Process for heat-treating onions

1 . A process for production of a heat-treated onions composition, the method comprising:

a) peeling and dicing onion;

b) mixing the peeled and diced onion with oil to obtain a mix;

c) heating the mix from step b) in a temperature range of 55-99° C. for 15 to 240 min reducing moisture content of the mix; and

d) cooling,

wherein the heating of the mix is done under vacuum of 180 to 710 mbar, and a moisture content of the heat-treated onions composition after step d) is below 80 wt % (based on total composition), and

the heat-treated onions composition has a formulation selected from the group consisting of

(i) at least 3.0 mg/kg cis/trans-methyl-1-propenyl disulphide (by total weight of the composition), at least 1.3 mg/kg cis/trans-methyl-1-propenyl trisulphide (by total weight of the composition), and at least 0.2 mg/kg (cis,cis)/(cis,trans)/(trans,trans)-di-1-propenyl trisulphide (by total weight of the composition),

(ii) at least 10.0 mg/kg cis/trans-methyl-1-propenyl disulphide (by total weight of the composition), at least 2.5 mg/kg cis/trans-methyl-1-propenyl trisulphide (by total weight of the composition), and at least 0.4 mg/kg (cis,cis)/(cis,trans)/(trans,trans)-di-1-propenyl trisulphide (by total weight of the composition), and

(iii) 10.0 to 65 mg/kg cis/trans-methyl-1-propenyl disulphide (by total weight of the composition), 2.5 to 20 mg/kg cis/trans-methyl-1-propenyl trisulphide (by total weight of the composition), and 0.4 to 2.5 mg/kg (cis,cis)/(cis,trans)/(trans,trans)-di-1-propenyl trisulphide (by total weight of the composition).

2 . The process of claim 1 , wherein in step b) 80 to 95 wt % (by weight of the total composition) of the peeled and diced onion are mixed with 5 to 20 wt % (by weight of the total composition) of oil.

3 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the heating is done via double jacketed steam.

4 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the heating is done at a temperature range of 55 to 95° C. for 20 to 120 minutes.

5 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the oil is sunflower oil.

6 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the oil comprises sunflower oil comprising fatty acids C16:0 in a range of 1 to 25 wt % (based on weight of total fat), C18:1 in a range of 60 to 90 wt % (based on weight of total fat), and C18:2 in a range of 0.1 to 20 wt % (based on weight of total fat).

7 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the heat-treated onions composition does not comprise starch and/or flour.

8 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the moisture content of the heat-treated onions composition after step d) is 7 to 75 wt % (based on total composition).

9 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the heat-treated onions composition comprises 5 to 100 mg/kg of a combination of cis/trans-methyl-1-propenyl disulphide and cis/trans-methyl-1-propenyl trisulphide and (cis,cis)/(cis,trans)/(trans,trans)-di-1-propenyl trisulphide (by total weight of the composition).

10 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the heating of the mix is done under vacuum of 180 to 500 mbar.

11 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the heating of the mix is done under vacuum of 180 to 300 mbar.