Major food allergens.

The bill text was reformatted from a chaptered document layout (with page numbers like '94 Ch. 741') into a web page structure with navigation elements (skip to content, home, accessibility, FAQ, sitemap, login, etc.). No changes to the actual statutory language or policy provisions were made.

Administrative header changed from Senate Bill passage information to 'STATE OF CALIFORNIA AUTHENTICATED ELECTRONIC LEGAL MATERIAL' with Chapter 741 designation and governor approval date of October 13, 2025.

Page numbers, running headers (changed from 'SB 68' to 'Ch. 741'), and line-break formatting were updated throughout to match the official chaptered law layout.

Replaced the single 'food facility' requirement with a tiered system creating four categories: large chain restaurant (20+ locations), medium chain restaurant (6-19 locations), small chain restaurant (2-5 locations), and independent restaurant (1 location). Each category is defined by number of locations doing business under the same name in the state offering substantially the same menu items.

Expanded the exemption for mobile food operations to also cover nonpermanent food facilities as defined in Section 113839, not just compact mobile food operations.

Large and medium chain restaurants must provide allergen information either directly on the menu or in a digital format (with an alternative method for customers who cannot access digital). Small chain and independent restaurants have broader flexibility, needing only to make information 'readily available and accessible' through any of seven listed methods including menus, digital formats, allergen charts, grids, booklets, or other written materials.

Added a savings clause stating the section does not alter any existing duty a restaurant may have under law to reasonably ensure the safety of its patrons.

Introduced a 'knows or reasonably should know' knowledge standard for allergen disclosure, replacing the simpler requirement to disclose allergens 'contained as an ingredient' in each menu item. This gives restaurants some latitude regarding ingredients they are unaware of.

Added four new definitions: 'independent restaurant' (one location), 'large chain restaurant' (20 or more locations), 'medium chain restaurant' (6 to 19 locations), and 'small chain restaurant' (two to five locations), all requiring the same name and substantially the same menu items.

The allergen disclosure requirement for large chain restaurants and medium chain restaurants is now limited to those food facilities that are subject to Section 343(q)(5)(H) of Title 21 of the United States Code (the federal nutrient content disclosure rule for chain restaurants with 20 or more locations). Previously, the requirement applied more broadly to any large or medium chain restaurant serving restaurant-type food.

A new subdivision (c) was added specifying that enforcement agencies may verify compliance through visual verification of allergen statements on printed menus, digital menus, or alternative disclosure methods, or through other reasonable methods consistent with the intent of the section.

Throughout the bill, terminology was adjusted to use 'large chain restaurant food facility' and 'medium chain restaurant food facility' as compound terms rather than 'food facility large chain restaurant,' clarifying that the regulated entity is a food facility operating as a chain restaurant.

Compact mobile food operations (as defined in Section 113831) are now exempt from the menu allergen labeling requirement, narrowing the bill's applicability.

Food facilities may now provide major food allergen information either directly on the menu or in a digital format (including QR codes linking to a digital menu), rather than being required to print it on every physical menu.

If a food facility uses a digital format for allergen information, it must also provide an alternative method for customers who cannot access the digital format, such as an allergen-specific menu, allergen chart, allergen grid, allergen booklet, or other written materials.

Food facilities may now use standardized pictograms in addition to common or usual names when communicating the presence of major food allergens.

Fixed a numbering error in the definition section where sesame and the protein-derived ingredient both carried paragraph number (9); now correctly numbered (9) and (10) with cross-references updated accordingly.