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Why is it of interest to know about fatty acids and how triglycerides are formed? to Top

    The fatty acids are one of the keys to understanding the properties and characteristics of fats and oils. The esterification (formation of the organic fatty acid and alcohol group on glycerol) of mono-, di- and triglycerides helps us understand emulsification and hydrolytic rancidity. Essentially, hydrolytic rancidity is the reverse of synthesis.


The characteristics/properties of fats is influenced by the fatty acids and how it is arranged upon the glycerol backbone. Basically, the following truisms are of importance.
  • the greater the number of unsaturated fatty acids the lower the melting point
  • the longer the hydrocarbon chain the higher the melting point
  • if the hydrogen atoms are in the cis form it will have a lower melting point than if they are in the transform.
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    Updated: Saturday, December 29, 2007.

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