List of fatty acids: IUPAC and common names, shorthand notations

List of fatty acids present in foods

Below is a list of the main fatty acids, a class of lipids, found in foods. These are saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, of which the common name, the IUPAC name and the shorthand notation are specified.
In the shorthand notation the first number indicates how many carbon atoms are present in the molecule whereas the second the number of double bonds in the carbon chain. This type of notation cannot be used for trans fatty acids.

Type Common and IUPAC names, plus shorthand notations
Saturated
fatty acids
Butyric acid
Butanoic acid
4:0
Caproic acid
Hexanoic acid
6:0
Caprylic acid
Octanoic acid
8:0
Capric acid
Decanoic acid
10:0
Lauric acid
Dodecanoic acid
12:0
Myristic acid
Tetradecanoic acid
14:0
Palmitic acid
Hexadecanoic acid
16:0
Stearic acid
Octadecanoic acid
18:0
Arachidic acid
Icosanoic acid
20:0
Behenic acid
Docosanoic acid
22:0
Lignoceric acid
Tetracosanoic acid
24:0
Type Common and IUPAC names, plus shorthand notations
Monounsaturated fatty acids Caproleic acid
Dec-9-enoic acid
10:1n-1
Lauroleic acid
(Z)-dodec-9-enoic acid
12:1n-3
Myristoleic acid
(Z)-tetradec-9-enoic acid
14:1n-5
Palmitoleic acid
(Z)-hexadec-9-enoic acid
16:1n-7
Oleic acid
(Z)-octadec-9-enoic acid
18:1n-9
Elaidic acid
(E)-octadec-9-enoic acid
Vaccenic acid
(E)-octadec-11-enoic acid
Gadoleic acid
(Z)-icos-9-enoic acid
20:1n-11
Erucic acid
(Z)-docos-13-enoic acid
22:1n-9
Brassidic acid
(E)-docos-13-enoic acid
Nervonic acid
(Z)-tetracos-15-enoic acid
24:1n-9
Type Common and IUPAC names, plus shorthand notations
Polyunsaturated fatty acids Linoleic acid
(9Z,12Z)-octadeca-9,12-
dienoic acid
18:2n-6
alpha-Linolenic acid
(9Z,12Z,15Z)-octadeca-
9,12,15-trienoic acid
18:3n-3
gamma-Linolenic acid
(6Z,9Z,12Z)-octadeca-
6,9,12-trienoic acid
18:3n-6
Columbinic acid
(5E,9E,12E)-octadeca-
5,9,12-trienoic acid
Stearidonic acid
(6Z,9Z,12Z,15Z)-octadeca-
6,9,12,15-tetraenoic acid
18:4n-3
Mead acid
(5Z,8Z,11Z)-icosa-
5,8,11-trienoic acid
20:3n-9
Dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid
(8Z,11Z,14Z)-icosa-
8,11,14-trienoic acid
20:3n-6
Arachidonic acid
(5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z)-icosa-
5,8,11,14-tetraenoic acid
20:4n-6
Eicosapentaenoic acid
(5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z,17Z)-icosa-
5,8,11,14,17-pentaenoic acid
20:5n-3
Docosapentaenoic acid
(7Z,10Z,13Z,16Z,19Z)-docosa-
7,10,13,16,19-pentaenoic acid
22:5n-3
Docosahexaenoic acid
(4Z,7Z,10Z,13Z,16Z,19Z)-docosa-4,7,10,13,16,19-hexaenoic acid
22:6n-3

References

  1. Akoh C.C. and Min D.B. “Food lipids: chemistry, nutrition, and biotechnology” 3th ed. 2008
  2. Chow Ching K. “Fatty acids in foods and their health implication” 3th ed. 2008

Biochemistry, metabolism, and nutrition