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Onions release lachyrymatory factor synthase that converts sulfoxides in amino acids to selfenic acid which rearranges itself as syn- propane thiol s-oxide which stimulates the lacrimal glands to produce tears in order to flush he irritant away.

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Q: What makes your eyes water when you cut an onion?
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Will cooling an onion before cutting It keep you from crying?

first you chill a onion for a day in a fridge. then you cut it and see if your hypothesis was right


How can you prevent from crying while cutting an onion?

I read something that said to burn a candle while cutting an onion. I tried it and it actually worked.Another method is to cut the onion under water.when cutting onions place your cut pieces into cold water to maintain the tear gases.When you peel your onion dip it in cold water before cutting and continue to dunk it periodically as you cut to keep those tear gases to a minimumonion is also good for those burned rice situations-- just cut an onion in half and put it into the pot of burned rice to eliminate that burned rice odor-- This may not always work with the taste of burned rice but at least you can somewhat control the odor.


Are potatoes poisonous when they have eyes?

Potatoes are most certainly not poisonous when they have eyes. The eyes just mean that they are able to reproduce. They are not harmful, but people tend to cut them out for visual beautification.


Why onions make us cry?

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 allinase for the instability of substances in a cut onion. Recent studies from Japan, however, proved that lachrymatory-factor synthase, (a previously undiscovered enzyme) is the culprit (Imani et al, 2002).


Why does the narrator cut out one of the eyes of his cat Pluto?

The cat was frightened and bit him

Related questions

What part of a onion makes you cry?

All onions make you cry, because when you cut them, the enzymes inside combine to make a gas that wafts up from the onion. When the gas touches the water in your eyes, it forms sulfuric acid, which is what makes your eyes cry in order to wash the irritant away. You can avoid this by cutting the onion under water, or chilling it.


What food makes you cry?

Onion:When we cut onion 2 chemicals like sulfoxides and enzymes to form gas when this gas reach our eye it makes cry now usually to avoid crying we wash the onion then we see crying chemicals if we make next onion we will wear goggles to protect our eyes thus gas do not reach our eyes.


Can you cry after the onion been cut?

No your eyes water. U cry when u realize u are actually answering this question


How do onions make your eyes water?

It is due to breathing through your nose and the associated odor of the onion. By breathing through your mouth (or gnaw on a toothpick?) you should be able to control the weepy eyes and nose. According to the food channel, it's because when you cut the onion, you pierce the cells which releases a chemical which irritates the pink tissue of the eyes & nose. Which are proximate to the source when looking down to slice & dice. Wanna real treat? Cut up some horseradish, it's guaranteed to run you out of the kitchen right fast!


Why do onion make you cry?

When you cut them, the enzymes inside combine to make a gas that wafts up from the onion. This gas is an irritant, so when it gets in your eyes they water in order to wash the irritant away. You can avoid this by cutting the onion under water, or chilling it.


Are cut onions poisenes?

Certainly not, they are edible, although cutting the onion releases a very mild irritant that can make your eyes water.


how do I cut onion without crying?

wear goggles so no juice of the onion goes in your eyes


What happens when you put an onion in water?

i am assuming that you ask if you can cut onions under water... it is a waste of time. onions float and get slippery when wet so you will probably wind up cutting yourself, and still get burning eyes.


Why you get tear when you cut onion?

A cut onion releases an irritant into the air which irritates our eyes, the body's response in turn is to try to get rid of the irritant through the production of tears. You can try one of two things to have your eyes water less when cutting onions...one is to cut your onion under a stream of water from your tap, the other is to not cut the end of the onion that has the roots on it...this will result in less irritant being released. kutay


Will cooling an onion before cutting It keep you from crying?

first you chill a onion for a day in a fridge. then you cut it and see if your hypothesis was right


Does chilling an onion make you cry?

It may do but it will destroy the delicate cells of the onion and a frozen onion would be difficult to cut, I suggest you refrigerate the onion to cool the fumes that make your eyes water, this causes them to move down toward the floor instead of up toward your eyes or my preferred method is to peel the onions in a bowl of cold water or under a running tap. It might make you cry.


How can you tell if an onion is still fresh?

if it is crisp, juicy, and when u cut it it stings ur eyes