You either love it, hate it, or have never been brave enough to try it. But one thing is for certain: you have definitely heard of this 'food product'.
Spam has been a part of our grocery shopping experience since 1937 when the Hormel Corporation released it to American stores, and it has since grown into a worldwide phenomenon. It's even been part of weddings!
Now available in 44 countries around the world, the canned meat that has been a part of our kitchens and culture for 80 years has hit an incredible milestone, finally selling eight billion cans. That's more Spam sold than there are people alive on Earth today!
I'm sure you've heard rumors about the now-famous 'mystery meat' and what it is actually made of.
Hint: It doesn't stand for "Scientifically Processed Animal Matter".
But where does it come from? Why is there Spam email? And what the heck is it made of?!
First of all, no. It's not made of people.
It's ingredients are simple:
- Pork shoulder
- Ham
- Salt
- Water
- Sugar
- Sodium Nitrate
The company decided to start adding potato starch recently to prevent gelatin from forming over the meat that turned some people off from the product.
Spam became really popular in WWII when the army realized it could send the meat to soldiers on the front line. Because Spam doesn't need to be refrigerated, it became a staple food both at home and abroad.
It has been referenced in many forms of pop culture, but perhaps the most famous is the Monty Python sketch that made the idea of Spam famous.
Today, it is still at hugely popular ingredient in households across America and all over the world! In the UK, Spam is eaten with breakfast and usually added to burgers for that extra meaty flavor!
So if you're looking for dinner, and you're in a jam, don't stop and think, grab a can of Spam!
