How do you know if a onion is ripe?

Answer 1

It might have just been older. It's gone bad if it's soft, wrinkled, foul smelling (and I don't mean the usual onion smell, I mean a "what died?" smell), slimy/sticky inside, mushy or molding on the outside. Also, if it's sprouted, it's pretty much worthless. Onions keep surprisingly long. Store them in a dark ( not damp) spot away from potatoes.

Oh, and no, you won't get sick. :)

Answer 2

If they don't look fresh, get rid of them. Onions will last a while, but once they are chopped, they deteriorate rapidly and get yucky. It is best to chop the onions right before you need them.

Answer 3

Depending on the climate conditions, onions can stay good for several months. They keep better in cool, dry temperatures in the dark, but are unlikely to last more than a couple of weeks in hot and humid conditions, out in the open and the light.

Answer 4

Onions don't get ripe, instead you want to pick the point at which the bulb is the largest but before it begins to rot in the soil to prepare for the next years growth. Generally this happens as the first 2 or 3 leaves start to die and turn completely brown.

Answer 5

Some signs of a bad onion are that it's gone moldy, it's gotten soft, and it has sprouted.

Answer 6

It would most likely have green sprouts coming out of the top, be mushy, and have a foul smell. Also, when you cut it up, it would most likely NOT make you tear up.

Answer 7

You know when onions go bad by feeling them. An onion that is bad will develop soft spots. They may even begin to grow mold.