Legislative record

Food labeling: quality dates, safety dates, and sell-by dates.

Existing law requires, on and after July 1, 2026, a food manufacturer, processor, or retailer responsible for the labeling of food items for human consumption that chooses, or is otherwise required by law, to display a date label to communicate a quality or safety date on a food item manufactured on or after July 1, 2026, to use specified uniform terms on the date label, as provided. Existing law prohibits a person from selling or offering for sale in the state a food item for human consumption manufactured on or after July 1, 2026, that displays a quality or safety date label that is not labeled in accordance with that requirement or that is labeled with the phrase "sell by," as specified. This bill would provide that a food item for human consumption does not include a dietary supplement, as defined. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.