California law will require restaurants to declare allergens on menus
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill that requires restaurant chains to declare major food allergens on their menus.
The requirement takes effect in 2026 and covers restaurants with 20 or more locations. Menus will be required to disclose ingredients, including milk, eggs, seafood and nuts, when restaurateurs know or “reasonably ought to know” that they are in their products.
Democratic Sen. Caroline Menjivar of California said the bill was inspired in part by her own experiences living with severe allergies to many nuts and fruits.
“Soon, the millions of Californians with food allergies, many of whom are young children, will be able to fully enjoy dining out without fear or apprehension at these eligible restaurants,” she said when the bill passed the Legislature. “In turn, these companies will be able to offer allergen families unique additional assurance that will attract customers to their establishments.” »
The California Restaurant Association opposed the legislation and previously said the law would be costly and burdensome for businesses. The group said it’s glad the bill no longer applies to small restaurants, but fears the legislation could lead to “predatory lawsuits” against businesses.
“We continue to evaluate the impacts on our members still subject to the bill and are working with them to determine whether a change in position is warranted,” CEO Jot Condie said in a statement.
The nonprofit group Food Allergy Research and Education said the bill wasn’t perfect but was a “significant step” to protect people with food allergies.
The United States Food and Drug Administration has identified nine foods as major allergens: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, and sesame. FDA regulations require all foods containing allergens to be labeled with specific warnings, but federal language does not address foods served in restaurants.
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