palmitaatit

Palmitaatit, or palmitates, are salts and esters of palmitic acid, a saturated fatty acid with 16 carbon atoms. They occur naturally in fats and oils and are widely used in industry. In practice, palmitaatit include sodium palmitate, potassium palmitate, calcium palmitate, and ammonium palmitate, as well as esters formed with alcohols such as methyl palmitate and ethyl palmitate.

Chemistry and production: Palmitates are typically produced by saponifying fats to obtain the corresponding salts, or by neutralizing palmitic acid with metal hydroxides. Esters are made by esterifying palmitic acid with alcohols. The resulting compounds are generally crystalline or waxy solids at room temperature and are relatively lipophilic, which makes them useful in soaps, cosmetics, and as fat-based emulsifiers.

Occurrence and uses: Palmitates occur widely in animal and vegetable fats, with palmitic acid being a major component of many fats, including palm oil. Industrially, palmitates are common ingredients in soap bases and are used as emulsifiers and stabilizers in foods and cosmetics. They also appear as additives in various traditional and modern formulations, where their fat-like properties help to improve texture and consistency.

Safety and regulation: Palmitates are considered safe for use in foods and cosmetics within regulatory limits. In nutrition, high intakes of saturated fats that include palmitic acid are associated with increased levels of LDL cholesterol, so dietary guidance commonly emphasizes moderation of saturated fat consumption.

See also: palmitic acid, palm oil, soap making, emulsifiers.