The released fatty acids from a monoglyceride, diglyceride or triglyceride. The amount of free fatty acids in an oil is a measure of its quality.
A fatty acid released from adipose tissue by hydrolysis of a triglyceride.
Free fatty acids (FFA) are lipid molecules characterized by a hydrocarbon chain bound to a carboxylic acid group. Free fatty acids are generally classified as those fatty acids found in the bloodstream that are not bound to a glycerol molecule (as in triglycerides, phospholipids, and so forth), to cholesterol in the formation of cholesterol esters, or as a component of other molecules. The term free fatty acid, however, is a misnomer, since as lipid soluble molecules, they cannot be found in the free form in an aqueous environment. In fact, free fatty acids are typically found in the bloodstream bound to albumin.
The form in which a fatty acid leaves the cell to be transported for use in another part of the body. These acids are not esterified and may be unbound (i.e., not bound to protein). In the plasma, the non-esterified fatty acids released immediately combine with albumin to form bound free fatty acids.