California restaurants will have to disclose food allergens on their menus under new law
MELANIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LIVE REPORT AND. HAPPENING TODAY, A SACRAMENTO NINE-YEAR-OLD AND HER THIRD GRADE CLASS WILL SHOW UP TO THE STATE CAPITOL TO PUSH FOR NEW FOOD ALLERGY SAFETY PROTECTIONS IN RESTAURANTS. BUT THAT PROPOSAL IS NOW FACING UNEXPECTED OPPOSITION FROM ONE OF THE NATION’S LARGEST FOOD ALLERGY ADVOCATES. KCRA THREES MIKE TESELLE OUTSIDE THE CAPITOL ANNEX. NOW TO DETAIL WHY SOME PEOPLE ARE EXPRESSING SOME SHOCK ABOUT THAT GROUP’S POSITION. YEAH, DEIRDRE, THERE’S SOME THREE DOZEN GROUPS, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, FOOD ALLERGY ADVOCATES WHO ARE ALL SUPPORTING THIS PROPOSAL, WHICH IS GOING TO BE HEARD AT THE SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE THIS AFTERNOON. BUT IT IS ONE MAJOR ONE THAT’S PARTNERING WITH THE CALIFORNIA RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION TO OPPOSE THIS PROPOSAL. THAT LED ONE ALLERGY DOCTOR TO DESCRIBE IT AS A, QUOTE, BETRAYAL. LET ME START BY INTRODUCING YOU TO ADI, A SACRAMENTO NINE YEAR OLD. SHE AND HER MOTHER, AS WELL AS ADDY’S THIRD GRADE CLASS, WILL BE AT THE CAPITOL TO ADVOCATE FOR SB 68. THAT IS A PROPOSED LAW THAT WOULD REQUIRE RESTAURANTS TO LABEL MAJOR ALLERGENS IN EACH OF ITS MENU ITEMS. PROPONENTS SAY THIS IS NECESSARY BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WAIT STAFF AREN’T FULLY AWARE HOW FOOD ALLERGENS CAN UNEXPECTEDLY BE HIDDEN IN CERTAIN INGREDIENTS. IF THIS BILL PASSES, IT WILL BE A LOT EASIER FOR ME AND SOME OTHER KIDS AND A LOT OF OTHER KIDS, AND FOR THEIR PARENTS, SO THAT THEY CAN STOP WORRYING ABOUT, LIKE IF THEIR CHILD IS GOING TO DIE. HOWEVER, HERE’S THE TWIST FAIR. THE FOOD ALLERGY RESEARCH AND EDUCATION GROUP, ONE OF THE NATION’S BIGGEST FOOD ALLERGY ADVOCATES, IS TAKING WHAT IS BEING DESCRIBED AS, QUOTE, AN UNEXPECTED POSITION BY TEAMING UP WITH THE CALIFORNIA RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION TO FORMALLY OPPOSE THIS BILL. THEY ARE THE ONLY TWO, ALONG WITH ONE INDIVIDUAL, WHO IS OPPOSING THIS BILL. AND IN A STATEMENT, THE CEO SAID IN PART, QUOTE, MENUS CANNOT CAPTURE ALLERGEN RISKS INTRODUCED THROUGH SOURCING, MANUFACTURING OR CROSS-CONTACT IN THE KITCHENS. FURTHER SAYING THAT THIS PROPOSAL LABELING ON MENUS COULD LEAD TO A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY. SO BACK OUT HERE LIVE. FAIR WENT ON TO SAY THAT WHAT IT WANTS TO DO IS CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS EFFORT, BUT WITH A MORE PUBLIC PRIVATE COLLABORATION. HOWEVER, THE BILL’S AUTHOR NOTED THAT SINCE 2014, THE EUROPEAN UNION ALREADY MANDATED THIS TYPE OF LABELING ON MENUS AND THAT A MAJORITY OF FOOD ALLERGY REACTIONS ACTUALLY HAPPEN IN RESTAURANT SETTINGS. LIVE AT THE STATE CAPITOL ANNEX. MIKE TESELLE KCRA THREE NEWS. MIKE. THANK YOU. THE PROPOSAL IS SET TO BE HEARD
California restaurants will have to disclose food allergens on their menus under new law
Updated: 12:56 PM PDT Oct 14, 2025
California will become the first state in the nation requiring restaurants to list major food allergens on their menus starting in 2026 under a new law.The law Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Monday applies to businesses with at least 20 locations. They will have to disclose ingredients including milk, eggs, shellfish and tree nuts when they know or “reasonably should know” that they are in their products.(Video above: Sacramento 9-year old heads to Capitol to push for allergy protections in restaurants._California state Sen. Caroline Menjivar, a Democrat, 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 qualifying restaurants,” she said when the bill passed in the Legislature. “In turn, these businesses will be able to offer allergen families a unique additional assurance that will drive customers to their establishments.”But the California Restaurant Association has said previously the law will be costly and burdensome for businesses. The group said it is pleased the bill no longer applies to small restaurants, but is concerned the legislation could lead to “predatory lawsuits” against businesses.“We continue to assess the impacts to those members of ours still subject to the proposed law and are working with them to determine if a change in position is warranted,” CEO Jot Condie said in a statement.The nonprofit Food Allergy Research and Education said the bill is not perfect but is a “meaningful step” to protect people with food allergies.Addie Lao, a child with severe allergies who advocated for the bill, said previously that it would make it easier for her to eat out with friends and family.“I have to avoid the foods I’m allergic to since it’s like poison to my body and can harm me,” she said at a legislative hearing in April.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
California will become the first state in the nation requiring restaurants to list major food allergens on their menus starting in 2026 under a new law.
The law Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Monday applies to businesses with at least 20 locations. They will have to disclose ingredients including milk, eggs, shellfish and tree nuts when they know or “reasonably should know” that they are in their products.
(Video above: Sacramento 9-year old heads to Capitol to push for allergy protections in restaurants._
California state Sen. Caroline Menjivar, a Democrat, 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 qualifying restaurants,” she said when the bill passed in the Legislature. “In turn, these businesses will be able to offer allergen families a unique additional assurance that will drive customers to their establishments.”
But the California Restaurant Association has said previously the law will be costly and burdensome for businesses. The group said it is pleased the bill no longer applies to small restaurants, but is concerned the legislation could lead to “predatory lawsuits” against businesses.
“We continue to assess the impacts to those members of ours still subject to the proposed law and are working with them to determine if a change in position is warranted,” CEO Jot Condie said in a statement.
The nonprofit Food Allergy Research and Education said the bill is not perfect but is a “meaningful step” to protect people with food allergies.
Addie Lao, a child with severe allergies who advocated for the bill, said previously that it would make it easier for her to eat out with friends and family.
“I have to avoid the foods I’m allergic to since it’s like poison to my body and can harm me,” she said at a legislative hearing in April.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel