The soups did have onions in them, but so does my salsa and it canned fine. I did the tomato soup and the chicken soups at the same time with the same box of lids so the lids being defective seems odd as well, then later did the veg beef soup. Maybe it was the amount of time I processed them, was not long enough, then why would not the canning book tell me any different? Also, with a hot pack you would think it would stay sealed as well because no fresh ingredients to cause harm.