Sunions, America’s first tearless and sweet onion, are shipping to retailers this week. Using a certification process unique to the onion category, a sensory panel determines the ship date of Sunions by following a tightly-controlled protocol including three separate tests for both flavor and tearlessness. “We don’t release the Sunions until fully approved by the sensory panel,” said Crop Sales Manager Lyndon Johnson.
A product of more than three decades of research, development and natural hybridization by Nunhems Vegetable Seeds, Sunions are a long-day sweet onion variety grown domestically in Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Washington. But unlike other long-day onions, Sunions become sweeter and tearless in storage.
Because of their years of research and study, Nunhems has been able to understand the flavor profile of onions better than most to help perfect the flavor of Sunions. Nunhems has adopted modern testing methods to more accurately identify the sweetness and tearless compounds of Sunions.
“We use 17 different compounds that contribute to flavor. With these testing methods, we can deliver a more consistent flavor experience for the consumer,” said Johnson, “Pyruvate readings used to be the industry standard of measuring pungency and sweetness of onions. We’ve moved beyond pyruvates to more sophisticated measuring methods to ensure our consumers will enjoy the incredible flavor of Sunions.”
