What Are Those White Lumps in Spam Actually?
Upon researching and reading labels, I discovered that the white lumps of fat in Spam are normally solidified fat. Occasionally, you might find tiny particles of connective tissue in the fat as well, which is perfectly normal in processed meats.
Here is what happens: solidified fat has a white or off-white appearance. Pork fat appears white when it is cold and solidified, and when you store Spam in the fridge, the fat will become even firmer.
One reassuring factor for me was realizing that the white spots in Spam were uniform throughout the can. Mold will not spread evenly throughout an enclosed product such as a can of Spam. Instead, mold typically forms on the surface of the product in clumps, not dispersed throughout the product.
For me, the simplest way to determine if your white lumps in Spam are mold or just fat is to examine their texture and uniformity. If the white lumps are uniform and resemble part of the meat’s composition, you’re likely just viewing fat.
Is It Mold Or Just Fat?
We need to answer the obvious question now: Is Spam mold when you see white chunks in it? Typically not.
Fat has its own unique features. Fat feels smooth, solid, and it fits nicely into the rest of the meat. Fat is typically white or slightly creamy in color. Upon opening the can of Spam, there will not be any strong odor, just the standard salty smell of canned meat.
On the other hand, mold has very distinctive features. Mold is generally fuzzy or powdery. Mold is commonly blue, green, gray, or black. Mold grows on the surface of products, not evenly throughout the product. Also, trust me on this, if you have a strong, sour, or otherwise bad smell coming from the Spam after you open it, it’s moldy.
Since Spam is sealed and heat-processed, mold growth inside of Spam is very rare unless the can has been damaged. However, if the can remains unopened and properly stored, the odds of mold growing internally are minimal.
