In this episode we sit down “virtually” with Erin Fleming, Sensory Scientist at Mars Wrigley. Erin was the 2013 recipient of the PMCA/Pennsylvania State University Fellowship. Her research was on “Psychophysical, Physiological, and Semantic Characterization of Oral Astringents” which focused on understanding how consumers perceive and describe oral astringency – a sensation defined as the drying, roughing and puckering of the mouth after consuming products rich in polyphenols like red wine, green tea, and dark chocolate.
Erin earned her BS in Food Science from The Pennsylvania State University and was also lucky enough to study Food Science abroad at University College Dublin. After interning as a product development scientist, she discovered her passion for sensory and consumer science and subsequently earned her MS in Food Science with a concentration in Sensory Science.
After graduation, Erin joined Mars Wrigley as a sensory scientist where translates consumers’ dreams into desired experiences to support new product innovation for iconic brands including M&M’s®, ORBIT®, SKITTLES®, and STARBURST®. Erin enjoys giving back to the industry through her involvement in PMCA as a Board Member, Social Media Chair, and Industry Mentor for the Student Outreach program.
