California food chains must post menu allergen warnings starting July 1

California restaurant chains are facing a permanent overhaul to their menus beginning July 1, as a first-in-the-nation law requiring major food allergen disclosures takes effect.

Under California's Senate Bill 68, food facilities subject to the federal menu-labeling law — generally chain restaurants with 20 or more locations operating under the same name — must provide written notification of major food allergens that they know, or reasonably should know, are contained in each menu item, according to guidance from the California Department of Public Health.

The requirement applies to the nation's nine major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame.

Restaurants may comply by listing allergens directly on printed menus or by providing the information digitally, including through a QR code linked to an online menu. Businesses that choose the digital option must also offer a written alternative for customers who cannot access the information electronically, such as an allergen-specific menu, chart, grid or booklet.

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The law applies to restaurant chains already covered by the federal menu-labeling requirements, while compact mobile food facilities, non-permanent food facilities and certain limited-time menu specials are exempt.

The California Restaurant Association said the new requirements extend beyond traditional printed menus, requiring covered restaurants to provide allergen disclosures across customer-facing ordering platforms, including menu boards, drive-thru boards, kiosks, websites, mobile apps and online ordering platforms.

The trade group said California is the first state in the nation to enact restaurant allergen disclosure requirements of this kind.

State Sen. Caroline Menjivar, a Democrat who authored the legislation, said the bill was inspired in part by her own experiences living with severe food allergies and aims to make dining out safer for millions of Californians.

"California will once again lead the nation by becoming the first state to mandate allergens be listed on menus for food facilities with 20 locations and above," Menjivar said in a statement after the Legislature approved the measure last year.

Menjivar also argued the law could benefit restaurants by giving families managing food allergies greater confidence when dining out.

"These businesses will be able to offer allergen families a unique additional assurance that will drive customers to their establishments," she said.

According to Menjivar's office, nearly 4 million Californians have potentially life-threatening food allergies, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates food allergies affect nearly 8% of U.S. children.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America co-sponsored the legislation. AAFA CEO Kenneth Mendez called the measure "a win-win for California families and restaurants."

"ADDE promotes improved public health by creating a climate that will help reduce the incidence of food allergy reactions and promote food allergen disclosure," Mendez said in a statement.

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California officials said the law makes the state the first in the nation to require large restaurant chains to disclose allergens on menus. Supporters noted that the European Union has required restaurant allergen labeling since 2014, while no comparable nationwide requirement currently exists in the United States.