## 4 Conclusions  
The free-listing method has emerged as an effective tool for capturing a representative lexicon related to the sensory attributes of food products. The current study accurately employed this method to discern four sensory attribute categories for whole grape juice and five for milk chocolate bars. The derived lexicon offers insight into consumers' sensory perceptions and emotional responses to these products.  
When interpreting the results of the check-all-that-apply (CATA) questionnaires, the positioning of the 'ideal' question proved crucial. If the aim is to gain a comprehensive, holistic grasp of how consumers recognize product attributes, the CATA-First (CATA-F) methodology stands out. The portrayal of the ideal product using this approach was more exhaustive and seemed to capture the authentic targets of consumers. Conversely, if more precise characterization of actual test samples is sought, the CATA-Last (CATA-L) method would be the method of choice. It provided more detailed results, captured a broader range of attributes, and demonstrated a pronounced influence on the hedonic average. Thus, CATA-F offers a novel possibility to estimate consumer descriptions of the typical product without any preceding stimuli.  
Figure 8: Histogram of acceptance scores for the evaluated milk chocolate samples: (**a**) CATA-L, (**b**) CATA-F (%).  
While evident, the influence of question placement may vary based on factors intrinsic to the product samples in question. This highlights the importance of the hypothesis that initiating with attributes of the ideal product before evaluating actual products could imply more spontaneous and genuine responses. This hypothesis calls for further exploration across diverse food matrices, each with unique complexities. Such investigations would provide a more profound understanding of CATA questionnaires, unraveling the strengths and potential pitfalls of the 'ideal' product description.  
Expanding this line of inquiry to include a broader spectrum of food products and their packaging materials is vital, each presenting its unique complexities. Moreover, future studies must be more demographically inclusive to ensure a holistic understanding, capturing the cultural, social, and personal nuances that blend consumer preferences.  
In sum, while the recent research offers a fresh perspective on the 'ideal' product description within the CATA framework, much work remains to be conducted. A balanced consideration of its findings, limitations, and future directions ensures that consumer research remains ever-evolving and insightful.  
Conceptualization, K.A.A., S.D.D., F.S.B. and C.D.; methodology, K.A.A., S.D.D., F.S.B., E.R.A., C.D. and J.F.R.; validation, K.A.A., S.D.D., F.S.B., E.R.A., C.D., C.S. and J.F.R.; formal analysis, K.A.A. and S.D.D.; investigation, K.A.A.; resources, K.A.A., S.D.D., E.R.A. and C.D.; writing--original draft preparation, K.A.A., S.D.D., F.S.B., C.D., C.S. and J.F.R.; writing--review and editing, all authors; visualization, K.A.A., C.D., C.S. and J.F.R.; supervision, S.D.D., E.R.A. and C.D.; funding acquisition, K.A.A. and C.D. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
This research was funded by CAPES, grant number 88882.385763/2019-01.  
The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, submitted to the Research Ethics Committee (CEP) of the Federal University of Goias--UFG, and approved by Opinion Number CAAE 06671219.2.0000.5083, in compliance with the legal requirements established by Operational Standard No. 001/2013 CONEP/CNS.  
Informed Consent Statement: Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in this study.  
Not applicable.  
This work was supported by CAPES (88882.385763/2019-01) and projects REQUIMTE/LAQV--UIDB/50006/2020 and UIDP/50006/2020, and financed by the FCT/ Ministerio da Ciencia, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior (MCTES) through national funds. The authors also thank the CNPq and FAPEMIG.  
The authors declare no conflict of interest.