FOOD NEWS
What Tinned SPAM Is Actually Made Of?
BY SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO
Rumors abound about what goes into SPAM, but according to its maker, Hormel Foods, it has been made with the same ingredients since its creation in 1937.
SPAM is made of ground pork shoulder mixed with ham, salt, water, sugar, and sodium nitrate. In 2009, potato starch was added to absorb the layer of gelatin that forms as it cooks.
The tinned meat is made by mixing all the ingredients for 20 minutes before it's stuffed into cans, vacuum-sealed, cooked, cooled, and labeled.
Although SPAM has a bit of a reputation in the United States as a poor man's food, the tinned meat deserves more respect for its short ingredient list and affordable price.