As the Northwest storage onion season winds down, quality is beginning to weaken.

• Quality defects include dry and watery scale, along with translucency
  • Dry Scale
    • Dry scale develops when an onion is maturing during its growth cycle
    • When growth is hindered, due to excessive heat or lack of adequate water, the inner bulb may set a small layer of dry skin around the top of the bulb; the outer layers will grow around this, leaving what looks like a gap between the layers
  • Translucency
    • Translucency is characterized by a grayish, watery texture within the outer layer(s) of an onion when cut in half

• Translucency can form in storage, as well as in transit

• Onions near the bottom portion of a storage bin endure pressure from the weight of the onions piled above
• Supplies exposed to low temperatures can develop translucent scales during transport from storage sheds to production facilities or in-transit after shipping

• Watery Scale

• Onions with watery scales have an off-color and a water-soaked appearance internally
• This defect develops due to lack of nutrients, sub-optimal water treatment, and sharp temperature changes
• Suppliers are unable to detect defects during the sorting and packing process; the defects are internal and appear under the dry, outer skin of the onion
• Photos are attached

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

©2022 Markon Cooperative, Inc. All rights reserved.