Home cooks know how frustrating it is to cut onions. There is no stopping the tears.
But now, Sunions, the world's first tearless onions, are apparently here to take away our pain.
This onion is the first tearless and sweet onion variety to grow in the US. These are said to be ideal for those with sensitive eyes or for those who cook with children.
Breaking News.
— Ragnbone=Joan 🏴👊🇬🇧 😎 (@Thailandmyfav) January 12, 2022
Tearless onions can now be bought in the UK 🇬🇧
Thought you would all want to know this exciting news 🤣
Soon to be offered in the UK too, Sunions are a result of thirty years of research. The vegetable, marketed as “America’s first tearless and sweet onion,” is described to have a “consistently mild and crunchy” texture and is “certified tearless by both BASF and the Ohio State University Sensory Evaluation Centre.”
Reports reveal that once harvested, Sunions follow a tightly controlled flavour protocol and are tested throughout storage until they reach maximum tearlessness and peak flavour. Then, and only then, do the onion growers ship them to retailers around the country.
The science behind how Sunions remain tearless is explained via their website:
"Sunions are not genetically modified products and were grown through an all-natural cross-breeding program.
“Unlike all other onions, Sunions become sweeter every day. Volatile compounds in onions are responsible for tearing and pungent flavour, and the amounts of those compounds in other onions remain the same or increase over time.
“In Sunions, these compounds do the exact opposite and decrease to create a tearless, sweet and mild onion."
Why does chopping an onion make you cry?
According to research, onions produce the chemical irritant known as syn-propanethial-S-oxide. It stimulates the eyes’ lachrymal glands, so they release tears.
Scientists used to blame the enzyme alliinase for the instability of substances in a cut onion.
Recent studies, however, proved that lachrymatory-factor synthase (a previously undiscovered enzyme) is the culprit.
If, like me, you are far from these countries to get your hands on ‘tearless onions’. Here are tips on how to cut onions without tears.
Wear onion goggles.
Onion goggles exist! And for many people, they work quite well. Find them in speciality cooking shops and home stores.
Keep the exposed cuts away from you.
As soon as you cut an onion in half, turn both halves down on your cutting board. Leave the side you aren’t currently chopping unpeeled.
Once you have finished with one half, move the diced onion into a bowl, and set it on the opposite side of the kitchen before proceeding with the rest of the onion.
Cut off the top of the onion.
Allegedly, the rough root end of the onion is where most of the enzymes and molecules are concentrated.
Again, you might achieve only middling success with this method.