6 New CA Laws To Bring Major Changes To The Food You Eat And What You Pay For It

Every year, a new wave of state laws takes effect, impacting Californians lives in a wide variety of ways.

In 2026, that will include many laws that impact something everyone does — eating.

From restaurant regulations to food-safety changes, here's a look at six food-related laws set to go into effect in 2026.

Extra Ingredient In Tortillas

AB 1830 will require manufacturers to add a specific ingredient — folic acid — to the kind of flour used to make corn tortillas, with an aim on preventing birth defects.

In 1998, the federal government began requiring food manufacturers to fortify breads, cereals and pasta with folic acid, which has long been used to prevent serious birth defects. While public health experts advise people take folic acid supplements during pregnancy, it's particularly important during the earliest weeks of gestation, Cal Matters reported.

Because women might not start taking prenatal vitamins until well into their pregnancies, adding folic acid to food ensures they consume it within the first weeks of pregnancy, the publication reported.

Lawmakers say this new California law corrects an oversight: The federal regulations omit corn masa and wet masa products. That's led to a disproportionate, higher risk of birth defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly in the Latino community, the bill's author, Dr. Joaquin Arambula said.

The most recent state data shows about 28% of Latinas reported taking folic acid the month before becoming pregnant, compared to 45% of white women.

"In countries that require folic acid fortification, including the United States and Canada, the rate of neural tube defects has fallen by 25% to 50%," according to Harvard Health Publishing.

The law goes into effect Jan. 1.

Allergen Listing On Menus

SB 68 will require many restaurants to list whether its menu items include major allergens.

The allergens in question are milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanut, soybeans and sesame.

Restaurants will be required to list the allergens directly on paper menus, in a digital menu or on a separate allergen menu.

The law goes into effect July 1.

Food Label Overhaul

Say goodbye to "sell by" labels on grocery store items.

Under AB 660, food manufacturers and grocery stores will be prohibited from labeling foods with a "sell by" date as part of what lawmakers say is an effort to reduce food waste and customer confusion and standardize food labeling.

There are more than 50 differently phrased date labels on packaged food — some communicate peak freshness, others indicate when something is no longer safe to eat and other still inform stock rotation in stores — but can mislead consumers into thinking food has spoiled, according to Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, who authored the bill.

The new bill requires that foods be labeled with "use by" or "use by or freeze by" dates, which indicate when a food item is no longer safe to eat. They can also be labeled with "best if used by" or "best if used or frozen by" to indicate peak freshness or quality.

Some 2.5 billion meals worth of unspoiled food is thrown away each year in California, according to the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery.

The law goes into effect July 1.

Fast-Tracked Restaurant Permitting

The idea behind AB 671 is to cut "unnecessary red tape" to help small, independent restaurants open up quicker, according to author Assemblymember Buffy Wicks.

The law applies to restaurateurs seeking to remodel existing spaces; it will allow them to hire licensed architects and engineers who can self-certify simple plans. It will require local authorities to approve or deny permit applications within 20 days before the remodel plan is automatically approved.

The law goes into effect Jan. 1.

Expanded Outdoor Dining

AB 592 extends an often-celebrated element of the pandemic era: expanded outdoor dining.

Restaurants have been allowed to use parking lots and other spaces for outdoor dining since mid-2020 as part of special rules that were set to expire in 2026. This law allows those provisions to continue until 2029.

The law also removes restrictions on restaurants, which have previously been required to be fully enclosed. Under the new law, restaurants will be allowed to operate from open windows, folding doors and non-fixed storefronts.

For example, restaurants could use their storefronts exclusively for cooking and serve customers from a window, on sidewalks or in a parking lot — without needing to rent a larger space for an indoor dining room, LAist reported.

Food Delivery App Changes

AB 578 creates several changes that apply to food delivery platforms such as DoorDash and Uber Eats.

The law requires the apps to provide a full refund to customers if their order is not delivered or if the wrong order was delivered — and they're required to have actual humans available for customer service if automated systems fail to address issues.

It also requires the platforms to provide itemized breakdowns of each transaction, including food price and fees.

Additionally, they'll be prohibited from using payment models that allows customer tips to offset drivers' base pay and also be required to clearly itemize pay for drivers.