Fatty Acids
Vegetable Oils are water-insoluble, hydrophobic substances, obtained from plants. These oils are used for edible and inedible purposes.
They vary widely in their physical properties, even though they are made up of the same or similar fatty acids. Vegetable oils with a high iodine value usually indicate a high level of unsaturation.
An oil is considered unsaturated when it has a high presence of double or triple bonds, showing a deficiency of hydrogen. The fatty acid composition is affected by many factors including soil type, maturity, health and genetic variations of the plant, and climatic conditions of the growing area. As a general rule, warm climates favor the development of oleic acid, while cold climates favor the development of linoleic acid.
Linoleic acid is a liquid unsaturated fatty acid occurring in the form of glycerides usually found in drying oils. Oleic acid is a liquid unsaturated fatty acid occurring in the form of glycerides usually present in lauric oils or oils used for soaps and detergents.
Vegetable fats and oils are triglycerides comprised predominantly of fatty acids present in the form of esters of glycerol. One hundred grams of fat will yield approximately 95 grams of fatty acids. The triglycerides can be “split” or hydrolyzed into fatty acids and glycerol under the proper conditions of fat/water miscibility.