They may look and taste the same, but slices of Domino’s pizza in the US and UK are not created equal.
DailyMail.com discovered surprising differences in ingredient list, calorie content, salt and fat between the chain’s classic pepperoni pies on both sides of the Atlantic.
A large slice in the US contains more than twice as many additives as the UK version, with the ingredient list in the US pizza looking more like it came from a science lab than a restaurant.
An American slice also contains one and a half times the calories, which adds up to more than an entire day if you eat the whole pie. It is also half an inch taller.
It may look and taste the same, but a slice of Domino’s pizza in the US and UK is not the same. DailyMail.com found surprising differences in the ingredient list, calorie content, salt and fat in pizza on both sides of the Atlantic
However, a British slice has two and a half times the amount of salt.
While the cheese on a UK slice has only a handful of ingredients, it has more than double that in the US.
The UK version has only mozzarella cheese, milk, salt, and starter culture, while the US variety has the following: Partial low-fat mozzarella cheese (pasteurized milk, cultures, salt, enzymes), modified food starch, cellulose (added to prevent caking), low-fat milk, whey protein concentrate, flavors, sodium propionate (added as a preservative).
Domino’s Crust in the US also uses soybean oil, which has been linked to conditions such as obesity and diabetes.
a 2020 study from the University of California-Riverside, for example, found that the oil could lower metabolism, hindering weight loss.
“Domino’s stores around the world cater to the diverse tastes and preferences of local customers. That’s why Domino’s in different countries use different ingredients, sauces and toppings. While all are of high quality, they differ in nutritional content,” the company said in a statement to DailyMail.com.
While the pizza is loaded with additives, American Domino’s has taken steps to improve it. According to the company Corporate Stewardship Report 2019Domino’s has removed BHA and BHT from its pepperoni.
These are commonly found in processed foods such as cereals, chewing gum, fast foods and snack foods to prolong freshness and help prevent spoilage from bacteria, mold or other problems.
It is also possibly carcinogenic to humans, meaning it can increase the risk of cancer, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
While a large pizza in the UK is 13.5 inches wide, in America it is half an inch larger. That may not seem like much, but the extra half inch can make all the difference in terms of calories.
A slice of Domino’s pizza in the UK contains 176 calories per slice. If the pizza is cut into 10 slices, that’s a total of 1,760 calories.
Meanwhile, in the US, a slice is about 300 calories, so cutting that into 10 slices adds up to 3,000 calories for the whole pizza. That’s more than one and a half times more calories than the British pie.
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americansadult women consume between 1600 and 2400 calories per day, depending on age, and men consume between 2000 and 3000 calories per day, depending on age.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has said a 2,000-calorie diet should be standard for most Americans.
In the UK, women should consume about 2,000 calories a day, while men get 2,500, according to the health service.
A slice in either country is loaded with sodium. In the US, a slice of pepperoni pizza contains 720 milligrams, nearly one-third of the AHAs daily recommended limit of 2,300.
It’s unclear how much salt is in a slice of regular pepperoni pizza, but according to the chain’s UK website, the Pepperoni Passion pizza contains 1,740 milligrams, two and a half times as much as the US version.
It’s also three quarters of the US daily limit. The UK limit, according to the British Heart Foundationis 6000 milligrams per day.
Since this specialty pizza has more pepperoni, it’s safe to assume that the standard version has less salt.
Each year, nearly 500,000 U.S. deaths are attributed to high blood pressure, which has long been linked to overconsumption of salt.
Too much sodium can lead to a host of other diseases, including heart disease and stroke.
In the UK, a slice of pizza contains 15 grams of fat, seven of which are saturated. For comparison, an American slice has 12 grams, five of which are saturated.
The AHA recommends that no more than 5-6 percent of calories come from saturated fat. If you eat 2,000 calories a day, that’s about 13 grams of saturated fat.
High saturated fat can raise LDL (bad) cholesterol, a primary risk factor for heart disease. It can also lead to conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, lupus and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), according to the Cleveland clinic.
Below is a comparison of ingredients in a large pepperoni pizza and the popular garlic dips in both countries:
Large Pepperoni Pizza
American ingredients
Crust
Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water, Soybean Oil, Contains 2% or Less of the Following: Sugar, Salt, Whey, Maltodextrin, Dextrose, Dough Conditioners (Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Wheat Starch Enzyme, Ascorbic Acid, l-cysteine monohydrochloride), yeast
Pepperoni
Pork and Beef, Salt, Spices, Dextrose, Lactic Acid Starter Culture, Natural Flavors, Paprika Oleoresin, Sodium Ascorbate, Sodium Nitrite, Citric Acid
Cheese
Partial Skim Mozzarella Cheese (pasteurized milk, cultures, salt, enzymes), modified food starch, cellulose (added to prevent caking), skim milk, whey protein concentrate, flavors, sodium propionate (added as a preservative)
Sauce
Tomatoes, tomato paste (water, tomato paste), onions, sugar, Romano and Parmesan cheese (cultured milk, salt, enzymes), carrot puree, salt, celery puree, garlic, herbs, butter, olive oil, citric acid, sunflower oil, natural flavor and xanthan gum
British ingredients
Crust
Wheat flour, premix (milk, wheat), rapeseed oil, corn flour, water, yeast
Pepperoni
Pork, pork fat, salt, pork rind, dextrose, spices, coloring: paprika extract, antioxidant: sodium ascorbate, garlic powder, spice extract, herbs, acidity regulator: sodium nitrite, acidity regulator: citric acid
Cheese
Mozzarella cheese (milk), salt, starter culture
Sauce
Tomato paste, water, salt, sugar, salt, garlic, oregano, black pepper, basil, chili, peppermint, acidity regulator: E330/citric acid
Garlic Dipping Sauce: USA
Ingredients
Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Salt, Natural Flavor, Soy Lecithin, Artificial Flavor, Beta Carotene (Color)
Garlic and Herb Dip: UK
Ingredients
Rapeseed oil, water, spirit vinegar, pasteurized egg yolk, sugar, garlic, parsley, salt, acidity regulator: lactic acid, milk protein, mustard flour, lemon juice from concentrate, preservative: potassium sorbate, stabilizers, xanthan gum, guar gum