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α-Linolenic acid, also known as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) (from Greek alpha meaning "first" and linon meaning flax), is an n−3, or omega-3, essential fatty acid. ALA is found in many seeds and oils, including flaxseed , walnuts , chia , hemp , and many common vegetable oils .
Essential fatty acids, or EFAs, are fatty acids that are required by humans and other animals for normal physiological function that cannot be synthesized in the body. [1] [2] As they are not synthesized in the body, the essential fatty acids – alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and linoleic acid – must be obtained from food or from a dietary supplement.
Desaturases convert oleic acid into linoleic acid the precursor to alpha-linolenic acid, gamma-linolenic acid and dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid. [6] Industrial PUFAs are generally obtained by hydrolysis of fats that contain PUFAs. The process is complicated by the sensitive nature of PUFAs, leading to side reactions and colorization.
Cervonic acid (or docosahexaenoic acid) has 22 carbons, is found in fish oil, is a 4,7,10,13,16,19-hexa unsaturated fatty acid. In the human body its generation depends on consumption of omega 3 essential fatty acids (e.g., ALA or EPA), but the conversion process is inefficient. [ 22 ]
Linoleic acid is a polyunsaturated, omega−6 fatty acid. It is a colorless liquid that is virtually insoluble in water but soluble in many organic solvents . [ 2 ] It typically occurs in nature as a triglyceride (ester of glycerin ) rather than as a free fatty acid . [ 6 ]
For example, α-linolenic acid is classified as a n−3 or omega−3 fatty acid, and so it is likely to share a biosynthetic pathway with other compounds of this type. The ω− x , omega− x , or "omega" notation is common in popular nutritional literature, but IUPAC has deprecated it in favor of n − x notation in technical documents. [ 13 ]
Butanoic acid CH 3 (CH 2) 2 COOH C4:0 Valeric acid: Pentanoic acid CH 3 (CH 2) 3 COOH C5:0 Caproic acid: Hexanoic acid CH 3 (CH 2) 4 COOH C6:0 Enanthic acid: Heptanoic acid CH 3 (CH 2) 5 COOH C7:0 Caprylic acid: Octanoic acid CH 3 (CH 2) 6 COOH C8:0 Pelargonic acid: Nonanoic acid CH 3 (CH 2) 7 COOH C9:0 Capric acid: Decanoic acid CH 3 (CH 2) 8 ...
This is an accepted version of this page This is the latest accepted revision, reviewed on 24 February 2025. Esters of fatty acid or triglycerides This article is about the type of nutrient in food. For fat in animals, see Adipose tissue. For chemistry of fats, see triglyceride. For other uses, see Fat (disambiguation). Idealized representation of a molecule of a typical triglyceride, the main ...