Original crust pepperoni pizza

55
Concern
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 3 flagged ingredients

Original crust pepperoni 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
0092825093589
Nutri-Score
d
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
0.25 PIZZA (153 g)

What the Data Says About

Original crust pepperoni 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, Original crust pepperoni 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 Original crust pepperoni 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
Wheat Flour
3
Water
4
Soybean Oil
5
Or Less Of: Yeast
6
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
7
Vinegar
8
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
9
Cultured Whey
10
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
11
Dough Conditioner
12
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
13
Enzymes
14
Enrichment
15
Ferrous Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
16
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
17
Thiamin Mononitrate
18
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
19
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
20
Encapsulated Baking Soda
21
Sodium Bicarbonate
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
GRAS
22
Cotton Seed Oil
23
Soy Lecithin
24
Processing Aid
25
Sauce
26
Tomatoes
27
Spice
28
Spices
29
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
30
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
31
Olive Oil
32
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
33
Cheeses
34
Organic Low-moisture Part-skim Mozzarella Cheese
35
Pasteurized Milk
36
Cheese Cultures
37
Low-sodium Low-moisture Part-skim Mozzarella Cheese
38
Pasteurized Part-skim Milk
39
Skim Milk
40
Sliced Pepperoni Made With Pork
41
Chicken And Beef
42
Pork
43
Mechanically Separated Chicken
44
Beef
45
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
46
Lactic Acid Starter Culture
47
Oleoresin Of Paprika
48
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
49
Flavoring
50
Sodium Nitrite
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROPELLANT
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
51
BHA
Avoid GRAS
52
BHT
Caution GRAS
53
Diced Pepperoni

Full Ingredient List

Crust (wheat flour, water, soybean oil, contains 2% or less of: yeast, sugar, vinegar, salt, cultured whey, whey, dough conditioner [wheat flour, ascorbic acid, enzymes], enrichment [ferrous sulfate, niacin, wheat flour, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], encapsulated baking soda [sodium bicarbonate, hydrogenated cotton seed oil], soy lecithin [processing aid]), sauce (water, tomatoes, spice [salt, spices, dehydrated garlic, citric acid], olive oil, garlic), cheeses (low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese [pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes], low-sodium low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese [pasteurized part-skim milk, skim milk, salt, cheese cultures, enzymes]), sliced pepperoni made with pork, chicken and beef (pork, mechanically separated chicken, beef, salt, spices, dextrose, lactic acid starter culture, oleoresin of paprika, sodium ascorbate, flavoring, sodium nitrite, bha, bht, citric acid), diced pepperoni (pork, beef, salt, spices, dextrose, lactic acid starter culture, oleoresin of paprika, flavoring, 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