‘Newsom has quite the history of trying to show up the Trump administration’
Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new executive order on Friday aimed at directing state agencies to recommend potential actions to limit the potential harms associated with “ultra-processed foods” and food ingredients that could pose a health risk to individuals.
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For the past several years, California has significantly cracked down on different food ingredients and dyes because of alleged health risks. Most notably, this has included AB 418, a 2024 bill turned law authored by Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel (D-Woodland Hills) that banned five common food additives in California. However, other actions have included a new law prohibiting California schools from selling foods containing synthetic food dye additives that have been linked to health harms, actions by Newsom to keep the sale ban of sodas in K-12 schools, restricting the amount of sugar in milk, and restricting anything caffeinated to be sold at schools before high school.
This all led to Friday, when Newsom signed an executive order that continued to build on previous food, health, and school lunch laws of the past. According to the order, specific state entities will have to do the following:
- 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.
- Recommend actions to reduce the purchase of soda, candy, other ultra-processed foods and/or foods with synthetic food dye or other additives.
- 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.
- Identify areas where California may adopt higher standards for healthy school meals than national standards.
- Explore developing new standards and partnerships to further protect and expand universal school food programs.
“The food we eat shouldn’t make us sick with disease or lead to lifelong consequences,” said Newsom in a statement on Friday. “California has been a leader for years in creating healthy and delicious school meals, and removing harmful ingredients and chemicals from food. 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.”
Newsom’s new Executive Order
His wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, added, “Through today’s executive order, we’re making a decisive and transformative commitment to further California’s work to prioritize health and nutrition as fundamental building blocks for thriving communities. By connecting the dots between whole food, mental wellness, and strong cognition, we are creating an environment where every child has the opportunity to realize their full potential. This is a powerful move towards health, equity, and a California for ALL Kids.”
