6.3.1 Fatty acids

6.3.1 Fatty acids

A fatty acid is a naturally occurring mono carboxylic acid. Fatty acids are the building block components of most lipids. Almost all naturally occurring lipids yield fatty acids upon hydrolysis. Fatty acids are aliphatic carboxylic acids.They are usually straight-chain derivatives and contain an even number of carbon atoms because they are synthesized from two-carbon units. A few odd number fatty acids may also be present. Fatty acids occur mainly as esters in natural fats and oils and are part of other lipids.

Last modified: Saturday, 12 November 2011, 5:19 AM