| json_metadata | "{"app":"musing/1.1","appTags":["Onions","Pungent"],"appCategory":"Onions","appTitle":"Why is the Onion Pungent to the Exposed Eyes?","appBody":"<p>Onions aren't actually pungent to the eyes at first contact. Think about it. Onions only begin to irritate the eyes when they are cut open. The onions have a defence mechanism which is the release of a chemical called syn-propanethial-S-oxide. This chemical enters the air for the injured onion and comes in contact with the eye. When it enters your eye, it stimulates the lachrymal gland and this causes a release of tears. The chemical process goes like this:</p><p>1)Lachrymatory-factor synthase or LF synthase is released once the onion is injured</p><p>2) It then changes the amino acids sulfoxides in the onion to sulfenic acid.</p><p>3) The sulfenic acid is unstable and so restructures itself into syn-propanethial-S-oxide.</p><p>4) Syn-propanethial-S-oxide is released into the air and it finds its way into our eyes. The lachrymal glands get irritated and we cry like babies.</p>","appDepth":2,"appParentPermlink":"pksrme8af","appParentAuthor":"whyaskwhy","musingAppId":"aU2p3C3a8N","musingAppVersion":"1.1","musingPostType":"answer"}" |
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