The food company that owns the trademark for Spam has taken a software firm to court over the name.

Hormel makes the canned meat that has become synonymous with unsolicited junk e-mail.

It's taking SpamArrest to court for using the name. SpamArrest specializes in blocking junk e-mail. It filed papers to trademark its corporate name early this year. Hormel sent the company a warning to drop the word "Spam." SpamArrest refused.

"If you ask most people on the street, they're going to say junk e-mail as opposed to the luncheon meat as their first description of what spam is," said Brian Cartmell, CEO of SpamArrest.

Cartmell says his company's use of the word has nothing to do with Hormel's product, which first appeared in supermarkets in 1937.

Hormel officials argue the company has carefully protected and invested in the brand name and the public could confuse the meat product with the technology company.

Hormel admits its brand name has taken on new meaning and will allow certain uses of the word. It doesn't object when "spam" is used to describe junk e-mail but does object if pictures of its products are used in association with the electronic term.

The case will be heard by the Trademark Trial and Appeals Court in the U.S. later this year.