---
title: SB 278. Standards, Labeling, and Adulteration of Food; corn masa flour and wet corn masa products to contain certain amounts of folic acid; require
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb278
cite_as: SB 278, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb278
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb278.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb278/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70921
date: 2026-03-06
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 249
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb278.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 278
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-02-26
last_action: Senate Tabled
sponsors:
- Sally Harrell
- Sam Watson
text_version: Comm Sub
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB278/2025
upstream_id: 1986017
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- food safety
- food labeling
- folic acid fortification
- corn masa products
- agriculture regulation
---
# SB 278. Standards, Labeling, and Adulteration of Food; corn masa flour and wet corn masa products to contain certain amounts of folic acid; require
## Text
The Senate Committee on Agriculture and Consumer Affairs offered the following
substitute to SB 278:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 2 of Title 26 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
standards, labeling, and adulteration of food, so as to require corn masa flour and wet corn
masa products to contain certain amounts of folic acid; to provide for certain labeling
requirements; to authorize rules and regulations; to provide for penalties; to provide for
definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 2 of Title 26 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to standards,
labeling, and adulteration of food, is amended by adding a new article to read as follows:
"ARTICLE 20
26-2-490.
This article shall be known and may be cited as the 'Corn Masa Nutrition Enhancement
Act.'
26-2-491.
As used in this article, the term:
(1) 'Commissioner' means the Commissioner of Agriculture.
(2) 'Corn masa' means a dough-like food product made from corn that has been soaked
in water and lime or otherwise undergoes a process known as nixtamalization.
(3) 'Corn masa flour' means a dry flour-like food product made from corn masa.
(4) 'Cottage food operator' means a person who produces cottage food products only for
sale directly to a consumer who does not offer such food products or components of such
food products for resale.
(5) 'Cottage food product' means a nonpotentially hazardous food product which is
produced in an individual's primary domestic residence using noncommercial equipment,
including, but not limited to, baked goods, jams, jellies, and preserves.
(6) 'Food product' shall have the same meaning as 'food' as defined in Code Section
26-2-21.
(7) 'Food service establishment' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section
26-2-370.
(8) 'Manufacturer' means:
(A) Any entity which manufactures, makes, produces, or causes to be produced corn
masa flour or wet corn masa product to be sold in this state or corn masa flour or wet
corn masa product that such entity intends to be sold in this state;
(B) The first purchaser of corn masa flour or wet corn masa product manufactured
anywhere that intends to resell such corn masa flour or wet corn masa product in this
state regardless of whether the original manufacturer, maker, or producer intends such
corn masa flour or wet corn masa product to be sold in this state; or
(C) Any entity which becomes a successor of an entity described in subparagraph (A)
or (B) of this paragraph.
(9) 'Nonpotentially hazardous food product' means a food product that does not require
temperature control for safety because it is not capable of supporting the rapid growth of
pathogenic or toxigenic microorganisms or the growth and toxin production of
Clostridium botulinum.
(10) 'Person' means any individual, partnership, association, firm, public or private
corporation, trust, or unincorporated organization. Such term shall include a
manufacturer.
(11) 'Snack food' means a food product that is intended for immediate consumption,
including, but not limited to, chips, crisps, or extruded food products. Such term shall not
include a food product primarily made from corn masa flour or wet corn masa products
that is bulk packaged or is commonly used as a primary ingredient in meal preparation,
including, but not limited to, tortillas.
(12) 'Wet corn masa product' means a food product made primarily from corn masa
manufactured through a vertically integrated or wet masa manufacturing process, but
excludes products made with corn masa flour.
26-2-492.
(a) Beginning on July 1, 2027, except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this Code
section:
(1) All corn masa flour manufactured, sold, delivered, distributed, held, offered for sale,
or used as an ingredient in the manufacture of a food product shall contain folic acid at
a level of 0.7 milligrams of folic acid per pound of corn masa flour within an acceptable
industry standard deviation of error;
(2) All wet corn masa products manufactured, sold, delivered, distributed, held, offered
for sale, or used as an ingredient in the manufacture of a food product shall contain folic
acid at a level of 0.4 milligrams of folic acid per pound of end product within an
acceptable industry standard of deviation of error; and
(3) No person shall distribute, sell, or offer for sale in this state any newly manufactured
corn masa flour or wet corn masa products unless such corn masa flour or wet corn masa
products contains:
(A) A declaration of folic acid on the nutrition label, as required by any applicable
federal law, including, but not limited to, 21 C.F.R. Section 101.9; and
(B) A declaration on the product label that such product contains corn masa.
(b) The provisions of subsection (a) of this Code section shall not apply to:
(1) Any person that manufactures, sells, delivers, distributes, holds, offers for sale, or
uses corn masa flour as an ingredient in the manufacture of snack foods;
(2) A cottage food operator, or a supplier to any such operator, that manufactures, sells,
delivers, distributes, holds, offers for sale, or uses corn masa as an ingredient in the
manufacture of cottage food products; or
(3) A food service establishment that uses corn masa as an ingredient in the manufacture
of food products.
(c) The Commissioner is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations as may be
necessary to carry out and implement the provisions of this article.
26-2-493.
Any person who violates this article or any rule or regulation promulgated by the
Commissioner pursuant to this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be
punished by confinement for not more than 12 months, a fine of not more than $1,000.00,
or both."
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia Senate bill would require corn masa flour and wet corn masa products sold in the state to contain added folic acid starting in 2027, with new labeling rules and misdemeanor penalties for violations.
### Plain-language summary
Corn masa flour and wet corn masa products, used to make tortillas and similar foods, are not currently required to contain added folic acid in Georgia. This bill creates a new article in Georgia's food law called the Corn Masa Nutrition Enhancement Act. Beginning July 1, 2027, manufacturers would have to add folic acid to corn masa flour (0.7 milligrams per pound) and wet corn masa products (0.4 milligrams per pound), within an acceptable margin of error. Products would also need labels declaring the folic acid content and stating that the product contains corn masa.
The requirement would not apply to snack foods like chips, to cottage food operators making items at home for direct sale, or to food service establishments like restaurants that use corn masa as an ingredient. The Commissioner of Agriculture could issue rules to carry out the law. Anyone who violates the article or related rules would be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 12 months in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.
### What it does
- Requires all corn masa flour sold or used in Georgia to contain 0.7 milligrams of folic acid per pound starting July 1, 2027.
- Requires all wet corn masa products sold or used in Georgia to contain 0.4 milligrams of folic acid per pound starting July 1, 2027.
- Requires product labels to declare folic acid content and to state that the product contains corn masa.
- Exempts snack foods, cottage food operators, and food service establishments like restaurants from the folic acid and labeling requirements.
- Authorizes the Commissioner of Agriculture to write rules to implement the law.
- Makes violations a misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.
### Who it affects
Manufacturers and first purchasers of corn masa flour and wet corn masa products sold in Georgia, grocery retailers who stock these products, and consumers who eat tortillas and similar corn masa foods. Cottage food operators, snack food makers, and restaurants using corn masa as an ingredient are exempt.
### Why it matters
Folic acid fortification is linked to reduced risk of certain birth defects, and many corn masa products used for tortillas are not currently fortified. The bill would change what goes into these everyday foods and what their labels say, affecting manufacturers' recipes and packaging starting in 2027.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 adds new Article 20 to Chapter 2 of Title 26 of the Georgia Code, called the Corn Masa Nutrition Enhancement Act (O.C.G.A. ยง 26-2-490).
- Code Section 26-2-491 defines key terms including corn masa, corn masa flour, wet corn masa product, manufacturer, and cottage food operator.
- Code Section 26-2-492(a) sets the folic acid fortification levels and labeling requirements, effective July 1, 2027.
- Code Section 26-2-492(b) exempts snack foods, cottage food operators, and food service establishments from the requirements.
- Code Section 26-2-492(c) authorizes the Commissioner of Agriculture to adopt implementing rules and regulations.
- Code Section 26-2-493 sets the penalty for violations as a misdemeanor with up to 12 months confinement, a fine up to $1,000, or both.
- Section 2 repeals all conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-02-26)
- Last action: Senate Tabled (2026-03-06)
- Sponsors: Sally Harrell, Sam Watson
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70921
> The history, votes, and amendments (249 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb278.md?full=1