Sink Your Teeth Into This Job! Taste Testers Needed for Consumer Research Study !

April 27, 2011 - PRLog -- You get to eat and share your opinion.  If this is the type of job you can’t wait to sink your teeth into then contact Harrisburg University of Science and Technology today to become a taste tester.  

The University is recruiting taste testers to help its Food Science & Technology Center launch a consumer research study.

The University will conduct consumer testing from April 28 through May 11.  As a part of the HU Food Science and Technology Center, the Consumer Insights Research Laboratory is focused on student education and economic development of food companies within the region by providing consumer research support and academic programs.

Participants who over 18 years of age will have the opportunity to sign up for the current and future taste testing opportunities for a variety of foods including chocolate, salty snacks sweet snacks, or a variety of other types of prepared foods. Harrisburg University is located at 326 Market Street in Harrisburg, PA.

For more information or to sign up for the upcoming studies, please contact Pam Ibric, CIRL Research Coordinator, at CIRL@HarrisburgU.edu or 717.901.5155.  Or go online at www.HarrisburgU.edu/FSTC/CIRL  

Harrisburg University of Science and Technology and The Hershey Company  joined forces in 2011 to develop a sensory science and consumer research program at the school’s campus located in downtown Harrisburg, Pa.  The initiative includes creating a research laboratory where the University will conduct consumer taste tests on a range of confectionery products, including Hershey’s chocolate. Consumer insights obtained from the lab’s research will guide product development efforts.  

The Hershey Company gave the University a grant of $90,000 to equip a new sensory science and consumer research laboratory and cover other start-up costs during the program’s first two years.  The University plans to complete the lab in February.

The sensory science and consumer research program is aligned with the University’s mission to create innovative and ambitious programs that meet the educational needs of youth as well as create economic opportunities in the region.  Harrisburg University staff and students will conduct the consumer research working closely with Hershey research staff.      

The program’s research results will be integrated with sensory testing conducted at The Hershey Company’s Technical Center in Hershey, Pa., where professional sensory panels and employee panels provide feedback that guides ongoing new product development.  

For additional information about sensory science research activities at Harrisburg University, please contact Dr. Rene D. Massengale at 717.901.5133 or RMassengale@HarrisburgU.edu

The Hershey Company  is the largest producer of quality chocolate in North America and a global leader in chocolate and sugar confectionery. Headquartered in Hershey, Pa., The Hershey Company has operations throughout the world and more than 12,000 employees. With revenues of more than $5 billion, Hershey offers such iconic brands as Hershey's, Reese's, Hershey's Kisses, Kit Kat, Twizzlers and Ice Breakers as well as the smooth, creamy indulgence of Hershey's Bliss chocolates. Hershey is a leader in the fast-growing dark and premium chocolate segment, with such brands as Hershey's Special Dark and Hershey's Extra Dark. In addition, Artisan Confections Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Hershey Company, markets such premium chocolate offerings as Scharffen Berger and Dagoba. For more than 100 years, The Hershey Company has been a leader in making a positive difference in the communities where we live, work and do business. Milton Hershey School, established by the company's founder in 1909, provides a nurturing environment, quality education, housing, and medical care at no cost to children in social and financial need. The School is administered by the Hershey Trust Company, Hershey's largest shareholder, making the students of Milton Hershey School direct beneficiaries of Hershey's success.

Founded in 2001 to address Central Pennsylvania’s need for increased opportunities for study leading to careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, Harrisburg University is an innovative and ambitious private institution that produces graduates who provide increased competence and capacity in science and technology disciplines to Pennsylvania and the nation. Harrisburg University ensures institutional access for underrepresented students and links learning and research to practical outcomes. As a private University serving the public good, Harrisburg University remains the only STEM-focused comprehensive university located between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

For more information on the University's demand-driven undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs in applied science and technology fields, call 717.901.5146 or email Connect@HarrisburgU.edu

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Founded in 2001 to address Central Pennsylvania’s need for increased opportunities for study leading to careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, Harrisburg University is an innovative and ambitious private institution.