The Pyruvate scale measures pungency in onions and garlic with units of um/gfw. It is named after the acid in onions which makes peoples eyes tear up when cutting them.
The standard onion has an eight rating, while "sweet onions" have a two or three rating on the scale. The lower the score or scale the more "sweet" the onions are rated. Anything less than five is considered a sweet onion.
The Vidalia onion variety are considered sweet and must have a score of 5.0 um/gfw or less.[citation needed] The Supasweet onion (usually grown in Lincolnshire, England) registers 1.5 to 2 on the scale. A standard brown onion is usually in the range of 6-7 out of 10.
Soil type, rain, and sunlight affect the pungency in onions and garlic and, therefore, their score on the pyruvate scale.
External links
- The National Organic Program — by the USDA
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