slimy red onion

slimy red onion - Assorted Spices on Brown Wooden Table Beside Red and White Textile

I purchased a red onion yesterday, sliced it open and noticed that it felt slimy on the red skin of one of the exposed inner layers. I've never noticed that before. Is that normal, or has the onion gone bad?

onionsspoilage


Best Answer

Some slime building is normal in onions and related vegetables, see this question. It is less pronounced in bulbs than in leaves, but it can occur. If your onion bulb is solid, there is no problem with it.

Sometimes you can have spoiled slimy onion bulbs. In this case, spoilage microorganisms eat away the firm cell structure of the onion and leave you with slimy mush. You can recognize this easily: if it has happened, the onion has a patch which feels really soft, and is much slimier than the rest. It is often discolored, and can also smell strange. It looks and feels very different from a healthy onion with a slight slime layer. I can't be 100% sure as I haven't seen your onion, but from your description, it sounds like it wasn't the case this time.



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Can you eat slimy red onions?

How to tell if a red onion is bad? If you see the dark spots, sprouts, or weird sweet smell that means that the red onion becomes bad. If you noticed the slimy texture or black mushy spots that means that the onion has mold inside. And you should throw it out.

Is it OK to cook slimy onions?

The answer is yes! The onion might get a little mushy after it sprouts, but it's not poisonous or toxic and it won't hurt you. Especially if the roots and shoots are still small, it's still perfectly good. Some people even like the taste of sprouted onion, but some think the shoots are too bitter.

How do you know if a red onion is bad?

Spoiled onions may develop dark spots, which will eventually begin to grow mold. You'll also want to avoid onions that have started sprouting, as this indicates they're beginning to go bad. You can also feel your onions to check how fresh they are. Onions with soft or mushy spots are starting to go bad.


How to Make Homemade Pickled Red Onions | SAM THE COOKING GUY



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