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Title: Sharp Knives Reduce Onion-Induced Tears By Limiting Droplet Spray,
Study Finds

Link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/25/05/23/0...

Cornell University researchers have solved a kitchen mystery by demonstrating
that sharp knives produce fewer and slower-moving droplets when cutting
onions compared to dull blades. The findings used high-speed cameras and
particle tracking to analyze droplet formation during onion cutting at speeds
up to 20,000 frames per second. The team discovered that onion droplets form
through a two-stage process: an initial violent ejection driven by internal
pressure, followed by slower fragmentation of liquid streams in air. Blunter
blades create up to 40 times more droplets because the onion's tough outer
skin acts as a barrier, allowing the softer interior tissue to compress
significantly before rupturing and releasing pressurized liquid. The research
reveals that droplets are ejected at speeds between 1 and 40 meters per
second, with the fastest ones posing the greatest risk of reaching a cook's
eyes. Beyond tear reduction, the study suggests sharp knives may also limit
the spread of foodborne pathogens, since atomized droplets can carry bacteria
like Salmonella from contaminated cutting boards.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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