California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill into law that requires restaurant chains to declare major food allergens on their menus.
The requirement goes into effect in 2026 and covers restaurants with 20 or more locations. The menus will have to disclose ingredients including milk, eggs, shellfish and tree nuts when the restaurant operators know or “reasonably should know” that they are in their products.
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.”
The California Restaurant Association worked against the legislation and has said previously that 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 group Food Allergy Research and Education said the bill is not perfect but is a “meaningful step” to protect people with food allergies.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has identified nine foods as major allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame. FDA regulations call for any foods that include the allergens to be labeled with specific warnings, but the federal language does not address food served in restaurants.
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