Saturated and Unsaturated Fatty Acids. July 21 2015, 1 Comment

How to tell the difference? Lets look at this table below.

The acids with 00 after the first number are SATURATED, they have no double bonds. They make a thicker oil or harder butter that goes rancid very slowly.

The acids with 10, 20 or 30 after the first number are UNSATURATED, they have 1 or more double bonds. they make a thinner oil that goes rancid more easily.

Monounsaturated are the acids with 10 after the first number, they have just one double bond, and Polyunsaturated are the ones with 20 or higher, meaning 2 or more double bonds.

Looking at the Cupuacu Butter fatty acid composition we can see it has 5 saturated and 4 unsaturated acids. But with almost half of it - 42.95% being the monounsaturated - OLEIC - 18:10.