Concern

Pepperoni Pizza

by Hot Pockets

Open Food Facts label for barcode 0043695206203 · Hot Pockets · Meals. Screening numbers and flags live in the verdict band below. This hero only situates the source record.

Barcode 0043695206203 · Serving size 1 sandwich (127 g)

The verdict

Pepperoni Pizza by Hot Pockets scores 55/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 58 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 3 ingredients are flagged for caution. The source parser split this into a very long 58-component record, beginning with Enriched Flour, Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour. That density can include amounts and label fragments, so verify the physical label before relying on ingredient order or completeness. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination.

55/100
Concern safety score
3
Few flagged · of 58 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
D
Nutri-Score nutrition grade

Computed directly from OpenFoodFacts ingredient data cross-referenced with FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. See our methodology for the scoring formula.

Composite profile score

One verdict from three independent sources

40/100

Grade D

Ingredient Safety

55/100

FDA/CSPI flagged-ingredient screening

Processing Level

NOVA 4

Ultra-processed foods

Nutrition Grade

D

Nutri-Score front-of-pack nutrition grade

Weighted 50% ingredient safety / 25% processing level / 25% nutrition grade. A dimension with no data for this product (common: source coverage is partial) is dropped and its weight redistributes across the remaining dimensions, so missing data never silently lowers the score. See the full benchmark table.

95206203 · Open Food Facts · July 2026

Pepperoni Pizza label screening desk

SCORE-CONC 55/100 FLAG-FEW 3 flagged LEN-DENSE 58 ing. REG-SPARSE 28% reg. NOVA-G4 G4 ultra NUTRI-D Nutri-D RANK-SHORT Len top 9% LEAD-FLAG BHA PHOTO-FINISH Premium pepperoni pizza · ±0 BOOK-OFF …206203 · July 2026

16 of 58 parsed ingredients carry FDA SAFFA or CSPI coverage (lead: BHA). Source sheet 95206203 · Open Food Facts · July 2026. The screening score and flag counts are in the verdict band above. This desk is the provenance stamp, not a second scorecard. Methodology · Read with nearest score peer: Premium pepperoni pizza with reduced fat mozzarella cheese in a crispy crust sandwiches · Nearest score peer is Premium pepperoni pizza with reduced fat mozzarella cheese in a crispy crust sandwiches at the same screening score.

Screening model notes

How Nutri-Score, NOVA, and list length read this record

This label lands in the third of four positions on the published scale. What separates that position from its neighbours is arithmetic rather than judgement: identical inputs run through the documented weighting always arrive at the same place. Anyone who works the calculation through by hand, using the methodology write-up together with the itemised ratings further down, will reproduce this number exactly — which is the reason for publishing a computed figure instead of an opinion.

This label falls in the fourth Nutri-Score band. The model arrives there when its penalty terms — energy density, sugars, saturated fat, sodium — carry more weight in the calculation than the fibre, protein and produce content it credits. The band covers a wide span of the points scale, so position within it is not visible from the letter alone. The grade reflects the declared nutrition panel and is unrelated to the additive ratings listed below, which come from different bodies applying different criteria.

The declared list is among the longer ones in this catalogue. A component set this wide means the screen returns many individual ratings, and the composite accumulates a large number of small contributions instead of turning on a handful of entries. At this length the per-component table below is substantially more informative than the single figure, because the figure compresses a great deal of variation into one number.

Cross-brand screening score neighbourhood

1. Pepperoni Pizza: 55/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #11. Pepperoni Pizza55/1002. Premium pepperoni pizza with reduced fat mozzarella cheese in a crispy crust sandwiches: 55/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #22. Premium pepperoni pizza w…55/1003. Pepperoni pizza frozen sandwiches: 55/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #33. Pepperoni pizza frozen sa…55/1004. Garlic buttery crust pepperoni & sausage frozen pizza: 55/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #44. Garlic buttery crust pepp…55/1005. Pepperoni Pizza: 55/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #55. Pepperoni Pizza55/100
Nearest cross-brand screening scores for Pepperoni Pizza (55/100 on 58 parsed ingredients).
Chart values as text

Unit: PlainFoodSafe screening score out of 100. Data current as of July 2026.

Pepperoni Pizza
55/100
Premium pepperoni pizza with reduced fat mozzarella cheese in a crispy crust sandwiches
55/100
Pepperoni pizza frozen sandwiches
55/100
Garlic buttery crust pepperoni & sausage frozen pizza
55/100
Pepperoni Pizza
55/100

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 24,982 products we've scored in the Frozen foods category, the average safety score is 92.9/100. Pepperoni Pizza scores 37.9 points below that category average (55/100 vs. 92.9/100), so it is a comparatively weaker pick for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient-list length vs other Meals products

Pepperoni Pizza lists 58 ingredients on its label

58 91st percentile a longer ingredient list than 91% of the 11,283 products we track

0–2: 12 products (0%). Below this entry. 2–4: 83 products (1%). Below this entry. 4–6: 127 products (1%). Below this entry. 6–8: 209 products (2%). Below this entry. 8–10: 312 products (3%). Below this entry. 10–12: 315 products (3%). Below this entry. 12–14: 412 products (4%). Below this entry. 14–16: 477 products (4%). Below this entry. 16–18: 542 products (5%). Below this entry. 18–20: 552 products (5%). Below this entry. 20–22: 545 products (5%). Below this entry. 22–24: 550 products (5%). Below this entry. 24–26: 552 products (5%). Below this entry. 26–28: 552 products (5%). Below this entry. 28–30: 574 products (5%). Below this entry. 30–32: 517 products (5%). Below this entry. 32–34: 466 products (4%). Below this entry. 34–36: 451 products (4%). Below this entry. 36–38: 443 products (4%). Below this entry. 38–40: 388 products (3%). Below this entry. 40–42: 3,204 products (28%). This entry sits in this band. This product 0 42 every published Meals product, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more products. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Distribution as text

11,283 products, bucketed in bands of 2. This entry: 58 (91st percentile). Data current as of July 2026.

0–2
12 products (0%)
2–4
83 products (1%)
4–6
127 products (1%)
6–8
209 products (2%)
8–10
312 products (3%)
10–12
315 products (3%)
12–14
412 products (4%)
14–16
477 products (4%)
16–18
542 products (5%)
18–20
552 products (5%)
20–22
545 products (5%)
22–24
550 products (5%)
24–26
552 products (5%)
26–28
552 products (5%)
28–30
574 products (5%)
30–32
517 products (5%)
32–34
466 products (4%)
34–36
451 products (4%)
36–38
443 products (4%)
38–40
388 products (3%)
40 and above
3,204 products (28%)

Source Open Food Facts, product label ingredient lists · July 2026

Ingredient-list length is a descriptive property of the label, not a safety rating. A longer list is not automatically worse and a shorter one is not automatically better; the count is shown so the label can be placed against a comparable population. The comparison here runs against the 11,283 Meals products we publish with a parsed label, not against the whole catalogue, because list length varies far more between categories than within one.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

How the 55/100 score is built

Screening starts at 100 and subtracts severity-weighted FDA SAFFA / CSPI flags (3 flagged of 58 labeled). The floor is 0 when deductions exceed 100.

1
Enriched Flour
2
Wheat Flour
3
Malted Barley Flour
4
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
5
Iron
6
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
7
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
8
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
9
Water
10
Pepperoni
11
Pork
12
Beef
13
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
14
2% Or Less Of Spices
15
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
16
Lactic Acid Starter Culture
17
Oleoresin Of Paprika
18
Sodium Ascorbate
ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
GRAS
19
Flavoring
20
Sodium Nitrite
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROPELLANT
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
21
BHA
Avoid GRAS
22
BHT
Caution GRAS
23
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
24
Reduced Fat Mozzarella Cheese
25
Pasteurized Organic Part Skim Milk
26
Nonfat Milk
27
Modified Food Starch
28
Cultures
29
Vitamin A Palmitate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
30
Enzymes
31
Vegetable Oil
32
Soybean Oil
33
Palm Oil
34
Margarine
35
Mono
36
Diglycerides
37
Sodium Benzoate And Citric Acid
38
Soy Lecithin
39
Potassium Sorbate And Citric Acid As Preservatives
40
Annatto And Turmeric Color
41
Vitamin A Palmitate Added
42
2% Or Less Of Sugar
43
Dough Conditioner Blend
44
Calcium Sulfate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, LEAVENING AGENT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
45
L-cysteine Hydrochloride
46
Garlic Powder
47
Yeast
48
Citrus Fiber
49
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
50
Onion
51
Maltodextrin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
52
Whey
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FORMULATION AID, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
53
Potassium Salt
54
Spice
55
Paprika
56
Natural Flavor
57
Egg Whites
58
Oleoresin Color

Full Ingredient List

enriched flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, pepperoni (pork, beef, salt, 2% or less of spices, dextrose, lactic acid starter culture, oleoresin of paprika, sodium ascorbate, flavoring, sodium nitrite, BHA, BHT, citric acid), reduced fat mozzarella cheese (pasteurized part skim milk, nonfat milk, modified food starch, cultures, salt, vitamin A palmitate, enzymes), vegetable oil (soybean oil and/or palm oil), water, soybean oil and/or palm oil, margarine (palm oil, water, soybean oil, salt, mono , diglycerides, sodium benzoate and citric acid, soy lecithin, potassium sorbate and citric acid as preservatives, annatto and turmeric color, vitamin A palmitate added), salt, modified food starch, 2% or less of sugar, modified food starch, dough conditioner blend (calcium sulfate, salt, L-cysteine hydrochloride, garlic powder, enzymes), yeast, citrus fiber, dried garlic, dried onion, maltodextrin, citric acid, whey, potassium salt, soy lecithin, spice, paprika, natural flavor, dried egg whites, oleoresin color, dried egg whites

Other products containing Potassium Sorbate And Citric Acid As Preservatives

Potassium Sorbate And Citric Acid As Preservatives is the least common ingredient on this label, appearing in 5 products across the catalog. See its safety profile.

Categories

Meals Frozen foods Pizzas pies and quiches Pizzas Frozen pizzas and pies Frozen pizzas Pepperoni pizzas

Mid-score cross-brand comparables for Pepperoni Pizza

Neighbours outside Hot Pockets near Pepperoni Pizza's mid-band score (55/100). The 5 same-brand links above stay within Hot Pockets; these peers cross brands.

Follow the flagged-label evidence

Follow the flagged-label evidence

BHA is the first flagged ingredient selected from Pepperoni Pizza's parsed label. Start with that ingredient’s source context, then compare the rest of this 58-ingredient record.

  • Inspect the FDA SAFFA and CSPI context attached to BHA. Open BHA
  • Compare Pepperoni Pizza's 3 flagged ingredients with a product from the same score neighbourhood. Compare labels
  • Check how caution flags contribute to the derived screening score before drawing a dietary conclusion. Read the method

This page describes published ingredient-list and source coverage. It is not dietary or medical advice.

Barcode 0043695206203: product data from Open Food Facts (July 2026). Screening from FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine where attached. Figures are computed from those sources, not editor-typed. Methodology. Reference only, not dietary or medical advice.