Introduction. Citrus aurantium L. sour oranges are poorly
exploited in Tunisia, although the Tunisian Cap Bon is one of the major areas of
production of sour orange trees. Our study aimed at determining the effect of the
geographic origin of the raw material on quality of orange marmalades and consumer
acceptance. Materials and methods. Fresh sour oranges were collected from
five areas in the Cap Bon region in the North-East of Tunisia for producing marmalades.
Physicochemical characterisation of marmalades from the five different origins included
the determination of soluble solids, total and volatile acidity, the measurement of
reducing sugars, and measurement of colour. Sensory panels from Tunisia, Algeria and
Europe revealed the marmalades’ sensory profiles. The sensory panels then attributed
preference and acceptance ranks for the five marmalades. Results and
discussion. The analyses highlighted an effect of the geographic origin of the
raw material on the physicochemical quality. The most suitable geographic conditions seem
to be climatic and edaphic criteria. Assessors from various nationalities revealed
different sensory profiles depending on the consumer’s nationality and fruit production
region. In addition, Tunisian consumers are less likely to be marmalade buyers than
European and Algerian consumers.