The importance of language patterns in the sensory evaluation of chocolates and plant-based drinks

Language is a central tool through which individuals communicate sensory impressions and emotional reactions to food. Yet, the response modality through which these evaluations are expressed may substantially influence the linguistic patterns that emerge. Using an exploratory approach, this study examined how response modality (written vs. spoken) shapes the characterisation of food products during sensory evaluation. Participants evaluated three chocolates and three plant-based drinks, providing open-ended descriptions that were analysed using LIWC2015. While hedonic mean scores showed a consistent preference for chocolates across modalities, linguistic patterns revealed substantial differences between written and spoken modalities. Written responses contained more affective terms, perceptual descriptors, and lexically complex words, whereas spoken descriptions were longer and relied more on cognitive and function words, typical of spontaneous speech. Across modalities, chocolates elicited more affective and descriptive language, whereas plant-based drinks prompted more analytical and perceptual vocabulary. The findings demonstrate that the written and spoken modalities capture differentially emotional and cognitive aspects of food perception, highlighting the importance of modality choice in sensory and consumer research.