You often see black mold on onions, but is it really dangerous for your health? Should you buy such onions or avoid them? We break down all the facts. Just a little care makes it completely safe to use these onions in your daily cooking.
Onions are a must-have in our kitchens. If you eat onions, you know your food just does not taste right without them. Ayurveda also gives a lot of importance to onions. But we often see onions with black mold in the market. The crop depends heavily on the weather. When the weather goes bad or rainfall is low, onion production drops. That is when farmers bring out the onions stored in cold spaces or storage sheds. But this stored onion often catches black mold.
Mold on the outer peel
We have no choice but to buy these onions. The good news is that this mold usually stays on the outer peel. It rarely goes deep inside. But if you cut the onion and see the mold has reached deep inside, just throw it away. That onion is spoiled. If you are using an onion with black mold for cooking, you must take some basic precautions.
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Remove the top layer
First, peel off the top layer of the onion. If you still see black lines on the inside layers, rub the onion well and wash it clean under running tap water. Only use it after washing. However, if the onion has turned soft or watery on one side, do not use it at all. You should always wash onions before use. Farmers use mild pesticide powders in cold storage spaces to keep the onions safe for a longer time.
USDA has given guidelines
You might wonder if this black mold is deadly. It is not highly dangerous for everyone. But people who have allergies, asthma, or very low immunity need to be careful. If the mold spores enter their breathing track through the nose, it can cause sneezing, breathing trouble, and cough. This black mold is actually called 'Aspergillus niger'. Even the American USDA has given guidelines saying you can wash the onion and use it safely.
Soil mold reaches the onion
You cannot easily spot this mold with the naked eye when it starts. It comes from the soil and grows on the onion during cold storage. But if you wash the onion properly, it is completely safe to eat. Indians use onions in large quantities because they bring great taste to our meals.
Need to find the real reason
Sometimes, you might hear local news claiming a woman died after eating an onion with black mold. We need to find the real truth behind such claims. The fact is, if you remove the black mold, wash the onion properly, and see no mold left, it is perfectly safe to eat.
Mold grows on onions stored for months
Onion production goes up and down in India every year. When prices fall, farmers store their onions and sell them later when prices go up. This long storage causes the black mold to grow. Onions stored for just a month do not get this mold. It only happens when they are stored for a long time. But it is not deadly. You just need to peel it off and throw the outer layer away. Even hotel owners need to follow this simple safety step.
