Stearic acid

Authors: Prof. Dr. med. Peter Altmeyer, Prof. Dr. med. Martina Bacharach-Buhles

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Last updated on: 29.10.2020

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Synonym(s)

Acicum stearicum PhEur 7; acidum stearinicum; C18H36 O2; CAS No 57-11-4; n-octadic acid; Octadecanoic acid

Definition
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Stearic acid is a colourless, odourless carboxylic acid melting at 69.3°C, which is waxy solid at normal ambient temperature and insoluble in ether, soluble in hot ethanol, and insoluble in water.

Stearic acid is a mixture of (mainly) palmitic acid (syn. hexadecanoic acid) and stearic acid (octadecanoic acid ure). The salts of stearic acid are called stearates.

Occurrence
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As glyceryl stearate, stearic acid is a natural component in almost all animal and vegetable fats and oils. Thus in coconut oil, in hazelnuts or cocoa butter. In the EU palmitic acid is generally approved as a food additive (E 570) for foodstuffs.

Outgoing links (2)

Hazelnut bush; Oleum coconut;