<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-09-04</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001024342</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>VITA FOOD PRODUCTS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>VSF</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000898194</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RUBENSTEIN JEFFREY C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>MUCH SHELIST</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>191 N. WACKER DRIVE, SUITE 1800</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHICAGO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60606</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-09-04</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>86239</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>4.875</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1997-11-07</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-05-07</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>1.25</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1998-07-02</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-01-02</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>.9375</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1999-07-04</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-01-04</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>1.875</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2000-07-03</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-01-03</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>1.50</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2001-08-20</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-02-20</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>4.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2002-09-14</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-03-14</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>4.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-09-06</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-03-06</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Disposition of securities by gift.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Clifford K. Bolen, as Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-09-09</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

