The New Jersey Senate health committee unanimously passed Senate Bill 3394 on October 5, 2026, advancing legislation that would require comprehensive allergen labeling on all restaurant menus. The proposed law mandates that food service businesses provide written notification of major food allergens for every menu item, extending these requirements to delis, coffee shops, convenience stores, grocery stores, business cafeterias, food trucks, and movie theaters.
Advocacy Efforts in Trenton
The legislative push was driven by testimony from local teenagers and families living with food allergies. High school senior Ashley Ackerman, who testified before the committee, stated, Senate Bill 3394 symbolizes what I have always wanted for myself and others for since I was little.
Another youth advocate, 14-year-old Jackson Latorra, shared his experience navigating allergies to dairy, eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts, noting that speaking before the committee was an honor and showed me that I can make a difference and help create change.
California and New Jersey Advance Allergen Labeling Laws
The New Jersey bill follows the passage of California’s ADDE Act, which became law in 2025 and requires large chain restaurants to list major allergens on menus. The advocacy movement is supported by the Menus Ensuring Allergen Labeling (MEAL) initiative, a national effort launched by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). Jenna Riemenschneider, AAFA’s vice president of advocacy and policy, said, AAFA is encouraged by the unanimous support given to our MEAL legislation by the Senate health committee in New Jersey.
In addition to the New Jersey legislation, which was introduced by Senator Patrick Diegnan Jr. in February 2026 with a companion Assembly bill introduced by Dr. Margie Donlon, similar proposals have been introduced in Maryland, Ohio, Missouri, New York, Michigan, and Illinois. Senate Bill 3394 is now slated for consideration by the state Senate’s budget and appropriations committee.
