Chemistry & Materials

25 Chemical Reactions Happening in Your Kitchen Right Now

Fact 1 of 254%

Onions use chemical warfare to make you cry.

A person slicing onions on a wooden board.

Slicing an onion releases syn-propanethial-S-oxide, a volatile gas that turns into sulfuric acid upon touching your eyes. This is a defensive mechanism evolved to stop animals from eating the bulb.

"Onions are the only vegetable that fights back after it is dead."

Chilling the onion before cutting slows down the enzymatic reaction, reducing the gas output.

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