Unsaturated fatty acid - Definition

Mar 2014   Definition of unsaturated fatty acid
An unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) is a lipid in which the carbon chain is not completely incorporated with hydrogen atoms.
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In other words we can define it as "a fatty acid having one or more double bonds in its carbon chain."
If the carbon chain contains only one double bond, it is termed as monounsaturated (MUFA) and if there are more than one double bond it is termed as polyunsaturated (PUFA).
SFA has no double bond and its carbon chain has the maximum number of hydrogen, making it very stable.
However the unsaturated state of UFA makes it highly vulnerable to lipid peroxidation, turning rancid very easily.
Higher number of double bonds increases its vulnerability.

The viscosity and melting point decreases with the increase in the number of double bonds.
Monounsaturated MUFA have higher viscosity and melting point when compared to polyunsaturated PUFA.
MUFA solidify when the temperatures are low.

Definition of unsaturated fatty acid

By 'wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn' - "a fatty acid whose carbon chain can absorb additional hydrogen atoms."
By 'thefreedictionary.com' - "A fatty acid, such as oleicacid, whose carbon chain possesses one or more double or triple bonds and hence can incorporate additional hydrogen atoms."

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Definition of unsaturated fatty acid

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