DiGiorno Rising Crust Pepperoni Pizza — DUMP
Munch or Dump rates DiGiorno Rising Crust Pepperoni Pizza by DiGiorno DUMP — score 20/90.
The 'preservative-free crust' is a magician's trick — look at the crust while the pepperoni smuggles in BHA, BHT, and sodium nitrite on a base of mechanically separated chicken. Self-rising chemistry, sugared sauce, 20-plus ingredients. Not delivery, and definitely not from a kitchen.
Why this verdict
- Over 18 ingredients with a full NOVA 4 additive profile
- Pepperoni carries the classic processed-meat stack: sodium nitrite + BHA + BHT, built on mechanically separated chicken
- Hyper-palatable triad: sugar + soybean/corn oil + enriched wheat flour
- DATEM emulsifier and baking-soda rising chemistry — the famous crust is engineered, not proofed
- High sodium (~1.4g salt per 100g) across a very calorie-dense format
Ingredients (10)
- BHA (avoid) — Synthetic preservative in the pepperoni, classified as possibly carcinogenic.
- BHT (avoid) — Second synthetic preservative; banned or restricted in several countries.
- Sodium Nitrite (caution) — Synthetic curing agent linked to nitrosamine formation in processed meat.
- Mechanically Separated Chicken (avoid) — Pressure-recovered meat paste — the lowest-grade meat input allowed in the product.
- Sugar (moderate) — Commonly used sweetener but contributes empty calories.
- Vegetable oil (soybean/corn) (moderate) — Refined oil completing the sugar-oil-starch triad
- datem (caution) — Industrial dough conditioner (diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides)
- Enriched wheat flour (moderate) — Refined white flour — fast-digesting starch is the backbone of the chip.
- Natural Smoke Flavor (moderate) — Lab-distilled smoke condensate standing in for actual smoking
- part-skim mozzarella cheese (safe) — Real cheese — the one claim that fully checks out
Healthier alternatives