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On July 1, 2026, two compliance deadlines pertaining to food labeling go into effect in California, SB 68 (Menjivar) and AB 660 (Irwin).
Food Allergen Labeling (SB 68)
SB 68 requires a food facility that is subject to the federal disclosure provisions for nutrient content information to provide written notification of the major food allergens that the food facility knows or reasonably should know are contained as an ingredient in each menu item, either directly on its menu or in a digital format, as specified.
The bill also adds sesame to the list of major food allergens.
Compliance Resources
- Click here to access the list of major food allergens and information about who should comply from California Department of Public Health.
- Click here for an overview of federal requirements for nutrition food labelling.
Food Date Labeling (AB 660)
AB 660 requires food manufacturers to use uniform terminology when labeling products with “quality” or “safety” dates and bans the use of consumer-facing “sell-by” dates.
- AB 660 (Food & Agric. Code § 82001) requires that food manufacturers, processors, or retailers responsible for labeling food items (whether voluntarily or because required by law) use one of the following standardized terms for “quality” or “safety” dates on products manufactured after July 1, 2026:
- “BEST if Used by” or “BEST if Used or Frozen by” to indicate the quality date of the food item (quality dates indicate peak freshness, but food is still acceptable for consumption);
- “USE by” or “USE by or Freeze by” to indicate the safety date of the food item (safety dates indicate when a food item is no longer safe to consume);
- “BB” to indicate the quality date if the food item is too small to include the full phrase or if the food item is a beverage; or
- “UB” to indicate the safety date if the food item is too small to include the full phrase.
“Sell by” dates are prohibited on food items manufactured after July 1, 2026. However, coded sell by dates not readily understandable by consumers may be used for inventory purposes, provided it does not include the phrase “sell by.”s that retain stock rotation information for retailers.
Exclusions and Clarifications:
- Infant formula, eggs or pasteurized in-shell eggs, and beer or other malt beverages are excluded.
- The law does not require all food to bear a date label; however, if a date label is used, it must comply with the standardized terminology.
- Food may be sold, donated, or used after its quality date has passed.
- Retailers may donate food products that do not comply with section 82001’s labeling requirements.
- Digital labels (i.e., QR code) are permissible.
- Grocery stores may use the phrase “packed on” on prepared food items if the product also includes a compliant quality/safety date label. “Prepared food item” means a food item for human consumption prepared or repackaged on a grocery store’s premises, using any cooking or food preparation technique.
- Wine and distilled spirits may include production, bottling, or packaging dates in flexible formats.
- Section 82001 does not apply where preempted by other law or to the extent it conflicts with federal shellfish labeling rules (the National Shellfish Sanitation Program).
Compliance Resources
- Click here to access the California Department of Food and Agriculture resources page.
- Click here for background from the National Ag Law Center.
For more information, contact Rachael O’Brien.
