Chemical Properties of Fatty Acids
Esterification
Like any other organic acid, fatty acids also form esters with various alcohols. An alcohol such as glycerol is reacted with fat or oil to produce esters such as mono- and di-acylglycerols, Using the esterification process, ~diblp qcids, fats and oils can be reacted with ediblealcohols to produce useful food ingredients that include many of the emulsifiers such as mono and diglycerides, lecithin etc.
Soap formation
When fatty acids react with alkalies, metallic salts of fatty acids commonly called as 'soaps' hre formed. Potassium soap of fatty acids is more water soluble than sodium soap.
Hydrogenation
When exposed to hydrogen at high pressure and temperature in presence of Ni or Pt catalyst, an unsaturated fatty acid (containing a double bond) accepts the hydrogen at the double bonds