What Is SPAM, Anyway? (2024)

It shares its name with those annoying emails you don’t want. It comes in a can and is made of…some kind of meat? Whether you grew up eating it and still do or you’ve merely eyed it suspiciously in a supermarket aisle, you’ve probably found yourself wondering “What is SPAM?” at some point. Well, the answer to that question actually may not be as complicated as you think!

What is SPAM?

SPAM is a canned lunch meat product that first hit shelves in 1937. It was created in Austin, Minnesota by the manufacturers Hormel Foods. Toward the end of the Great Depression, SPAM helped fill a huge need for inexpensive meat products. And its popularity only grew. “It cemented its place in the culinary world during World War II, due to its ability to be stored for long periods of time,” explains James Schend, food editor at Taste of Home. “It could be easily shipped around the world.” And it was, both then and now; today SPAM products are available in 44 different countries, according to their brand site.

Today, there are 15 different SPAM varieties, from Classic to Teriyaki to Jalapeño. Love it or hate it, you can’t deny that it’s everywhere. Over eight billion SPAM products have been sold worldwide, and in 2016, a SPAM museum opened in its birthplace, Austin, Minnesota. Learn about the surprising birthplaces and origins of 19 more foods you see everywhere.

What is SPAM made of?

It may come as a pleasant surprise to learn that SPAM is not the preservative-packed mystery meat you might think it is. In fact, SPAM only contains six ingredients! And the brand’s website lists them all. They are: pork with ham meat added (that counts as one), salt, water, potato starch, sugar, and sodium nitrite. Most of those are as simple as simple gets! The only one that might raise eyebrows a little is the sodium nitrite, which is “a preservative to help retain freshness,” Schend explains. The website says that it is there to “uphold the meat’s high standard of quality.”

To make SPAM, the ground-up pork and ham are mixed with the other ingredients for 20 minutes. When the mixture reaches the proper temperature, it’s put into the cans, which are vacuum-sealed. The cans are cooked and then cooled for three hours, after which they’re ready for their labels. And that’s all there is to it!

What Is SPAM, Anyway? (2024)

FAQs

What Is SPAM, Anyway? ›

Spam is the brand name for a processed pork product made by Hormel

Hormel
Hormel Foods Corporation, commonly known as Hormel Foods or simply Hormel, is an American food processing company founded in 1891 in Austin, Minnesota, by George A. Hormel as George A. Hormel & Company.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Hormel_Foods
. It is made up of both ground pork and processed ham, along with other fillers, flavorings and preservatives that give it a long shelf life.

What does Spam actually stand for? ›

The Hormel Foods Corporation once said that it means "Shoulder of Pork and Ham", but in some dictionaries "Spam" means "spiced ham". Members of staff at the SPAM museum say it stands for Specially Produced American Meat.

What is Spam actually made of? ›

It may come as a pleasant surprise to learn that SPAM is not the preservative-packed mystery meat you might think it is. In fact, SPAM only contains six ingredients! And the brand's website lists them all. They are: pork with ham meat added (that counts as one), salt, water, potato starch, sugar, and sodium nitrite.

Who makes Spam canned meat? ›

Spam (stylized as SPAM) is a brand of processed canned pork and ham made by Hormel Foods Corporation. It was introduced in 1937 and gained popularity worldwide after its use during World War II. By 2003, Spam was sold in 41 countries (and trademarked in over 100) on six continents.

Why is Spam popular in Hawaii? ›

The true root of the island's love for SPAM® products goes back to World War II, when the luncheon meat was served to GIs. By the end of the war, SPAM® products were adopted into local culture, with Fried SPAM® Classic and rice becoming a popular meal.

Why is spam so bad? ›

Though Spam is convenient, easy to use and has a long shelf-life, it's also very high in fat, calories and sodium and low in important nutrients, such as protein, vitamins and minerals. Additionally, it's highly processed and contains preservatives like sodium nitrite that may cause several adverse health effects.

Why spam should be banned? ›

Day to day, spam is annoying. However, when you look at the bigger picture, it's a significant problem: Spread across the global workforce, spam constitutes a considerate amount of lost productivity. Spam is a huge security and data privacy risk.

Can I eat Spam raw? ›

You can eat Spam raw since all canned foods are pasteurized during the process. Also, you can eat raw spam straight from the can, but the smell can be quite unpleasant. Spam is a canned meat that is made of minced pork as well as processed in ham.

What are the dangers of Spam? ›

Phishing scams can steal all the information an attacker needs to log into your accounts so you must never click on suspicious links. For example, it's common for hackers to send emails that look like they're from a company you trust. They'll ask for your password or other personal information.

Is there a healthy version of Spam? ›

Heavy on the flavor, light on the other stuff. This variety offers the scrumptiousness of SPAM® Classic with 33% less calories, 50% less fat, and 25% less sodium. Sizzle it up and add it to eggs for breakfast, on a sandwich for lunch or with rice for dinner.

What state eats the most Spam? ›

Hawai'i residents eat 7 million cans of Spam per year, making it the state with the highest number of consumers per capita in the nation, according to Spam's numbers. That's five cans per person a year, but experts warn that overconsumption could have negative health consequences. Spam comes in all forms of delicacies.

What is the shelf life of Spam? ›

Shelf-stable canned ham (such as Spam) lasts 2 to 5 years on the shelf. After opening, it will generally be good for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.

What is bologna made of? ›

Much like hot dogs, bologna is commonly made of beef, pork, turkey or chicken that is finely ground and stuffed into a casing for cooking which is often later removed. The bologna is cooked or smoked and then either packaged whole or sliced.

What is the jelly stuff in Spam? ›

Natural gelatins cause the jelly-like substance that surrounds spam in the meat that solidifies when cooled (like an aspic). Depending on the variety of Spam, other ingredients, including chicken or turkey, may be added.

What do the letters Spam stand for? ›

Some say SPAM stands for Specially Processed American Meat, others believe it is a portmanteau for spiced ham, while others say it stands for Shoulder of Pork and Ham. As it relates to email, spam is not an acronym. What does the term spam refer to? Spam refers to unwanted, unsolicited junk emails.

What is the actual meaning of spam? ›

ˈspam. : unsolicited usually commercial messages (such as emails, text messages, or Internet postings) sent to a large number of recipients or posted in a large number of places. spam.

What is spam and why is it called spam? ›

Email spam, also referred to as junk email, spam mail, or simply spam, is unsolicited messages sent in bulk by email (spamming). The name comes from a Monty Python sketch in which the name of the canned pork product Spam is ubiquitous, unavoidable, and repetitive.

What does spam mean in slang? ›

The term "spam" is internet slang that refers to unsolicited commercial email (UCE) or unsolicited bulk email (UBE). Some people refer to this kind of communication as junk email to equate it with the paper junk mail that comes through the US Mail.

What do spam calls stand for? ›

Spam includes all forms of unwanted communications including, but not limited to: unsolicited calls or messages, Caller ID spoofing, robocalls, etc. Typically, spam is directed to large numbers of users for the purposes of advertising, phishing, spreading malware, etc.

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