trans-fatty acid

or trans fat·ty ac·id

[trans-fat-ee]

an unsaturated fatty acid formed by the partial hydrogenation of vegetable oil, believed to raise blood cholesterol levels.

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. 2019

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

trans fatty acid in Science

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.