[dentstudent (OP)]

This MUST have been done before, but what is the substánce that makes your eyes sting? And from so far away!

I've heard that onions from the fridge tend to sting less - are there any others?

[Karen W.]

From here!http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryfaqs/f/onionscry.htm

A. Unless you've avoided cooking, you've probably cut up an onion and experienced the burning and tearing you get from the vapors. When you cut an onion, you break cells, releasing their contents. Amino acid sulfoxides form sulfenic acids. Enzymes that were kept separate now are free to mix with the sulfenic acids to produce propanethiol S-oxide, a volatile sulfur compound that wafts upward toward your eyes. This gas reacts with the water in your tears to form sulfuric acid. The sulfuric acid burns, stimulating your eyes to release more tears to wash the irritant away.

[DoctorBeaver]

Cut them in a bowl of water. Problem solved.

[Karen W.]

put a slice of bread in your mouth while you chop! LOLI just use my food processor on short chops for chunks and grind for sauses! LOL no burning eyes!

[DoctorBeaver]

Bread? Why would that help?

[dentstudent (OP)]

Sulphuric acid!!!???!!

The bread might help to breath through your nose, although why this would help reduce stingin, I've no idea.

[dentstudent (OP)]

Cut them in a bowl of water. Problem solved.

But this is perhaps not that useful if you're finely chopping. OK for rings etc, and being a kitchen purist, I prefer to cut with a knife rather than whizz.

[Karen W.]

Bread? Why would that help?

It is supposed to just stop the fumes from rising by absorption .. and blocking.. LOL my mom used it every night when she cut the onions she was a cook as was my grandma and they both used that method.. there was another but for the life of me I cannot remember what it was!

[Karen W.]

Sulphuric acid!!!???!!

The bread might help to breath through your nose, although why this would help reduce stingin, I've no idea.

Where did you find that smiley??? LOL is he in our smiley site.. he is cute..!

[DoctorBeaver]

Cut them in a bowl of water. Problem solved.

But this is perhaps not that useful if you're finely chopping. OK for rings etc, and being a kitchen purist, I prefer to cut with a knife rather than whizz.

I've chopped them in a bowl of water.

[Karen W.]

Is it hard to chop in a bowl or do you use one of those cool curved choppers?

[DoctorBeaver]

Just an ordinary sharp knife.

[Karen W.]

The curve of the bowl does not make it difficult?

[dentstudent (OP)]

experienced the burning and tearing you get from the vapors.

[Karen W.]

experienced the burning and tearing you get from the vapors.

You don't have to blow vapor in my eyes to make em tear, they are teary all the the time these days we don't need sulfuric acid to do it! LOL Just say BOO!

[_Stefan_]

I thought if you didn't breath through your nose the onions wouldn't affect you as much.

[paul.fr]

I did hear that drinking beer, not wine or cider...whilst peeling onions stops the tears.

[DoctorBeaver]

I did hear that drinking beer, not wine or cider...whilst peeling onions stops the tears.

Not if you get so drunk you chop your fingers off!

[paul.fr]

I did hear that drinking beer, not wine or cider...whilst peeling onions stops the tears.

Not if you get so drunk you chop your fingers off!

They were Aussies that conducted the experiment, so i think being drunk was normal for them  []

[DoctorBeaver]

I did hear that drinking beer, not wine or cider...whilst peeling onions stops the tears.

Not if you get so drunk you chop your fingers off!

They were Aussies that conducted the experiment, so i think being drunk was normal for them  []

Especially if they were from Brisbane.