Typical Fatty-Acid Compositions of Some Common Fats (adapted from Gunstone, F. F
ID: 519915 • Letter: T
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Typical Fatty-Acid Compositions of Some Common Fats (adapted from Gunstone, F. Fatty Acid and Lipid Chemistry; Blackie London, 1996. and other sources) Specific compositions are variable. depending on diet and other factors. The symbol for an acid includes the total number of carbons and double bonds (e.g.. 18:2). followed by the location of the start of the first double bond counting fron the methyl end of the chain. (e.g.. n-6. sometimes given as ex6). The double bonds in the more com unsaturated fatty acids have a cis configuration, and are separated by a-CHr group. Animal origin 61% unsaturated 37% saturated Beef fat wt. name symbol wt. name Bymbol 48 oleic 18:1 n-9 11 palmitoleic 16:1 n-7 27 palmitic 16:0 stearic 18:0 linoleic 18:2 n-6 myristic 14:0 other 33% unsaturated 61% saturated Butter oleic 18:1 n-9 26 palmitic 16:0 palmitoleic 16:1 n-7 myristic 14:0 12 linoleic 18:2 n-6 stearic 18:0 lauric 12:0 butyric 4:0 capric 10:0 caproic 6:0 6% other (including 5% trans fatty acids) 65 unsaturated 29 %saturated Chicken/ oleic 18:1 n-9 22 palmitic 16:0 turkey fat linoleic 18:2 n-6 stearic 18:0 6 palmitoleic 16:1 n-7 myristic 14:0Explanation / Answer
The melting point of fats mainly depends on the type of fatty acids they ae composed of . The following factos mainly determine the melting point of the fats:
1.The ratio of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids
2. Length of the fatty acid chain.
3.Cis-trans configuration of double bonds.
4.The position of double bonds across the fatty acid chain.
Coconut oil is an exception though it has high concentration of saturated fatty acids. It is because the fatty acids which it is made up of are medium chain fatty acids unlike the other saturated fats which are made up of lenghty chain fatty acids.
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