Fatty acid

In chemistry, especially biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid (or organic acid), often with a long aliphatic tail (long chains), either saturated or unsaturated. Most of the natural fatty acids have an even number of carbon atoms, because they are made up of acetate which has two carbon atoms.

Related Topics:
Chemistry - Biochemistry - Carboxylic acid - Aliphatic - Saturated - Acetate

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Industrially, fatty acids are produced by the hydrolysis of the ester linkages in a fat or biological oil (both of which are triglycerides), with the removal of glycerol. See oleochemicals.

Related Topics:
Hydrolysis - Ester - Fat - Triglyceride - Glycerol - Oleochemical

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