Ingredient: Oleic Acid
Category: Acids
Season: All
Oleic acid is a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid found in various animal and vegetable sources. It has the formula C18H34O2 (or CH3(CH2)7CH=CH(CH2)7COOH).
The saturated form of this acid is stearic acid.
Oleic acid makes up 55-80% of olive oil, though there may be only 0.5-2.5% or so as actual free acid, and 15-20% of grape seed oil and sea buckthorn oil.
The Brazilian palm berry, açaí, contains one of the highest contents known for oleic acid in the pulp of a fruit (56%).
Reduction of oleic acid at the carboxyl end yields oleyl alcohol.
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