Global Courant
SPAM, the canned processed meat product that has developed a cult following, was introduced by Hormel Foods on this day in history, July 5, 1937.
The ingredients of the mystery meat aren’t so mysterious after all, according to the official website for SPAM (a combination of the words “spiced ham”).
Consisting of “six simple ingredients” — pork with ham, salt, water, potato starch, sugar, and sodium nitrate — SPAM has “a relatively simple, conventional” manufacturing process, the website says.
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, JULY 4, 1802, THE AMERICAN MILITARY ACADEMY OPENS AT WEST POINT
“First, the pork and ham are pre-ground. Then salt, sugar and the rest of the ingredients are added and mixed to reach the desired temperature,” the site points out.
“From there, the mixture is moved to the canning line, where it is filled into the familiar metal cans, 12 ounces at a time.”
SPAM was introduced to the world in July 1937. Hormel claimed in 2022 that about 13 cans of SPAM were consumed every second. (Newscast/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The filled cans are then taken to a “closing machine” where they are vacuum sealed.
The cans are then boiled and cooled for three hours, labeled and then boxed, the SPAM website reports.
Beginning in 1941, SPAM was sent around the world to feed Allied troops during World War II, the SPAM website says.
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, JAN. 18, 1943, GOVERNMENT BANNS SLICED BREAD DURING WORLD WAR RANKING
Because the meat is pre-cooked and canned, it is shelf stable and ideal for long distance transportation.
More than £100 million worth of SPAM was sent to feed the troops, the site indicates.
In 1959, the billionth can of SPAM was sold.
SPAM’s popularity has led to at least two annual festivals in the United States.
As of 2023, more than 9 billion cans of SPAM have been sold worldwide, the company says.
CORN RIBS GAVE FROM A UNIQUE VIRAL FOOD TREND TO A SUMMER STAPLE: TRY THE RECIPE
SPAM’s popularity has led to at least two annual festivals in the United States celebrating the product, as well as the SPAM Museum in Austin, Minnesota.
Austin, Minnesota is also home to the SPAM Jam, a festival about all things SPAM.
Piles of SPAM are on the shelves of supermarkets. Since its introduction on July 5, 1937, more than nine billion cans of the product have been sold. (Getty Images)
While Hormel Foods is headquartered in Minnesota, another state has taken a particular liking to SPAM: Hawaii.
“Hawaii has more SPAM consumed per person than any other state in the United States,” says the website of the Waikiki SPAM JAM, the other SPAM-focused food festival.
HOT DOG QUIZ! HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS FAN-FAVORITE FOOD?
“Nearly seven million cans of SPAM are eaten in Hawaii each year,” according to the festival’s web page.
It’s so popular in the state that McDonald’s introduced SPAM products to its Hawaiian restaurants in 2002, the Associated Press noted at the time.
A cashier at a McDonald’s branch in Wahiawa, Hawaii stands behind an ad for the then-new SPAM, Eggs and Rice Breakfast Platter in June 2002. Hawaiians consume more SPAM than residents of any other US state. (Phil Mislinski/Getty Images)
SPAM is also a popular ingredient in various Asian cuisines, especially Korean.
South Koreans consume more SPAM than residents of any other country except the United States, the Hormel Foods website notes.
Despite being only one-sixth the population of the United States, South Koreans consume half as much SPAM each year.
FAST FACTS ABOUT PIZZA IN HONOR OF NATIONAL PIZZA DAY
The popular Korean dish “budae jjigae” – which translates to “army stew” or “army base stew” – developed after the Korean War, when an economic downturn meant meat was scarce and expensive.
A U.S. military base in the South Korean city of Uijeongbu had a surplus of several processed foods, including SPAM — which was “totally new to Koreans,” Korean chef and YouTube creator Maangchi said on her website.
Budae jjigae, or “Army Stew,” was made from ingredients found at U.S. Army bases in South Korea after the Korean War, including SPAM. (iStock)
“Eventually, these ingredients found their way to the base’s surrounding areas and some creative Koreans turned them into stews,” she said.
“They cooked Spam, ham, sausages, and baked beans with kimchi, garlic, and hot pepper paste and flakes, creating a Korean-style stew with American ingredients.”
Even as South Korea’s economy recovered, the stew—and SPAM as a whole—remained wildly popular.
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
As of 2023, SPAM will be available in 11 variants: SPAM Classic, SPAM Lite, SPAM 25% Less Sodium, SPAM Maple Flavored, SPAM with Real HORMEL Bacon, SPAM Oven Roasted Turkey, SPAM Hickory Smoke Flavored, SPAM Hot and Spicy, SPAM Jalapeño, SPAM Teriyaki and SPAM with Tocino flavoring.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Limited edition flavors SPAM Pumpkin Spice and SPAM Figgy Pudding were produced in 2019 and 2022, respectively, the SPAM website says.
In 2022, Hormel claimed that some 13 cans of SPAM were being consumed every second, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.
Christine Rousselle is a lifestyle reporter at Fox News Digital.
