/>i- On January 3, 2025, California’s Governor Newsom issued an executive order (Executive Order N-1-25) directing state agencies to recommend potential actions to “limit the harms” associated with “ultra-processed foods” and food ingredients that allegedly may pose health risks. Specifically, state entities are instructed to do the following, pursuant to the executive order:
- By April 1, 2025, provide recommendations to the Governor’s Office regarding potential action to limit the harms associated with “ultra-processed foods” and food ingredients that pose a health risk to individuals;
- Continue investigating the adverse health impacts of synthetic food dyes and identify any additional adverse health impacts by April 1, 2025;
- By April 1, 2025, recommend actions to reduce the purchase of soda, candy, other ultra-processed foods and/or foods with synthetic food dye or other additives;
- By April 1, 2025, investigate the feasibility of requiring Medi-Cal Managed Care plans and California hospitals to use their Community Investment dollars and Community Benefit funds to enhance access to fresh, healthy foods, mitigate the impacts of “food deserts,” and otherwise promote public health at the local level;
- By October 1, 2025, identify areas where California may adopt higher standards for healthy school meals than national standards; and
- By October 1, 2025, explore developing new standards and partnerships to further protect and expand universal school food programs.
- The executive order follows a common theme in recent California legislation. As we previously reported, AB 2316 passed in August 2024, which bans schools from serving foods with Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, and Green 3. Additionally, in 2023, AB 418 prohibited the manufacturing, selling, delivering, distributing, holding, or offering for sale a food product that contains brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and red dye 3.
California Governor Issues Executive Order Targeting Ultra-Processed Foods and Food Dyes
Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Current Public Notices
Published: 6 January, 2025
Published: 6 January, 2025
Published: 26 December, 2024
Published: 9 December, 2024
