Colour by Design - Oils and fats

Examples of esters

• Oils and fats have the same basic structure except oils are liquids at room temperature and fats are solids at room temperature
• Usually esters formed by propane-1,2,3-ol (glycerol) reacting with a long-chain carboxylic acid
• Glycerol has 3 alcohol groups so reacts with 3 molecules of the carboxylic acid
• The product is called a triester
• Gylcerol can react with 3 different carboxylic acid molecules

Fats and fatty acids

• The carboxylic acids in fats and oils usually have unbranched hydrocarbon chains
• They are sometimes called fatty acids
• Saturated - no double bonds
• Unsaturated - double bonds
• Saturated fats tend to cause blockage of blood vessels and so may lead to heart disease
• Polyunsaturated fats are healthier - the more double bonds, the better
• An oil or fat can be indentified by breaking it down into glycerol and its…