​Hormel to tweak some Spam varieties

NEW YORK - Fear not Spam lovers, the classic variety of the famed canned meat lives on.

Hormel says it plans to remove or replace ingredients in some of its products, including two varieties of Spam.

The company said Wednesday the changes will be made to Spam Lite and Spam Less Sodium by the end of the year.

But the classic variety of Spam won't be changed, Hormel spokesman Rick Williamson said.

Spam Classic has six ingredients, while Spam Lite and Spam Less Sodium have a few more, including potassium chloride and sodium ascorbate.

Hormel did not say which ingredients it planned to eliminate. It wants to use "simple, familiar ingredients that consumers know," Williamson said.

Tweaks will also be made to its Hormel chili products and Dinty Moore beef stew.

Food makers have been tweaking ingredients in recent years to try and appeal to consumers who prefer more natural foods.

Hormel Foods Corp. (HRL), based in Austin, Minnesota, said it has already removed some ingredients from its Valley Fresh canned chicken, Hormel Compleats microwavable meals and Hormel Always Tender pork loins and roasts.