Lifestyle Sports: Latest from Food Politics: California legislature passes bill banning ultra-processed foods from schools-and defining them

By Marion Nestle

September 25 2025

California legislature passes bill banning ultra-processed foods from schools—and defining them

So many readers have sent me notices about California’s Senate having unanimously passed a bill banning ultra-processed foods from schools—and defining what they are—that I just have to write about it.

The bill is here. The legislative analysis is here.

Two things about this bill are noteworthy.

I. The bill defines ultra-processed foods.

An ultra-processed food:

Contains one or more of the following

Surface-active agents
Stabilizers and thickeners
Propellents, aerating agents and gases
Colors and coloring adjuncts
Emulsifiers and emulsifier salts
Flavoring agents and adjuvants
Non-nutritive sweeteners [D-sorbitol, erythritol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, sucralose, isomal, lactitol, luo han fruit concentrate, maltitol, steviol glycosides, thaumatin, xylitol)

And contains one or more of:

Saturated fat at 10% or more of calories
A ratio of mg sodium to calories of more than 1:1
Sugars at 10% or more of calories

II. The bill summarizes existing California laws related to school food. These:

Ban foods containing brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, red dye no. 3.
Provide free breakfasts and lunches to all students.
Restrict foods sold outside the schools meals to those that are reasonably healthy.
Limit fat, saturated fat, sugar, sodium, and calories in competitive foods.
Restrict competitive beverages to drinks to those that are reasonably healthy
Prohibit several synthetic color additives.

Comment: The bill has yet to be signed by the governor. I hope he does.

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