparison tool in anyone’s grocery cart. Yet.
