Are frozen pizzas considered processed food? The definitive answer

November 23, 2025 •

3 min read

According to a 2025 report from Johns Hopkins Medicine, frozen pizzas are explicitly listed as an example of ultra-processed food. This places them on the furthest end of the food processing spectrum, far from their simple, homemade counterparts.

Quick Summary

This article explores why frozen pizzas are classified as processed, distinguishing between minimally, processed, and ultra-processed foods. It examines the manufacturing processes and common ingredients, revealing how flavor enhancers, additives, and preservatives are used. The content also addresses the potential health implications of frequently consuming ultra-processed items like frozen pizza.

Key Points

Categorization: Frozen pizzas are classified as ultra-processed foods due to their industrial formulation and extensive use of additives.
Extensive Processing: Their ingredients, from the enriched flour crust to processed meat toppings, undergo significant modification from their natural state.
High in Unhealthy Components: Ultra-processed foods are typically laden with high levels of sodium, saturated fats, and added sugars.
Potential Health Risks: Frequent consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with increased risks of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic conditions.
Informed Choices: Being aware of processing levels helps consumers make better dietary decisions, with healthier alternatives often involving homemade versions or minimally processed ingredients.
Look for Simplicity: When buying pre-packaged food, opt for items with fewer, more recognizable ingredients to reduce your intake of ultra-processed additives.

The Spectrum of Processed Foods

To truly answer the question, "Are frozen pizzas considered processed food?", it's essential to understand that not all processed foods are the same. Food processing exists on a spectrum, from minimal alteration to complex industrial manufacturing.

Minimally Processed Foods

These foods are altered slightly from their natural state, with the modification having little impact on nutritional value. Examples include pre-cut fruits, bagged salads, and pasteurized milk. Freezing vegetables to preserve them is also a form of minimal processing.

Processed Foods

This category involves adding ingredients like salt, sugar, or oil to make the food more palatable or durable. Examples include canned vegetables, freshly baked bread with a few added ingredients, and certain cheeses.

Ultra-Processed Foods

Frozen pizzas fall squarely into this final, most extensive category. Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations made mostly from cheap ingredients and food additives, with little to no whole food content. They are designed for convenience, a long shelf life, and high palatability.

What Makes Frozen Pizza Ultra-Processed?

The industrial production of frozen pizza involves multiple layers of processing.

The Crust: The dough is a highly refined formulation. It’s made from enriched wheat flour, which has been stripped of its natural fibers and nutrients before being fortified with synthetic vitamins. Additives like ascorbic acid and enzymes are included to ensure consistent texture and performance during large-scale manufacturing.
The Sauce: The tomato sauce is rarely just crushed tomatoes. Instead, it's often a concentrated tomato paste mixed with water, sugar, and a variety of flavorings, spices, thickeners (like xanthan gum), and preservatives to maintain freshness.
The Toppings: Many common frozen pizza toppings, particularly processed meats like pepperoni and bacon, are heavily processed themselves. For instance, pepperoni contains dextrose for sweetness, lactic acid for curing, and sodium nitrite to preserve color and act as a curing agent. Other toppings, such as canned mushrooms or olives, are industrially prepared and pre-cured.
The Preservatives and Additives: A key feature of ultra-processed foods is a long list of ingredients that are unidentifiable to the average consumer. Frozen pizzas commonly include emulsifiers, artificial flavors, and preservatives like BHA/BHT to prevent spoilage and extend shelf life.

Potential Health Implications

The frequent consumption of ultra-processed foods like frozen pizza has been linked to a number of adverse health outcomes.

Comparison of a Homemade Pizza vs. Frozen Pizza


Feature	Homemade Pizza (Example)	Frozen Pizza (Example)
Processing Level	Minimal. Uses fresh ingredients.	Ultra-processed. Industrial manufacturing.
Crust	Simple flour, water, yeast, salt.	Enriched flour, additives, preservatives.
Sauce	Crushed tomatoes, fresh herbs.	Concentrated paste, sugar, thickeners, flavorings.
Toppings	Freshly cut vegetables, quality cheese.	Processed meats with preservatives, canned veggies.
Sodium Content	Controlled. Significantly lower.	High. Added for flavor and preservation.
Additive Load	None or very few.	Multiple flavor enhancers, emulsifiers, and preservatives.
Nutritional Density	Higher. Retains more vitamins and fiber.	Lower. Nutrients often stripped during processing.
Saturated Fat	Lower to moderate, depending on cheese.	Often high, especially with processed meats.

How to Limit Ultra-Processed Foods

Reducing your intake of ultra-processed items doesn't mean abandoning pizza entirely. Making a simple homemade pizza is a great alternative. For convenience, read nutrition labels carefully and opt for options with shorter ingredient lists and lower sodium, sugar, and saturated fat content. You can also build a healthier frozen pizza by adding your own fresh vegetables or lean protein toppings.

For more in-depth information on healthy eating and food processing, the National Institutes of Health offers a wealth of research(https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9778909/).

Conclusion

In summary, frozen pizzas are definitively considered processed food, and more specifically, ultra-processed food. Their industrial formulation, use of refined ingredients, and abundance of additives place them far from any minimally processed items. While an occasional frozen pizza is unlikely to cause serious harm, relying on them as a dietary staple can contribute to health issues linked to excessive salt, fat, and sugar intake. Being an informed consumer means understanding what is in your food, enabling you to make more deliberate and healthier choices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Processed foods are altered from their natural state, often with the addition of salt, sugar, or oil. Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations containing multiple added ingredients, including flavorings and emulsifiers, and typically contain little to no whole food.

No. While many frozen meals are heavily processed, some frozen foods are only minimally processed. Examples include frozen vegetables or fruits, which are simply frozen for preservation.

Frozen pizzas contain a variety of additives, including preservatives, emulsifiers, and flavorings, primarily to extend shelf life, enhance palatability, and maintain consistent texture during the industrial production process.

While it's best to limit ultra-processed foods, an occasional frozen pizza in moderation is generally not a major concern for most people. The key is balancing it with a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole foods.

Yes. Making pizza from scratch with fresh, whole ingredients is a healthier alternative. You can also look for frozen pizza options with minimal ingredients and lower sodium or add fresh toppings to a healthier store-bought base.

A key indicator is a long and complex ingredient list that includes substances not typically found in a home kitchen, such as artificial flavors, emulsifiers, and preservatives. These products also tend to be cheap, convenient, and have a long shelf life.

Not necessarily. Quick freezing can be a form of minimal processing used to preserve nutrients and freshness. The processing level depends on whether other ingredients and industrial techniques are involved, as is the case with frozen pizzas.