BACKGROUND Nigeria and Cameroon are multi-ethnic countries with diverse preferences for food characteristics. The present study aimed to inform cassava breeders on consumer-prioritized eba quality traits. Consumer testing was carried out using the triadic comparison of technologies (tricot). Diverse consumers in villages, towns and cities evaluated the overall acceptability of eba made from different cassava genotypes. Data from both countries were combined and linked to laboratory analyses of eba and the gari used to make it. RESULTS There is a strong preference for eba with higher cohesiveness and eba from gari with higher brightness and especially in Cameroon, with lower redness and yellowness. Relatively higher eba hardness and springiness values are preferred in the Nigerian locations, whereas lower values are preferred in Cameroon. Trends for solubility and swelling power of the gari differ between the two countries. The study also reveals that the older improved cassava genotype TMS30572 is a benchmark genotype with superior eba characteristics across different regions in Nigeria, whereas the recently released variety Game changer performs very well in Cameroon. In both locations, the recently released genotypes Obansanjo-2 and improved variety TM14F1278P0003 have good stability and overall acceptability for eba characteristics. CONCLUSION The wide acceptance of a single genotype across diverse geographical and cultural conditions in Nigeria, as well as three acceptable new improved varieties in both locations, indicates that consumers' preferences are surprisingly homogeneous for eba. This would enhance breeding efforts to develop varieties with wider acceptability and expand potential target areas for released varieties. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.12867

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Olamide Olaosebikanhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1470-1150

Bello Abolorehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-8871-6163

Michael Adesokanhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1361-6408

Alamu Emmanuel Oladejihttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6263-1359

Béla Teekenhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3150-1532

https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.12867

Nutrition and Human Health; Social Science and Agribusiness

Agribusiness; Agronomy; Cassava; Food Security; Livelihoods; Plant Breeding; Post-Harvesting Technology; Value Chains

Consumers; Food Security; Cassava; By-Products; Garri; Breeding

Africa; West Africa; West and Central Africa

Cameroon; Nigeria

Southern Africa Hub; Headquarters and Western Africa Hub

Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture