4 Ways to Avoid Tears When Slicing an Onion

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I love to put onions in my food. I enjoy the richness it brings to many dishes. But, the preparation of the onion can be like torture. I am always looking for new ways to slice and prepare onions without the tears that they cause. Onions have a volatile sulfur compound in them that both gives them the pungent flavor many enjoy, and cause us to tear up when we go to slice them. This factor is called syn-pronethalol-s-oxide. Here are some methods that can be used to avoid tearing up when slicing onions: When onions are chopped an enzyme trapped inside the cells walls interacts with sulfur compounds and the more cells are damaged the more of this enzyme is released. To avoid this, use a very sharp knife and that will help to avoid the cell damage and not make you cry. Another way is to chill the onion before cutting. Low temperatures reduce the enzyme activity and sulfur volatility. Chill the onions about 30 minutes or just store a few in your fridge at all times. You can also use a fan. Put it beside your cutting board. As you cut it releases the chemicals in tiny droplets, and the fan blows them away. Wearing protective eye wear (like laboratory goggles) is still another way to keep the chemicals from your eyes.