Difference between Saturated fatty acids and Unsaturated fatty acids
Saturated FA vs Unsaturated FA
| SN. | catagories | Saturated Fatty acids | Unsaturated fatty acids |
| 1. | General formula | CnH2n+1COOH | Mono unsaturated FA: CnH2n-1COOH
Di unsaturated FA: CnH2n-3COOH
|
| 2. | double or triple bond in their hydrocarbon tail | Absent | Present |
| 3. | occurrence | more in animal fat | more in plant oil and fish |
| 4. | state | Solid at room temperature | Liquid at room temperature |
| 5. | structure | Usually straight chain | Chain bent at double and triple bond |
| 6. | configuration | Trans- configuration | Cis- configuration |
| 7. | Melting temperature | higher melting point | lower melting point |
| 8. | Number of carbon atom | Even | Odd |
| 9. | classification | i. Short chain FA (less than 6 carbon atom): examples; Butyric acid, Caporic acid ii. Medium chain FA (C8-C14): eg. Caprylic acid, myristic acid iii. Large chain FA (C16-c24); eg. Palmitic acid, steric acid |
i. Mono unsaturated FA (mono ethenoid)- eg. Palmitolic acid, olic acid
ii. Di Unsaturated FA (Diethenoid)-eg. Linoleic acid iii. Poly unsaturated FA (PUFA)-eg.Linolenic acid, Arachidonic acid iv. Triple bond containinf FA; eg. Nemotinic acid, Santalbic acid |
| 10. | Health effect | Increase blood cholesterol level | Decrease blood cholesterol level |
| 11. | Essential fatty acids | Absent | Present |
| 12. | On exposure to air | Not affected | Solidified |
| 13. | hydrogenation | Not affected | Converts into saturated FA |
| 14. | sources | Cheese, butter, milk, poultry, pork | Olive oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, avocardo, salmon, tuna fish |