Woolworths has just released the first crop of Happy Chop – Tearless Onions in the UK, a unique onion cultivar that is less prone to make you weep when chopped.
Onions produce substances that induce discomfort and tears when sliced as a natural self-defence strategy. The firm says that its tearless onions were developed over decades, through cross-breeding, to be less irritant-prone.
Furthermore, unlike conventional onions, which rise post-harvest, the irritating substances in tearless onions will diminish over time even after they were harvested.
Woolworths Supermarkets’ GM for fruit and vegetables, Paul Turner, said the business has heard innumerable anecdotes of individuals avoiding tears when chopping onions by wearing glasses, freezing onions, or wearing a mask.
“[This is] yet another way we continue to deliver on our promise to bring the best fresh fruit and vegetables to our customers,” Turner explained.The new tearless onions taste somewhat sweeter and less pungent than normal brown onions. They can be eaten fresh or cooked.