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

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2004-01-08</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001024342</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>VITA FOOD PRODUCTS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>VSF</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001030497</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RUBIN STEPHEN D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O VITA FOOD PRODUCTS, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2222 W. LAKE STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHICAGO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60612</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2004-01-08</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>500</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>8.75</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1214742</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes/><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Clifford K. Bolen, as Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-12</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

