2. INTRODUCTION : KNOWING AN ONION
• Onions are everywhere.
• What would a kitchen be without the distinctively pungent smell and taste of onions filling
out the flavours of almost every type of cuisine imaginable?
• While onions may bring a tear to your eye and a pungency to your breath they will also
certainly bring delight to your taste buds.
• Onions are also called Bulb onion or common onion.
SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION :
• Kingdom : Plantae
• Division : Magnoliophyta
• Class : Liliopsida
• Order : Asparagales
• Family : Alliaceae
• Genus : Allium
• Species : Allium cepa
3. The onion, known scientifically as Allium cepa, is, on the surface, a humble brown, white
or red, paper-thin skinned bulb; yet, despite its plain looks, it has an intense flavour and is
a beloved part of the cuisine of almost every region of the world.
The word onion comes from the Latin word unio, which means "single," or "one"—
reflecting of the onion plant producing a single bulb, unlike its cousin, the garlic, that
produces many small bulbs.
The name also describes the onion bulb when cut down the middle; it is a union (also from
unio) of many separate, concentrically arranged layers.
4. TYPES OF ONIONS : CLASSIFICATION :
Onions vary in colour, size, the time of year harvested, and flavor.These differences make
onions very versatile.
The Colour of Onions :
• Yellow onion
• Red onion
• White onion
I. Yellow Onions are full-flavored and are a reliable standby
for cooking almost anything.Yellow onions turn a
rich, dark brown when cooked and give French Onion
Soup its tangy sweet flavour.
II. Red Onions, with their wonderful colour, are a good
choice for lots of fresh uses or for grilling and roasting.
III. White Onions are often used in prepared salads, white
sauces, and is the traditional onion for classic Mexican
cuisine.They have a golden colour and sweet flavour when
sautéed.
5. SEASONALCLASSIFICATION :
• Yes. Onions are seasonal! Based on when they are harvested.
I. Spring/Summer Onion Traits
II. Fall/Winter Onion Traits
I. Spring/Summer Onion Traits : FRESH ONIONS
• Available in yellow, red, and white from March through August
• Can be identified by their thin, lighter-coloured skin
• Typically higher in water content, which reduces their shelf-life and makes them
more susceptible to bruising
• Range in flavour from sweet to mild
• Best to use in salads, sandwiches, and fresh, lightly-cooked or grilled dishes
• Many specialty sweet onions are part of this category and are sold under a
specific trade name or label
II. Fall/Winter Onion Traits : STORAGE ONIONS
• Available August through May in yellow, red, and white
• Easy to recognize by their multiple layers of thick, darker coloured skin
• Commonly lower in water content, they have a longer shelf-life
• Range in flavour from mild to pungent
• Best for savory dishes that require longer cooking times or more flavour
6. HISTORY OF ONIONS :
• Because onions are small and their tissues leave little or no trace, there is no conclusive
opinion about the exact location and time of their birth.
• archaeologists, botanists, and food historians believe onions originated in central Asia in
Iran andWest Pakistan.
• Since onions grew wild in various regions, they were probably consumed for thousands of
years and domesticated simultaneously all over the world.
• Onions may be one of the earliest cultivated crops because they were less perishable than
other foods of the time, were transportable, were easy to grow, and could be grown in a
variety of soils and climates.
• In addition, the onion was useful for sustaining human life.Onions prevented thirst and
could be dried and preserved for later consumption when food might be scarce.
• many documents from very early times describe its importance as a food and its use in art,
medicine, and mummification.
Likely origin Red shaded part
7. • they are referenced in some of the oldestVedic writings from India.
• In Egypt, onions can be traced back to 3500 B.C.
• In Egypt, onions were considered to be an object of worship.The onion symbolized
eternity to the Egyptians who buried onions along with their Pharaohs.
• The Egyptians saw eternal life in the anatomy of the onion because of its circle-within-a-
circle structure. Paintings of onions appear on the inner walls of the pyramids and in the
tombs of both the Old Kingdom and the New Kingdom.
• In mummies, onions have frequently been found in the pelvic regions of the body, in the
thorax, flattened against the ears, and in front of the collapsed eyes.
• King Ramses IV, who died in 1160 B.C., was entombed with onions in his eye sockets.
• In India as early as the sixth century B.C., the famous medical treatise Charaka “ Sanhita”
celebrates the onion as medicine “ a diuretic, good for digestion, the heart, the eyes, and
the joints.”
• The Greeks used onions to fortify athletes for the OlympicGames. Before competition,
athletes would consume pounds of onions, drink onion juice, and rub onions on their
bodies.
8. ODOUR OF ONION :
• The strong smell of the onion and its relatives contain. thioallyl compound or alliins
• When cut or crushed, the alliin within the onion is converted by an enzymatic reaction
into allicin, this breaks down into sulfide compounds.
• Sulfide compounds are aromatic and this is what gives the onion, and all the plants in the
onion family, their distinctive smell.
9. ONION NUTRITION FACTS :
• Onions are high in vitamin C, a good source of fibre, and with only 45 calories per
serving, add abundant flavour to a wide variety of food
• Onions are sodium, fat, and cholesterol free, and provide a number of other key
nutrients.
Onion Nutrition Facts Serving Size 1 cup (160g) Percent Daily Values*
Calories 64 3%
Total Carbohydrate 14.9 g 5%
Total Fat 0 0%
Cholesterol 0 0%
Dietary Fibre 2.7 g 11%
Sugars 6.8 g
Protein 4.9 g
Vitamins
Vitamin A 3.2 IU 0%
Vitamin C 11.8 mg 20%
Vitamin B6 0.2 mg 10%
Folate 30.4 mcg 8%
Minerals
Calcium 36.8 mg 4%
Iron .3 mg 2%
Magnesium 16 mg 4%
Phosphorus 46.4 mg 5%
Potassium 234 mg 7%
Sodium 6.4 0%
Zinc .2mcg 1%
Copper 0.1 mg 3%
Manganese 0.2 mg 10%
Selenium 0.8 mcg 1%
Fluoride 1.8 mcg
Other
Percent (%) DailyValues are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
10. • The outstanding polyphenol content of onions (including their rich concentration of
flavonoid polyphenols) is probably the most overlooked nutrient content of these allium
vegetable
• Among the flavonoids, onions also provide a particularly large amount of quercetin.
• Onions are a very good source of biotin.They are also a good source of manganese,
vitamin B6, copper, vitamin C, dietary fiber, phosphorus, potassium, folate, and vitamin B1.
Onions, chopped, cooked
1.00 cup
210.00 grams
Calories: 92
GI: low
Nutrient Amount
DRI/DV
(%)
World's
Healthiest
Foods Rating
biotin 7.98 mcg 26.6 very good
manganese 0.32 mg 16.0 good
vitamin B6 0.27 mg 15.9 good
copper 0.14 mg 15.6 good
vitamin C 10.92 mg 14.6 good
fiber 2.94 g 11.8 good
phosphorus 73.50 mg 10.5 good
potassium 348.60 mg 10.0 good
folate 31.50 mcg 7.9 good
vitamin B1 0.09 mg 7.5 good
water
sugar
fibre
fat
protein
89 %
4%
2%
0.1%
1%
11. : ONIONCULTIVATION : SEEDTO TABLE :
DomesticOnion Production : National Horticulture Board (NHB) 2012-13
12. International Onion Production andTrade :
• Approximately 170 countries grow onions for their own domestic use, and many are also
involved in international trade.
• eight percent of the global production is traded internationally.
• Leading onion production countries :
China 20,507,759
India 13,372,100
USA 3,320,870
Egypt 2,208,080
Iran 1,922,970
Turkey 1,900,000
Pakistan 1,700,100
Brazil 1,556,000
Russia 1,536,300
Korea 1,411,650
World 74,250,809
TopTen Onions (dry) Producers — 2012 (metric tons)
13. I. PLANTING
A. Direct seeded
B. Transplanted
• Best cultivated in fertile soils that are well drained.
• Sandy loams are good as they are low in sulphur.
otherwise pungent onions are produced.
• Onion seeds are short lived and fresh seed
germinates better.
• The seeds are sewn thinly in shallow drills.
• Onion sets are produced by sowing seed thickly in
early summer in poor soil and the small bulbs
produced are harvested in the autumn.
• These bulbs are planted the following spring and
grow into mature bulbs later in the year.
• these may not have such good storage
characteristics as those grown directly from seed.
14. II. Growing
• 5-6 month cycle
• 2/3 of the onion grows on top of the soil
• Bulbing triggered by day length & latitude
• Phosphorus is applied before planting because of its low
level of availability in cold soils.
• Nitrogen and potash can be applied at intervals during the
growing season
• Bulbing onions are day-length sensitive
• their bulbs begin growing only after the number of
daylight hours has surpassed some minimal quantity.
• "long-day" onions, produces bulbs only after 14+ hours of
daylight occurs.
• "short-day" onions, which have been developed in more
recent times, require only 11–12 hours of daylight to
stimulate bulb formation
• Onions are a cool-weather crop
• Hot temperatures or other stressful conditions cause them
to "bolt", meaning that a flower stem begins to grow
15. III. Reaching Maturity
• Tops naturally go down when mature
• Onions are lifted to breakup root system
• Routine care during the growing season involves keeping
the rows free of competing weeds, especially when the
plants are young.
• The plants are shallow rooted and do not need a great
deal of water when established.
16. IV. HARVESTING AND LOADING :
• Mechanical harvesting for most storage onions
• Hand harvesting for most fresh onions
LOADING
UNLOADING
18. Selecting proper onions :
VII. Basic Storage & HandlingTips for Dry Bulb Onions:
• Always handle onions with care. Do not drop onions as this often causes bruising and
internal decay.
• Bagged or boxed onions should be stored at least one foot away from walls and other
pallets to allow proper air movement.
• Keep stacks of bags or boxes at five feet or less.
• Store onions in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area.
• Maintain storage temperature of 45-55°F.
• Do not wrap onions in plastic or store in plastic bags. A lack of air circulation will reduce
shelf life.
• Choose onions that are clean, well shaped, have no opening at the neck, and feature
crisp, dry outer skins.
• Avoid those that are sprouting or have signs of mold.
• onions of inferior quality often have soft spots, moisture at their neck, and dark patches,
which may all be indications of decay.
19. • Onions should feel firm and dry, be free of grey or black mold, and should not have any
visible sprouting. Some loose skins are normal.
• Do not store onions with potatoes or other produce items that release moisture.
• Keep onions out of direct sunlight and other heat sources.
• Cut onions will keep for several days if sealed in plastic bags or containers and refrigerated.
• Onions pungent in flavour have longer storage life.
• They will keep longer than those with a sweeter taste, since the compounds that confer
their sharp taste help to preserve them.
• Store cut onions by placing in a sealed container; use them within a day or two since they
tend to oxidize and lose their nutrient content rather quickly.
Canning is commonly called for in pickled onion recipes. Pearl, boiler, or cut onion pieces are
usually hot packed into jars and processed in a boiling water canner.
20. DEHYDRATINGONIONS :
• Most methods call for onions to be blanched first, then dried in a dehydrator or oven. Drying
time for onions is 6-10 hours.
• The procedure and technique may require some trial and error until you to decide which
technique works best. Remember, onions vary in water content from spring/summer to
fall/winter.
• ApproximateYield: 12 pounds raw = 1-1/2 pounds dry.
• StorageTip: Dried onions will reabsorb moisture and deteriorate during storage. Package in
airtight containers and keep in the freezer for best results.
21. HEALTH BENEFITS :
• Never mind the tears they bring on—onions are an ace ally in your fight against disease. A
prized member of the lily family, they lavish you with health benefits while adding oodles
of taste to your food.
Health benefits of onion in short as follows :
• The phytochemicals in onions improve the working ofVitamin C in the body, thus gifting
you with improved immunity.
• Onions contain chromium, which assists in regulating blood sugar.
• For centuries, onions have been used to reduce inflammation and heal infections.
• Do you enjoy sliced onions with your food? If yes, rejoice! Raw onion encourages the
production of good cholesterol (HDL), thus keeping your heart healthy.
• A powerful compound called quercetin in onions is known to play a significant role in
preventing cancer.
• Got bitten by a honeybee? Apply onion juice on the area for immediate relief from the
pain and burning sensation.
• Onions scavenge free radicals, thereby reducing your risk of developing gastric ulcers and
by preventing growth of the ulcer-forming microorganism, Heliobacter pylori.
• Those bright green tops of green onions are rich inVitamin A, so do use them often.
• onion can help increase our bone density
22. • Onions contain quercetin, a flavonoid (one category of antioxidant compounds).
• Of all the healthy compounds contained in onions, two stand out: sulphur and quercetin -
both being strong antioxidants. They each have been shown to help neutralize the free
radicals in the body, and protect the membranes of the body’s cells from damage.
23. ONION …………Really a poison??
• onions can be deadly for dogs, cats, guinea pigs, monkeys and other animals.
• The toxicity is caused by the sulfoxides present in raw and cooked onions which many
animals are unable to digest.
• Ingestion results in anaemia caused by the distortion and rupture of red blood cells.
• In India, some sects do not eat onions as they believe them to be an aphrodisiac.
• Some people suffer from allergic reactions after handling onions. Symptoms can include
contact dermatitis, intense itching, blurred vision, bronchial asthma andsweating.
• the more pungent onions exhibit strong anti-platelet activity.
Eye irritation :
• Chopping an onion causes damage to cells which allows enzymes called alliinases to break
down amino acid sulfoxides and generate sulfenic acids.
• sulfenic acid, is rapidly acted on by a second enzyme, the lachrymatory factor synthase
(LFS), giving volatile gas known as the onion lachrymatory factor or LF.
• This gas diffuses through the air and soon reaches the eye, where it activates sensory
neurons, creating a stinging sensation.
• Tear glands produce tears in order to dilute and flush out the irritant.
24. PESTS AND DISEASES :
• Onions suffer from a number of plant disorders.
• The most serious for the home gardener are likely to be the onion fly, stem and bulb
eelworm, white rot and neck rot.
• The bulbs may be affected by splitting, white rot and neck rot.
• Shanking is a condition when the central leaves turn yellow and the inner part of the bulb
collapses into an unpleasant-smelling slime.
• Most of these disorders are best treated by removing and burning affected plants.
The onion fly is attracted to the crop by the smell of damaged tissue and lay eggs.The larvae
tunnel into the bulbs and bulbs are disfigured and rot.
• Control measures may include crop rotation, the use of seed dressings, early sowing or
planting and the removal of infested plants.
25. The onion eelworm causes swollen distorted foliage.
• Young plants are killed and older ones produce soft bulbs. There is no cure and affected
plants should be uprooted and burnt.
• The site should not be used for growing onions again for several years.
• White rot of onions is caused by the soil-borne fungus Sclerotium cepivorum.
• There is no cure for this fungal disease so affected plants should be removed and destroyed .
Neck rot is a fungal disease affecting onions in storage, resulting in grey moulds to develop.
• This disease may be present throughout the growing period but only manifest itself when
the bulb is in store.
• Anti-fungal seed dressings are available and the disease can be minimised by preventing
physical damage to the bulbs at harvesting, careful drying and curing of the mature onions
and correct storage in a cool, dry place with plenty of circulating air
26. ONION PRODUCTS :
onions may be bred and grown to mature at smaller sizes.
• Depending on the mature size and the purpose for which the onion is used, these may be
referred to as pearl, boiler, or pickler onions.
• Pearl and boiler onions may be cooked as a vegetable rather than as an ingredient.
• pickler onions are often preserved in vinegar as a long-lasting relish.
Onions are available in fresh, frozen, canned, caramelized, pickled and chopped forms.
• Onion powder is a spice widely used when the fresh ingredient is not available. It is made
from finely ground, dehydrated onions and has strong odour.
Caramelizing onions brings out their amazing natural flavour.They're terrific on
sandwiches and pizzas, over pastas, in soups, on meat, fish, and egg dishes.
27. ONION CRISIS 2010 :
• It describes the dramatic rise in the cost of onions across markets in India.
• The crisis was caused by untimely rainfall in the onion producing regions which led to a
shortage of onion production.
• Forty-five percent of the onion produce in India comes from the states
of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
• unseasonal and excessive rainfall in onion-producing regions such
as Nashik in Maharashtra delayed the arrival of onions in markets.
• Raising the price of onion from Rs.35 to Rs.88 in one week in Mumbai markets.
• official incompetence and price-ramping by traders have also been blamed for the crisis.
AFTERMATH :
• banning onion exports
• lowering import taxes
• getting in shipments of onions from neighbouring Pakistan.
THANKYOU
