AB-2779 • 2026

Food labeling: quality dates, safety dates, and sell-by dates.

Agriculture Land

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Irwin
Last action: 2026-06-09
Official status: From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on AGRI.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide information on penalties for non-compliance with the labeling requirements.

Food Date Labels: Quality and Safety

AB-2779 sets rules for food date labels, requiring specific wording on quality or safety dates after July 1, 2026, and excludes dietary supplements.

What This Bill Does

Requires food makers to use specific words on quality or safety dates for foods sold after July 1, 2026.
Does not allow the phrase 'sell by' on date labels anymore.

Who It Names or Affects

Food manufacturers and processors
Retailers who sell food

Terms To Know

Dietary supplement: A product that adds nutrients to your diet, like vitamins or minerals.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not cover dietary supplements.
It is an urgency statute and will take effect immediately after passing.

Bill History

2026-06-09 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on AGRI.
2026-05-20 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on AGRI.
2026-05-07 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2026-05-07 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 66. Noes 0. Page 4968.)
2026-04-30 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
2026-04-29 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 29).
2026-04-16 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (April 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-03-16 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on AGRI.
2026-03-06 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee April 5.
2026-03-05 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 2779, as amended,
Committee on Agriculture
Irwin.
Food labeling: quality dates, safety dates, and sell-by dates.
Existing law requires, on and after July 1, 2026, a food manufacturer, processor, or retailer responsible for the labeling of food items for human consumption that chooses, or is otherwise required by law, to display a date label to communicate a quality or safety date on a food item manufactured on or after July 1, 2026, to use specified uniform terms on the date label, as provided. Existing law prohibits a person from selling or offering for sale in the state a food item for human consumption manufactured on or after July 1, 2026, that displays a quality or safety date label that is not labeled in accordance with that requirement or that is labeled with the phrase “sell by,” as specified.
This bill would provide that a food item for human consumption does not include a dietary supplement, as defined.
This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF