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Why do onions make you cry?

Why do onions make you cry?

  • I was making seafood salsa earlier and wow my eyes were like raining no kidding..Why does it make you cry just by looking at it?

  • Answer:

    As onions are sliced, cells are broken, allowing enzymes called alliinases to break down amino acid sulphoxides and generate sulphenic acids. Sulphenic acids are unstable and spontaneously rearrange into a volatile gas called syn-propanethial-S-oxide. The gas diffuses through the air and eventually reaches the eye, where it reacts with the water to form a diluted solution of sulphuric acid. This acid irritates the nerve endings in the eye, making them sting. Tear glands produce tears to dilute and flush out the irritant. If you are crying just by looking at onions then you may have a psychological reaction to them.

purplelo... at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

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Other answers

Light a candle the next time you cut onions. The flame will absorb the fumes (gases?) from the onion which irritates your eyes. Refrigerating the onion before cutting helps, too.

Renie

its because of an enzyme in the onion.

Cornelius

its because of an enzyme in the onion.

Loop

Its an enzyme in the onion that you smell.

Star_girl

Simple, acid. When you cut into the onion it releases the acid and it gets some into your eye. Don't worry, its not that bad. Just refrigerate the onion and you will be tear free.

Bubbles

because the fumes from the onion irritate your eyes ive heard chewing gum helps i don't see how it would or if it even works but who knows.

imaghost

because it is onion.......

aripa

all in your head...but if you are close to it you might have an allergey

Angel_ThuGEt

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