Probably, you have been in a kitchen chopping onions only to feel tears coming out of your eyes.
This is caused by a chemical gas known as syn-propanethial-S-oxide which is found in onions. This chemical gas reacts with air to produce a volatile sulphuric acid gas which brings about tears.
Here are five tricks to escape the shedding of tears as you chop the onions according to elcrema.com.
1. Keep a spoon in your mouth
This involves chemical reactions whereby the gas released from the onion binds to the metallic spoon hence, it does not reach your eyes although some might escape into your eyes.
But this trick reduces the amount of the gas that reaches your eyes.
2. Dip onion in water before you chop
After peeling off the outer coverings of the onion, dip it in water for a few minutes. The water will absorb some amount of the gas.
3. Put the onion in the fridge
When the onions are too cold, it releases a less amount of the gas since volatility reduces with the decrease in temperature. Therefore, no more tears.
4. Burn some candles
Sounds a little weird but it is believed that the flame will consume some of the gas.
5. Have something to chew
Especially bread. Put a bread hanging in your mouth so that it can trap some amount of the gas before it reaches your eyes.