How does CA AB 1264 categorize foods?

In September 2025, the California legislature passed a landmark food safety and school nutrition bill—Assembly Bill 1264. AB 1264 is a first-of-its kind law that enshrines a definition of ultra-processed food, or UPF, that integrates nutritional concerns and more comprehensively captures chemical safety concerns. CSPI has compiled a decision tree to explain how the new law will classify foods.