Samuel J. Porcello (May 23, 1935[1] – May 12, 2012) was an American food scientist who worked at Nabisco for 34 years.[2] He is particularly noted for his work on the modern Oreo cookie. Porcello held five patents directly related to the Oreo.[2] In particular, Porcello was the inventor of the white Oreo cookie creme-filling.[2] His work earned him the nickname, "Mr. Oreo."[2][3][4]
Porcello was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey.[4] He also lived in Wayne, New Jersey. He and his family moved to Toms River, New Jersey, in 1974, where he resided for the rest of his life.[4] Porcello initially worked as a teacher for a short time during his early career.[3] He then worked for the former The Charms Company, a candy manufacturer.[3] He was nearly hired by a major cosmetics company, but his candidacy ended when the company learned that Porcello was color blind.[3]
Porcello joined Nabisco after his rejection by the cosmetics industry because he was color-blind.[3] When he was hired, Nabisco promised that he could eventually earn a salary of up to $12,000 per year if he was successful.[3] He began his Nabisco career at the company's plant in Fair Lawn, New Jersey.[4] He later worked at Nabisco's corporate headquarters in East Hanover, New Jersey.[4]
Porcello joined Nabisco's research and development department, which develops new lines of snacks.[3] He was considered one of the world's leading experts on cocoa, which is used to make chocolate.[2][3] He was given the title, "principal scientist," during his career at Nabisco.[2] The Oreo cookie, has been sold since 1912 (450 billion Oreos have been sold since their introduction), but it was Porcello who invented the modern creme-filling for Oreos and Double Stuffed Oreos, which have extra filling.[2]
In total, Porcello held five patents related to his work on the Oreo. He also developed a product line of Oreos enrobed in white chocolate and dark chocolate.[2][3] Porcello found the particular type of chocolate which he used for chocolate-covered Oreos while attending a food industry trade show in Europe.[3]
Aside from his work with the Oreo, Porcello developed other Nabisco snack products, including SnackWells.[3] His position required him to travel extensively in search of new potential products and ingredients.[3] According to his son, Curtis, Porcello often brought new snacks home with him to see how his family liked or disliked the potential new products.[3] Porcello was not a huge eater of Oreo cookies, preferring to eat the cookie without dunking it in milk.
Porcello left the company as its principal food scientist in 1993 after 34 years.[3][4] Additionally, he was a longtime volunteer with ACDI/VOCA, for which he helped create a food and program and company in Thailand.[4] Sam Porcello died May 12, 2012, at the age of 76.
