The new onion variety, "Smile Ball," was developed in 2012 by House Foods Group Inc. The idea originated in the 1990s. During the process of making retort curry, onions and garlic sometimes turned green when sauteed together. To understand the chemical reaction causing the discolouration, the components of each were analysed. During this process, a new enzyme responsible for producing the pungent compounds in onions was discovered. The research findings were published in the British scientific journal Nature in 2002. The research progressed, and the mechanism of the enzymatic reaction that produces the pungent compounds in onions also became clear. The team hypothesised that preventing this reaction could lead to the creation of a non-pungent onion. They began developing a new variety and succeeded in 2012. In 2013, research on this onion earned the Ig Nobel Prize in chemistry.
