Pizza

55
Concern
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 3 flagged ingredients

Pizza receives a safety score of 55/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 3 ingredients that have been flagged for potential safety concerns by regulatory or consumer advocacy databases. Product label data is sourced from the OpenFoodFacts collaborative database. See the full ingredient breakdown and safety assessment below.

Barcode
0041130311802
Nutri-Score
d
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 PIZZA (148 g)

What the Data Says About

Pizza carries a composite safety score of 55/100, which we classify as "Concern" on our four-tier shelf-label framework. The score is computed by mapping each labeled ingredient against FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) regulatory status and CSPI Chemical Cuisine classifications, then penalizing the overall product for each additive rated as caution-or-worse. Product data originates from the OpenFoodFacts collaborative catalog; safety annotations come from federal regulators and the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Our scan identified 3 flagged ingredients in this product — components that at least one official source has classified as requiring caution, targeted avoidance, or further evaluation. Flagged ingredients are the items most likely to surface in FDA inspection findings, state-level ingredient bans, or outbreak-related recall notices, so the per-ingredient breakdown below is the most useful lens for anyone screening this product for a specific dietary concern.

On the NOVA processing scale, Pizza is classified as Group 4 (Ultra-processed). NOVA measures industrial processing intensity rather than ingredient-level safety, so it complements the SAFFA and CSPI ratings: a product can be clean on additive flags but heavily processed, or lightly processed but carry individually flagged ingredients. Combining both lenses gives a fuller picture than either alone. The Nutri-Score grade of D reflects nutritional balance — calories, saturated fat, sugar, sodium versus fiber, protein, and produce content — which again is a distinct dimension from additive safety and worth weighing alongside the scores above.

Safety Profile at a Glance

Composite safety metrics for Pizza
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 55/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 3 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score D OpenFoodFacts

Composite metric derived from FDA SAFFA, CSPI Chemical Cuisine, OpenFoodFacts. See methodology.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Crust
2
Enriched Wheat Flour
3
Wheat Flour
4
Barley Malt
5
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
6
Reduced Iron
7
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
8
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
9
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
10
Water
11
Calcium Propionate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT
Safe GRAS
12
Dextrose
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Cut Back GRAS
13
Fumaric Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe Approved
14
Potassium Sorbate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe GRAS
15
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
16
Soy Lecithin
17
Soybean Oil
18
Yeast
19
Sorbitan Monostearate
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
Safe Approved
20
Sauce
21
Tomato Paste
22
Seasoning
23
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
24
Onion Powder
25
Spices
26
Xanthan And Guar Gum
27
Garlic Powder
28
Citric Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, ENZYME, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Safe GRAS
29
Tricalcium Phosphate
30
Modified Food Starch
31
Imitation Mozzarella Cheese
32
Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
33
Casein
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Certain People Should Avoid GRAS
34
Mozzarella Cheese
35
Milk
36
Cheese Cultures
37
Enzymes
38
Or Less: Salt
39
Natural Flavor
40
Sodium Aluminum Phosphate
41
Sodium Phosphate
42
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
43
Sorbic Acid
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
44
As A Preservative
45
Beta Carotene
46
Pepperoni
47
Pork
48
Beef
49
Or Less Of Flavorings
50
Oleoresin Of Paprika
51
Smoke Flavoring
52
Ascorbic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
53
Lactic Acid Starter Culture
54
Sodium Nitrite
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROPELLANT
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
55
BHA
Avoid GRAS
56
BHT
Caution GRAS

Full Ingredient List

Crust (enriched wheat flour [wheat flour, barley malt, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], water, contains less than 2% of calcium propionate, dextrose, fumaric acid, potassium sorbate, salt, soy lecithin, soybean oil, yeast [sorbitan monostearate]), sauce (water, tomato paste, seasoning [salt, sugar, onion powder, spices, xanthan and guar gum, garlic powder, potassium sorbate, citric acid, tricalcium phosphate, soybean oil], modified food starch), imitation mozzarella cheese (water, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, casein, mozzarella cheese [milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes], modified food starch, contains 2% or less: salt, natural flavor, sodium aluminum phosphate, sodium phosphate, lactic acid, sorbic acid [as a preservative], beta carotene), pepperoni (pork, beef, salt, contains 2% or less of flavorings, dextrose, oleoresin of paprika, smoke flavoring, ascorbic acid, lactic acid starter culture, sodium nitrite, bha, bht, citric acid).

Categories

Meals Pizzas pies and quiches Pizzas

Data Sources

Data as of 2025. Source: OpenFoodFacts, FDA SAFFA, CSPI Chemical Cuisine.

Product data from OpenFoodFacts (ODbL). Ingredient safety ratings from FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine. See our methodology for details.

This information is for reference only and does not constitute dietary or medical advice.

Related

Data sourced from official FDA, USDA, and CDC food-safety databases. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFoodSafe Editorial