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Gov. Gavin Newsom aims for less sales of 'ultra-processed' foods in California with order

Lia Russell, The Sacramento Bee on

Published in News & Features

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday he would direct California state agencies to investigate the health risks of food dyes and recommend ways for the state to further regulate the sales of candy, soda and other additive-heavy foods.

He issued an executive order Friday that aimed to curb “ultra-processed” food while promoting access to healthier foods, like fruits and vegetables.

The governor signed legislation last year banning the sale in schools of foods with certain synthetic dyes in them in a bipartisan effort to limit children’s exposure to such chemicals and to promote access to healthy foods. The ban targets snacks — such as Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and Skittles — that contain Red No. 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2 and Green 3, ingredients linked to hyperactivity and adverse behavioral effects in children.

In his executive order, Newsom will require the Department of Public Health, the Department of Health Care Services and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment to brief his team by April 1 on potential actions to limit the sale of such foods, like requiring warning labels on certain junk foods. He also directed CDPH and the environmental hazards office to jointly investigate the adverse effects of food dyes and report their findings, as well as evaluate the feasibility of state penalties for companies that fail to notify the federal Food and Drug Administration when they add certain additives to their products.

“Ultra-processed foods are known to pose a health risk to individuals, and today’s efforts are designed to support affordable, healthy living and reduce the growing impact of chronic illnesses on Californians,” Newsom said in a statement. “We’re going to work with the industry, consumers and experts to crack down on ultra-processed foods, and create a healthier future for every Californian.”

 

Also, state agencies are now tasked with finding ways to reduce the sale of soda, candy and other foods containing synthetic dyes and incentivizing CalFresh program participants to buy “healthy and fresh foods.”

The 11-member State Board of Education, with help from the state Department of Education, must identify by Oct. 1 how California could adopt higher nutritional standards for school meals beyond what is required by the federal USDA school child nutrition rules.

California was the first state in 2021 to establish a universal school meals program.

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©2025 The Sacramento Bee. Visit at sacbee.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

 

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