Stearic fatty acid
Abbreviations
- S
Synonyms
- octadecanoic acid
Description
Represents an 18-carbon saturated fatty acid. It is highly abundant in animal fats (such as beef tallow and lard) and certain plant fats (like cocoa butter and shea butter).
Nutritional potential:
Stearic acid is unique among long-chain saturated fatty acids because it generally has a neutral effect on blood cholesterol levels. Unlike palmitic or myristic acids, it does not significantly raise “bad” low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. This is partly because the human body efficiently converts a significant portion of dietary stearic acid into oleic acid (a beneficial monounsaturated fat) via the desaturase enzyme.
Biodiesel potential:
In fuel applications, stearic acid provides an exceptionally high cetane number (CN) and outstanding oxidation stability (OS). However, due to its very high melting point (approx. 69°C), it is highly detrimental to cold-weather operability. Feedstocks with high stearic acid content (like animal tallows) produce biodiesel with a very high cold filter plugging point (CFPP) and cloud point, causing the fuel to gel and clog filters even at relatively warm temperatures.