The best way to prevent crying while chopping onions, according to science
Study reveals how to reduce eye irritation while cutting onions
- Physicists have found that cutting onions slowly with the sharpest knives available can significantly reduce eye irritation.
- The study, published in PNAS, revealed that sharper blades and slower cutting speeds decrease the volume of irritating liquid released as aerosols.
- Duller knives and faster cutting were observed to increase the amount of onion juice sprayed, as dull blades push down and cause layers to spring back, ejecting liquid.
- Researchers also tested the common belief that chilling onions reduces irritation, but found no significant difference between refrigerated and room-temperature samples.
- The findings extend beyond onions, suggesting that maintaining sharp blades and cutting gently could help reduce the spread of pathogens from splashing in kitchens.