Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
T A B L E 2.5. Common Saturated and Monounsaturated Fatty Acids
No. of
Carbons
No. of
Double Bonds
Systematic Name
Common Name
Butanoic acid
Butyric acid
4
0
Hexanoic acid
Caproic acid
6
0
Octanoic acid
Caprylic acid
8
0
Decanoic acid
Capric acid
10
0
Dodecanoic acid
Lauric acid
12
0
Tetradecanoic acid
Myristic acid
14
0
Tetradecenoic acid
Myristoleic acid
14
1
Hexadecanoic acid
Palmitic acid
16
0
Paimitolic acid
a
Hexadecenoic acid
16
1
Heptadecanoic acid
Margaric acid
17
0
Heptadecenoic acid
17
1
Octadecanoic acid
Steric acid
18
0
Oleic acid
a
Octadecenoic acid
18
1
Eicosanoic acid
Arachidic acid
20
0
Eicosenioc acid
Gadoleic acid
20
1
Docosanoic acid
Behenic acid
22
0
Erucic acid
a
Docosenoic acid
22
1
Tetracosanoic acid
Lignoceric acid
24
0
Nervonic acid
b
Tetracosenoic acid
24
1
Note: When present, all are in gram (g) quantities in typical foods.
a
Both the cis and trans isomers are included in this name.
b
Only the cis isomer.
T A B L E 2.6. Common Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Food
No. of
Carbons
No. of
Double Bonds
Systematic Name
Common Name
Linoleic acid
a
Octadecadienoic acid
18
2
Linolenic acid
b
Octadecatrienoic acid
18
3
Parinaric acid
a
Octadecatetraenoic acid
18
4
Eicosadienoic acid
None
20
2
Eicosatrienoic acid
a
None
20
3
Arachidonic acid
a
Eicosatetraenoic acid
20
4
Eicosapentaenoic acid
Timnodonic acid
20
5
Docosadienoic acid
Brassic acid
22
2
Docosapentaenoic acid
Clupanodonic acid
22
5
Docosahexaenoic acid
None
22
6
Note: When present, are in gram (g) quantities.
a
These acids occur as cis and trans isomers and no distinction between the two is made in this name.
b
Double bonds occur in different positions and no distinction is made here between the compounds with
different double-bond positions.
