Pepperoni medium tuscano crisp crust pizza, pepperoni

55
Concern
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 3 flagged ingredients

Pepperoni medium tuscano crisp crust pizza, pepperoni 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
0075450238914
Nutri-Score
d
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
0.25 PIZZA (147 g)

What the Data Says About

Pepperoni medium tuscano crisp crust pizza, pepperoni 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, Pepperoni medium tuscano crisp crust pizza, pepperoni 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 Pepperoni medium tuscano crisp crust pizza, pepperoni
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
Pizza Crust
2
Wheat Flour
3
Water
4
Soybean Oil
5
Yeast
6
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
7
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
8
Calcium Propionate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT
Safe GRAS
9
L-cysteine
DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
10
Low-moisture Part-skim And Low-moisture Whole Milk Mozzarella Cheese Blend
11
Pasteurized Part-skim Milk
12
Pasteurized Milk
13
Cheese Culture
14
Enzymes
15
Cellulose
Emulsifier
Safe
16
To Prevent Caking
17
Pizza Sauce
18
Crushed Tomatoes
19
Tomato Paste
20
Sunflower Oil
21
Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
22
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
23
Spices
24
Granulated Garlic
25
Sodium Benzoate And Potassium Sorbate Added As Preservatives
26
Pepperoni
27
Pork
28
Beef
29
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
30
Lactic Acid Starter Culture
31
Oleoresin Of Paprika
32
Flavorings
33
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
34
Sodium Nitrite
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROPELLANT
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
35
BHA
Avoid GRAS
36
BHT
Caution GRAS

Full Ingredient List

Pizza crust (wheat flour, water, soybean oil, yeast, salt, sugar, calcium propionate, l-cysteine), low-moisture part-skim and low-moisture whole milk mozzarella cheese blend (pasteurized part-skim milk, pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes, powdered cellulose [to prevent caking]), pizza sauce (crushed tomatoes [water, crushed tomatoes], tomato paste, salt, sunflower oil, extra virgin olive oil, citric acid, spices, granulated garlic, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate added as preservatives), pepperoni (pork, beef, salt, spices, dextrose, lactic acid starter culture, oleoresin of paprika, flavorings, sodium ascorbate, 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