Newsom aims to limit unhealthy food in California, getting ahead of Trump administration and RFK Jr.

Gavin Newsom issued an executive order on Friday attempting to limit access to ultra-processed foods, a directive he cast as a continuation of California’s “nation leading” nutrition and health standards. 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.” The order directs state agencies to develop recommendations to limit the health harms of ultra-processed foods and calls for proposals to reduce the purchase of candy, soda and other unhealthy foods made with synthetic dyes or additives by recipients of government food benefits. The U.S. regulatory framework is much more lenient than the framework in Europe, where many additives are banned that are still allowed in the U.S. “This is actually a contest between different kinds of authority: Who gets to decide, and based on what kind of knowledge, what good food is,” Biltekoff said, suggesting that Newsom’s order would likely receive blowback from the food industry. Kennedy has said he would clear out “entire departments” at FDA, such as those overseeing nutrition, arguing that the agency hasn’t been “protecting our kids.” Kennedy has called for banning ultra-processed foods from school lunches and criticized the impacts of food dyes.