A tourist in Western Australia recently highlighted the practice of selling pre-peeled red onions in local supermarkets, drawing attention on social media and surprising consumers from outside the state.
Canadian visitor Kyra Poutanen posted a short video on TikTok showing red onions on display at a Woolworths store in Western Australia. The onions were already peeled, with one showing its base cut off and raw flesh exposed. "Someone help … is this just a Western Australia thing? I have never seen this before!" she said in the video. In a caption, she added: "Pre-peeled onion … what? The only red onions they had at Woolies."
In most parts of Australia, onions are sold with skins intact, which protects the bulb and extends shelf life. The appearance of pre-peeled onions led to a wide range of comments online, with some raising food safety concerns. One user noted: "How is this food safe? Peeled onions can absorb so much bacteria!" Others from Western Australia responded that they had never seen onions sold with skins on, suggesting the practice is common locally. "Come to think of it, I've never seen a red onion with the skin on??? I'm from Perth," one commenter said.
Food safety experts have noted that onions are not particularly vulnerable once peeled, provided they are handled and stored properly.
Industry sources explain that the practice of selling red and white onions without skins is unique to Western Australia. The region's growing conditions often result in different skin quality compared with onions grown in eastern states. To provide a uniform product and maintain freshness, supermarkets in WA have chosen to market loose red and white onions in pre-peeled form.
Coles previously stated in 2022: "We've been offering these 'skinless' red and white onions for more than 20 years, and they are extremely popular with our customers."
For local consumers in Western Australia, the practice has become routine, while visitors from other states and countries are often surprised by the absence of onion skins in retail displays.
Source: News.com
