The Frozen Pizza with the Highest Saturated Fat and Sodium Content

Korea Consumer Agency Conducts Comparative Study on 14 Market Products
Saturated Fat Highest in Peacock Jackson Pizza Chicago Pepperoni
Sodium Highest in Chungjungwon Original Combination Pizza
"Chicago Pizza Has Higher Saturated Fat Than Regular Pizza"

Among frozen pizzas sold on the market, Chicago-style pizza products were found to contain more cheese than regular pizzas, resulting in higher saturated fat and sodium content. The highest saturated fat content was found in 'Peacock Jackson Pizza Chicago Pepperoni' distributed by E-Mart, while the highest sodium content was in 'Chungjungone Original Combination Pizza.'

The Korea Consumer Agency announced on the 27th that after testing the nutritional content and safety of 14 frozen pizza products and comparing their toppings, contents, and prices, these results were obtained. The products surveyed included 9 regular pizzas and 5 Chicago-style pizzas. Regular pizzas are characterized by thin, flat wheat dough topped and baked, whereas Chicago-style pizzas are baked in a round deep dish, resulting in a thicker crust.

Among frozen pizzas sold on the market, Chicago-style pizza products were found to contain more saturated fat and sodium than regular pizzas, as they have more cheese. The photo is unrelated to the article content.

In the main test evaluations by category, the cheese content per whole pizza was 64?124g for regular pizzas and 114?214g for Chicago-style pizzas, showing up to a 3.3-fold difference between products. The Peacock Jackson Pizza Chicago Pepperoni had the highest cheese content at 214g, while 'Olbareugo Bandeuthan Combination Pan Pizza' distributed by Shinsegae Food had the lowest at 64g.

Vegetables were more abundant in regular pizzas (13?48g) than in Chicago-style pizzas (0?7g). Meat toppings varied between 0 and 77g depending on the product. The product with the most vegetables was 'Ristorante Mozzarella Pizza,' and the meat topping was highest in 'Ashley Crunch Cheese Edge All Meat Pizza' (77g).

The saturated fat content per 150g of frozen pizza ranged from 4.8 to 9.6g (32?64% of the daily recommended intake), and sodium content ranged from 543 to 789mg (27?39%). The product with the highest saturated fat content was Peacock Jackson Pizza Chicago Pepperoni (9.6g), and the lowest was Olbareugo Bandeuthan Combination Pan Pizza (4.8g). The highest sodium content was found in Chungjungone Original Combination Pizza (780mg), and the lowest in Ristorante Mozzarella Pizza (543mg).

The price per 150g of frozen pizza ranged from 1,616 to 4,223 KRW, showing up to a 2.6-fold difference between products. 'No Brand Combination Pizza' was the cheapest at 1,616 KRW, while 'Gourmet Pepperoni Tomato Chicago Pizza' and 'Olbareugo Bandeuthan Combination Pan Pizza' were relatively expensive at 4,223 KRW and 4,214 KRW, respectively.

Among the 14 products surveyed, one product, 'Ashley Crunch Cheese Edge All Meat Pizza,' was found to have E. coli exceeding the standard, rendering it non-compliant. The distributor, E-Land Farm & Food, reportedly took exchange and refund measures for the product following the Consumer Agency's corrective recommendation. The Consumer Agency also reported that E-Land Farm & Food responded with plans to strengthen hygiene management. Additionally, the Consumer Agency recommended quality control and labeling improvements for three products among the 14, as there were discrepancies between the labeled and actual contents of trans fats and sugars.

The Consumer Agency stated, "There were differences in the amounts of cheese, vegetables, and meat toppings depending on the product, and most products had high saturated fat and sodium content, so consumers need to be cautious about excessive intake." They added, "We will continue to provide quality and safety information on various frozen foods to support consumers' rational consumption habits."