PAM (cooking oil)
Encyclopedia
PAM is a cooking spray
currently owned and distributed by ConAgra. Its main ingredient is canola oil, a fat.
PAM was introduced in 1961 by Leon Rubin who, with Arthur Meyerhoff
, started Gibraltar Industries to market the spray. The name PAM is an initialism for "Product of Arthur Meyerhoff". In 1971, Gilbraltar Industries merged with American Home Products (now Wyeth
) and became part of the Boyle-Midway portfolio. When Reckitt & Colman (now Reckitt Benckiser
) acquired Boyle-Midway from American Home Products in 1990, PAM became part of the American Home Foods subsidiary. In 1996, AHF was acquired by Hicks, Muse, Tate and Furst Inc., and C. Dean Metropoulos and Company from American Home Products, becoming International Home Foods, which in turn was acquired by ConAgra in 2000.
PAM is marketed in various flavors, such as "butter
" and "olive oil
", meant to impart the flavor of cooking with those ingredients. Flavors such as "lemon
" or "garlic
" are also offered. PAM also markets high-temperature sprays formulated for use when grilling
, etc., and one containing flour
suitable for dry-cooking as in baking
. PAM is marketed as a nominally zero-calorie
alternative to other oils used as lubricants when using cooking methods such as sauteing or baking (US regulations allow food products to claim to be zero-calorie if they contain fewer than 5 calories per Reference Amount Customarily Consumed and per labeled serving). Similar sprays are offered by other manufacturers.
Cooking spray
Cooking spray is a spray form of an oil as a lubricant, lecithin as an emulsifier, and a propellant such as food-grade alcohol, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide or propane. Cooking spray is applied to frying pans and other cookware to prevent food from sticking. Traditionally, cooks used butter,...
currently owned and distributed by ConAgra. Its main ingredient is canola oil, a fat.
PAM was introduced in 1961 by Leon Rubin who, with Arthur Meyerhoff
Arthur Meyerhoff
Arthur E. Meyerhoff was an advertising agency executive and entrepreneur. He was born in Chicago, Illinois.Meyerhoff founded his own agency, Arthur Meyerhoff Associates, in 1932 after persuading the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company that he could arrange for newspapers to place advertisements for Wrigley...
, started Gibraltar Industries to market the spray. The name PAM is an initialism for "Product of Arthur Meyerhoff". In 1971, Gilbraltar Industries merged with American Home Products (now Wyeth
Wyeth
Wyeth, formerly one of the companies owned by American Home Products Corporation , was a pharmaceutical company. The company was based in Madison, New Jersey, USA...
) and became part of the Boyle-Midway portfolio. When Reckitt & Colman (now Reckitt Benckiser
Reckitt Benckiser
Reckitt Benckiser plc is a global consumer goods company headquartered in Slough, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest producer of household products and a major producer of consumer healthcare and personal products...
) acquired Boyle-Midway from American Home Products in 1990, PAM became part of the American Home Foods subsidiary. In 1996, AHF was acquired by Hicks, Muse, Tate and Furst Inc., and C. Dean Metropoulos and Company from American Home Products, becoming International Home Foods, which in turn was acquired by ConAgra in 2000.
PAM is marketed in various flavors, such as "butter
Butter
Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying...
" and "olive oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
", meant to impart the flavor of cooking with those ingredients. Flavors such as "lemon
Lemon
The lemon is both a small evergreen tree native to Asia, and the tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit. The fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world – primarily for its juice, though the pulp and rind are also used, mainly in cooking and baking...
" or "garlic
Garlic
Allium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. Dating back over 6,000 years, garlic is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent...
" are also offered. PAM also markets high-temperature sprays formulated for use when grilling
Grilling
Grilling is a form of cooking that involves dry heat applied to the surface of food, commonly from above or below.Grilling usually involves a significant amount of direct, radiant heat, and tends to be used for cooking meat quickly and meat that has already been cut into slices...
, etc., and one containing flour
Flour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
suitable for dry-cooking as in baking
Baking
Baking is the technique of prolonged cooking of food by dry heat acting by convection, and not by radiation, normally in an oven, but also in hot ashes, or on hot stones. It is primarily used for the preparation of bread, cakes, pastries and pies, tarts, quiches, cookies and crackers. Such items...
. PAM is marketed as a nominally zero-calorie
Diet food
Diet food refers to any food or drink whose recipe has been altered in some way to make it part of a body modification diet...
alternative to other oils used as lubricants when using cooking methods such as sauteing or baking (US regulations allow food products to claim to be zero-calorie if they contain fewer than 5 calories per Reference Amount Customarily Consumed and per labeled serving). Similar sprays are offered by other manufacturers.