After more than 20 years of trial and error, Japanese researchers have produced onions, which release nearly none of the eye-irritating gases responsible for causing tears when chopping the vegetable.
This tearless onion, named the Smile Ball, was sold in trial runs at department stores and online shops within Tokyo, selling out of nearly five tons of the bulbous root. The onions will be sold at supermarkets nationwide this fall, though no specific start date has been specified. The onions will cost 450 yen for a pack of two, which is approximately twice the price of traditional onions.
The Smile Ball is said to not carry the characteristic smell of regular onions, and, when eaten raw, contains a sweetness similar to apples or nashi Asian pears. But how do Japanese feel about this revolutionary new food? Less than enthusiastic, according to these Internet commenters.
“But what about its nutrition content?”
“You know that if you chill an onion in the fridge you can pretty much mince it without any tears, right?”
“As you grow older you naturally stop tearing up, so forget that and do something about its smell.”
While there don’t seem to be any smiles around for the Smile Ball, judging from its trial sales last year, there are plenty of consumers around willing to shell out for some sting-free slicing and dicing.
