What is SPAM—and What’s in It?
SPAM, the iconic canned meat, was created by Hormel Foods in Austin, Minnesota in 1937. It gained popularity during
the Great Depression and World War II for being affordable, shelf-stable, and easy to ship globally. Today,
SPAM is sold in 44 countries and comes in 15 flavors, from Classic to Jalapeño.
Despite its “mystery meat” reputation, SPAM has just six ingredients: pork (including ham), water, salt, sugar,
potato starch, and sodium nitrite (a preservative). The meat is ground, mixed, vacuum-sealed, cooked, and cooled
before canning. Over eight billion cans have been sold worldwide—and there’s even a SPAM museum in its hometown.
