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trans-fatty acid

or trans fat·ty ac·id

[ trans-fat-ee ]
/ ˈtrænsˌfæt i /
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an unsaturated fatty acid formed by the partial hydrogenation of vegetable oil, believed to raise blood cholesterol levels.
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Origin of trans-fatty acid

1975–80; trans- (in the chemistry sense) + fatty acid
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use trans-fatty acid in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for trans-fatty acid

trans-fatty acid

trans fat


noun
a polyunsaturated fatty acid that has been converted from the cis-form by hydrogenation: used in the manufacture of margarine
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for trans-fatty acid

trans fatty acid

A fatty acid that is commonly produced by the partial hydrogenation of the unsaturated fatty acid vegetable oils. Trans fatty acids are present in hardened vegetable oils, most margarines, commercial baked foods, and many fried foods. An excess of these fats in the diet raises lipid levels in the blood. The term trans refers to the opposed positioning of hydrogen atoms when unsaturated fats are partially hydrogenated.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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