What Is Arachidic Acid (20:0) & What Foods Can I Find It In?
Arachidic acid, 20:0 known as icosanoic acid or eicosanoic acid.
It’s a very long-chain, saturated fatty acid.
Diets rich in saturated fats like arachidic acid are associated with increased levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL).
Arachidic acid is used in the industry for the production of detergents and lubricants.
Table of Contents
Uses Of Arachidic acid
Arachidic acid is used in the food industry as a food additive and in the pharmaceutical industry as an intermediate for producing vitamin E and biochemicals.
Producing Vitamin E
Arachidic acid is a starting material for producing vitamin E.
The most important method for producing vitamin E is to convert arachidic acid into α-tocopherol, which is an important antioxidant.
Producing biochemicals
Arachidic acid is also used as a starting material for producing biochemicals.
For example, arachidic acid is used as a starting material for producing prostaglandin, which is a drug for preventing bone resorption, and as a starting material for producing lysophosphatidic acid, which is a surfactant.
Hydrogenation Of Arachidic Acid
Arachidic acid is obtained by hydrogenation of oils and fats, such as soybean oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, sesame oil, and sunflower oil.
Arachidic acid, 20:0, is a saturated very long-chain fatty acid.(source ◳)
By hydrogenation can arachidic acid be formed into arachidonic acid.
Foods You Can Find Arachidic Acid (20:0) In
You find arachidic acid mostly in nuts and seeds, sweets, fats and oils, and legume products.
Examples of food sources include
Foods in our nutrition tool
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