The Layers of an onion and why does it make us cry?

Mark Antony in Shakespeare’s Cleopatra may have

referred to “the tears that live in the onion”. But why
do onions actually make us cry? And why do only
some onions make us cry in this way when others,
including related “allium” plants such as garlic, barely
ever draw a tear when chopped?

An onion (Allium cepa L.) also known as the bulb

onion or common onion is an edible bulb with a
strong taste and smell, composed of several
concentric layers, used in cooking. Alone, onions appear to
be harmless, innocent vegetables, but once you cut them open, that
changes pretty quickly.

“See, the onion is a perennial bulb that lives in the ground with
lots of critters who are looking for a snack,” says Eric Block, the
chemist who has written the book Garlic and Other Alliums, “so it
has evolved a chemical defense system.”

Basically, the onion really wants you to stop slicing it up.

The layers of the onion are also not just an accidental design
flaw. They are actually quite brilliant! Within each onion cell, there’s
a tiny glob — a sealed vacuole — filled with a synthase enzyme.
This enzyme is basically the fuel for any and all of the onion’s
mischief.

When you cut or bite into an onion, you’re basically tearing these
cells apart, and opening up those previously tightly sealed
vacuoles. By doing this, the synthase enzyme escapes its prison
and is free to interact with the amino acid sulfoxides of the onion.

Separately, both chemicals – the enzyme and the amino acid

sulfoxides – are pretty neutral. However, once combined, they
create sulfenic acid.
 Sulfenic acid is a restless chemical that does not quietly
concede to its new form. Because sulfenic acid is inherently
unstable, many different chemical reactions occur in the onion
within an instant. Finally, this onion chemical carnival results
in sulfenic acid rearranging itself into syn-propanethial S-oxide.

What Happens in Your Eyes?

“The reason onions make you cry is because they

release a gas called syn-propanethial S-oxide. This
gas reacts with the tears in your eyes to form sulfuric
acid. The sulfuric acid is what causes the stinging
sensation and the tears.”

Sulfuric acid, unsurprisingly enough, causes a

strong stinging sensation in our eyes, namely because
it poses a threat to our delicate cornea. The
brain notices this external threat and signals the
lacrimal gland to increase tear production. The
industrious lacrimal gland upgrades the basal tears
into reflex tears by stuffing them with antibodies,
which fight any harmful incoming micro-organisms.
The lacrimal gland typically ends up creating
way more tears than it needs to wash away the
irritants.

Therefore, you’re left sobbing and sniffling and

wondering if industrial-level safety eyewear might be
worth investing in.

Solutions?

The simplest solution to this problem is cooking

the bulb. By heating an onion, you basically inactivate
the synthase enzyme. By debilitating the basic
component of the chemical reaction, you successfully
eliminate all chances of suffering an unprovoked
emotional trauma.

There are, however, other ways to avoid these

tears. You could choose a well-ventilated area for your
battle against the onion. By dissipating the
concentration of molecules of syn-propanethial S-
oxide, you lower the chances of it invading your
optical territory.

Another creative solution is to refrigerate the

onions before chopping them. Molecules tend to move
faster when they’re hot, and slower when they’re cold.
By freezing or chilling the onions before cutting them,
you significantly slow down their propensity to form
harmful chemicals.

Lastly, you could also just suck it up and deal with

this peculiar effect of onions. After all, what is joy
without any pain?