Onions are a versatile cooking ingredient used all over the world. In fact, they are so versatile that they can, and are, used in a variety of other ways besides cooking. Here are a few examples of how onions are used in other industries and sectors:
- Cosmetics: onions are high in sulphur compound which can improve skin texture. Because of this, onion extract is used in skincare and beauty products. Things like creams and shampoos can sometimes have traces of onion extract.
- Pharmaceuticals: their anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties make onions a popular ingredient in pharmaceuticals. Onions have been used to treat respiratory illnesses, coughs, colds, even other conditions like hypertension and high cholesterol.
- Textiles: when used as natural dye for fabrics, onion skins can produce shades of yellow, orange, and brown.
- Biofuel: Onions contain high volumes of carbohydrates, which are fermented to produce ethanol. Ethanol can be used as biofuel for vehicles or as a renewable energy source. While not widely used yet, it is a sustainable alternative to other fuels.
While they are so much more than just a cooking ingredient, and have a wide variety of uses, onions are best known for the vegetable they are, and used as such. In soups, salads, sides, snacks, you are likely to find onions in almost every meal.
M&P Engineering is a leading manufacturer and supplier of food processing equipment to suit all food production factories.
M&P’s Large Onion Peeling machine uses self-adjusting floating knives to top, tail, and peel onions of 45mm to 115mm diameter. The machine is easy to operate due to its simplistic mechanism and design and thanks to the dry peeling process the product remains in pristine condition once it has been peeled.
M&P Engineering offers a wide range of food processing machinery in addition to onion peeling machines, including freshcut equipment such as our Carousel Grid Cutting Machine and our Radish Top & Tailer.