Elaidic acid is a

chemical compound A chemical compound is a chemical substance composed of many identical molecules (or molecular entities) containing atoms from more than one chemical element held together by chemical bonds. A molecule consisting of atoms of only one element ...

with the formula , specifically the

fatty acid In chemistry, particularly in biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with an aliphatic chain, which is either saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have an unbranched chain of an even number of carbon atoms, fr ...

with structural formula HO(O=)C–(CH₂–)₇CH=CH–(CH₂–)₈H, with the

double bond In chemistry, a double bond is a covalent bond between two atoms involving four bonding electrons as opposed to two in a single bond. Double bonds occur most commonly between two carbon atoms, for example in alkenes. Many double bonds exist betw ...

(between

carbon Carbon () is a chemical element with the symbol C and atomic number 6. It is nonmetallic and tetravalent In chemistry, the valence (US spelling) or valency (British spelling) of an element is the measure of its combining capacity with o ...

atoms 9 and 10) in ''trans'' configuration. It is a colorless oily solid. Its salts and esters are called elaidates. Elaidic acid is an unsaturated

trans fatty acid In nutrition, biology, and chemistry, fat usually means any ester of fatty acids, or a mixture of such compounds, most commonly those that occur in living beings or in food. The term often refers specifically to triglycerides (triple e ...

, with code C18:1 ''trans''-9. This compound has attracted attention because it is a major trans fat found in

hydrogenated Hydrogenation is a chemical reaction between molecular hydrogen (H2) and another compound or element, usually in the presence of a catalyst such as nickel, palladium or platinum. The process is commonly employed to reduce or saturate organic ...

vegetable oils, and trans fats have been implicated in heart disease. It is the

trans isomer Trans- is a Latin prefix meaning "across", "beyond", or "on the other side of". Used alone, trans may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Trans (festival), a former festival in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom * ''Trans'' (fil ...

oleic acid Oleic acid is a fatty acid that occurs naturally in various animal and vegetable fats and oils. It is an odorless, colorless oil, although commercial samples may be yellowish. In chemical terms, oleic acid is classified as a monounsaturated omega ...

. The name of the

elaidinization Elaidinization is any chemical reaction which convert a cis- olefin to a trans- olefin in unsaturated fatty acids. This is often performed on fats and oils to increase both the melting point and the shelf life without reducing the degree of uns ...

reaction comes from elaidic acid. Its name comes from the

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...

word ἔλαιον (''elaion''), meaning oil.

Occurrence and bioactivity

Elaidic acid occurs naturally in small amounts in caprine and

bovine milk Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digest solid food. Immune factors and immune-modulating ...

(very roughly 0.1% of the fatty acids) and in some meats. Elaidic acid increases plasma cholesterylester transfer protein (CETP) activity which lowers HDL cholesterol.

References

{{Fatty acids Fatty acids Alkenoic acids

Occurrence and bioactivity

See also

References