Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Functional Foods Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #330965
Research Project: Improved Utilization of Low-Value Oilseed Press Cakes and Pulses for Health-Promoting Food Ingredients and Biobased Products

Location: Functional Foods Research

Title: History of fatty acids

Author
item LIST, GARY - Former ARS Employee
item Kenar, James - Jim
item Moser, Bryan

Submitted to: Elsevier
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/15/2016
Publication Date: 7/25/2017
Citation: List, G.R., Kenar, J.A., Moser, B. 2017. History of fatty acids. In: Ahmad, M.U., editor. Fatty Acids: Chemistry, Synthesis, and Applications. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier. p. 1-22.

Interpretive Summary: Today the global value of fatty acids exceeds 18 billion dollars and is expected to increase to nearly 26 billion over the period from 2014-2019. From its beginnings, the growth of the fats and oils industry has rested upon early researchers that have worked tirelessly to understand fatty acids and expand their utilization. Because of the important advances made by these and other researchers, renewable oleochemicals are now an important component of the worldwide chemical industry. This chapter provides a brief general historical perspective of some important developments in the chemistry of fatty acids.

Technical Abstract: Fatty acids are basic renewable chemical building blocks that can be used as intermediates for a multitude of products. Today the global value of fatty acids exceeds 18 billion dollars and is expected to increase to nearly 26 billion over the period from 2014-2019. From it auspicious beginnings, the growth of the fats and oils industry has rested upon the shoulders of those that have gone before and worked tirelessly to understand fatty acids and expand their utilization. Because of the important advances made by these and other researchers, renewable oleochemicals are now an important component of the worldwide chemical industry. This chapter provides a brief general historical perspective of some important developments in the chemistry of fatty acids.