SPAM

Spam is a kind of meat sold in a can. It has a very interesting history. From the mid-20th century, Spam spread throughout the world.

Spam was developed in America by Hormel Foods Corporation in 1937. Its name may have come from combining the words “Spiced Pork and Ham”. During World War II, the US military gave Spam to its soldiers fighting in the Pacific. This is because canned meat did not spoil as quickly as other kinds of meat. It was also cheaper and easier to transport over long distances. Soldiers often gave their Spam to local people in the Pacific Islands and it became part of their diet.

Spam was also sent to Europe during the war. It was introduced to the United Kingdom in 1941. Spam helped to make up for the food shortage in places like Britain and the Soviet Union. After the war ended, many Germans were starving and the American military tried to help by giving them Spam. During the Korean War from 1950 to 1953, the United Nations gave out Spam to help feed hungry Koreans, who used it to make a new dish. They mixed it with rice and vegetables and wrapped it all in seaweed to make a Spam kimbap.

Today, Spam is sold in 41 countries around the world. It is still very popular. In fact, Hormel Foods celebrated selling its seven billionth can of Spam in 2007. In America, people eat about 122 million cans of Spam every year. It is very popular in China, where it is often used for sandwiches. In Japan, Spam is a part of a common stir-fry dish in Okinawa called chanpuru.