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Glite Dictionary
tristearin

tristearin

9.6
A fat in animal and plant oils made of three stearic acids and glycerol
  • noun
  • /ˌtrɪsˈtɪərɪn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : tristearina
  • Cocoa butter contains significant amounts of tristearin, contributing to its texture and melting point.

Examples

  • During saponification, tristearin is broken down into glycerol and stearic acid.

  • Many animal fats contain tristearin as a major component.

  • Tristearin is frequently used in laboratory studies to investigate fat digestion and absorption.

  • The chemical formula for tristearin is C57H110O6.

  • Tristearin is commonly found in animal fats and is often used in food production.

  • In addition to biological applications, tristearin plays a role in the formulation of certain cosmetics.

  • Tristearin can be derived from both animal and plant sources, making it versatile for various industries.

Synonyms

glycerol tristearate
vstristearin
  • Specialized
7.4

A fat-like ingredient that helps mix oil and water in foods and creams

is the same triglyceride commonly present in animal and vegetable oils
stearin
vstristearin
  • Specialized
9.9

A white, waxy fat used to make candles, soaps, and cosmetics

is a pure triglyceride identified by three attached fatty acids and found in oils

Surface Forms

tristearin singular
tristearins plural

Morphology

tristearin = stearin (semi-transparent) = tri + stearin

Formed by productive prefix 'tri-' meaning 'three' added to the noun 'stearin', directly indicating three stearin units in the molecule.

Etymology

The word tristearin breaks into tri- meaning 'three', like in tricycle, and stearin, from a word for 'fat' or 'tallow'. So, tristearin is a fat made of three stearic acid parts joined to a glycerol molecule.