Fatty+acids



Type: Acid Oleic:C18H34O2 Stearic:CH3(CH2)16COOH

Ramen noodles contain a lot of fatty acids within Palm Oil, Cottonseed Oil, and Canola Oil. Fatty Acids are carboxylic acids that usually have a long, un-branched, aliphatic chain, that can be either saturated or unsaturated.

Each chain contains a different amount of carbons, which makes them shorter or longer. The length of each chain, and whether it is saturated or unsaturated, determines they type of fatty acid, like Oleic or Stearic.

Saturated Fatty Acids refer to Fatty Acids that contain hydrogen and do not contain double bonds. All carbons (besides the carboxylic acid [-COOH] group) contain as many hydrogens as possible. The chains are packed together tightly and are straight.

Unsaturated Fatty Acids have one or more alkenyl functional groups that exist along the chain. Alkenyl is an un-saturated chemical compound, containing at least one carbon-to- carbon double bond. Each alkenyl substitutes a single bonded part of the chain with a double bonded portion.

CITATION: http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/F/Fats.html

(Created by: Teila Allmond)