Publisher: Food & Environment Reporting Network
Published: September 21, 2026
Source: Read at Food & Environment Reporting Network (https://thefern.org/2026/09/meet-americas-de-facto-food-safety-chief/)
Category: Food Access
California Assembly member Jesse Gabriel has led state food safety laws since 2023. A law signed in October 2023 banned four chemical additives from food, after titanium dioxide was removed from the proposal to win bipartisan support. A 2024 law prohibited public schools from serving meals containing six synthetic dyes, and no state legislator voted against it. His 2025 Real Food, Healthy Kids Act established the nation's first legal definition of ultraprocessed foods and created a process to restrict some products in California schools, including vending machines. Similar food policy bills have since been introduced in 43 states, and 15 have passed legislation.
Why this matters: California rules can affect products sold nationally because manufacturers may find it impractical to reformulate products state by state. Grocers and school food programs may need to track changes to products containing dyes, additives, or high levels of sugar, salt, or fat.
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