Metal Pieces Lead Hormel To Recall More Than 200,000 Pounds Of Spam


Before the word referred to mass unsolicited emails, Spam was known only as a tasty canned meat product. Now lovers of the pantry staple need to check their stash because Hormel recalled more than 200,000 pounds of spam due to oral injuries stemming from metal pieces in the cans.

According to a USA Today report, the Spam canned pork and chicken may contain pieces of metal, which could result in injury. In all, Hormel recalled 228,614 pounds of the products and warned consumers not to eat them if they have any in their possession.

Produced from February 8 through February 10, the affected Spam was shipped to locations throughout the United States and Guam. The 12-ounce “Spam Classic” cans included in this recall will have a “best by” date of 2021 printed on them. The production dates printed on the affected products include F020881, F020882, F020883, F020884, F020885, F020886, F020887, F020888, and F020889.

Also included in this recall are “Hormel Foods Black-Label Luncheon Loaf” with production codes of F02098 and F02108 and a “best by” date of February 2021, according to Time.

So far, four customers have reported finding metal pieces in their cans of Spam. Because of those reports, Hormel told the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) about the issue on May 24, and now the products have been recalled. Consumers should either throw away affected cans of Spam or return them to the store where they were purchased.

Introduced in 1937 and widely used during World War II, Spam has sold more than 8 billion cans worldwide. While very few people actually know what the product’s name means, there is any number of plausible explanations.

Possible meanings include, “spiced ham,” “spare meat,” or “shoulders of pork and ham.” An even more interesting explanation of the word “Spam” is that it’s an acronym that the letters either stand for “Specially Processed American Meat” or “Specially Processed Army Meat.”

No matter what the name means, plenty of people purchase this favorite canned meat product, and authorities believe that many consumers could still have some of the affected varieties of this product in their homes without realizing the potential for minor injuries. The possibility of oral injuries ended up leading Hormel to recall the affected cans.

Although Spam often finds itself the butt of many jokes in popular culture, this recall is no laughing matter and must be treated seriously. Consumers who have any questions about the recall should contact Hormel Foods’ consumer response at (800) 523-4635.

Share this article: Metal Pieces Lead Hormel To Recall More Than 200,000 Pounds Of Spam
More from Inquisitr