The Pros And Cons Of Onion

Have you ever cut into an onion and your eyes start to water and tears run down your face? Scientists have been studying this strange issue for decades. For over 40 years, scientists including Eric Block have been trying to figure out why cutting into an onion makes you “cry”. A chemical reaction occurs when you slice into the onion releasing a gas containing sulfur. This gas reacts with your eyes and forms small amounts of sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid causes the burning and eventually tears. The sulphur chemical that is formed is called lachrymatory factor or LF. Lachrymatory comes from the Latin word lacrima, which means tear. Eric Block hypothesized that enzymes speed up the chemical reaction when the onion’s skin is cut. Scientists