Since Starbucks launched its pumpkin spice latte, in 2003,1 love it or hate it, the flavour has become synonymous with fall. No longer limited to coffee or pie, pumpkin spice can now be found in a long list of products that includes Pringles, hummus, sausages, and cheese—and the craze doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. We asked Catherine Franssen, a neuroscientist who works at the Science Museum of Virginia, to explain the science behind our obsession with the cozy fall flavour.
There have been criticisms over calling it pumpkin spice flavour because, often, it doesn’t contain any actual pumpkin. So what is it and where did it come from?
