Definition

1. Noun:
   • A naturally occurring glyceride of oleic acid: "olein" is a specific chemical compound, a triglyceride where oleic acid is the primary fatty acid component. It is found naturally in many animal and vegetable fats and oils.

Usage

• Scientific/Technical Context: "Olein" is primarily used in chemistry, biochemistry, and food science to describe a component of fats.
  • The separation process yields a liquid fraction rich in olein.
  • Palm olein is a common cooking oil derived from palm fruit.

Advanced Usage

• "Olein fraction": Refers to the more liquid part of an oil or fat obtained after a separation process like fractionation, which is higher in unsaturated glycerides like olein.
  • The olein fraction of the tallow remains clear at lower temperatures.

Variants and Related Words

• Triolein (n): The specific triglyceride form of olein, consisting of three oleic acid molecules. This is often used synonymously with "olein" in precise chemical contexts.
• Oleic acid (n): The monounsaturated fatty acid that is the main component of olein.
• Stearin (n): The more solid fraction of a fat, typically higher in saturated glycerides, often contrasted with olein.

Synonyms

• Triolein: The systematic chemical name.
• Glyceryl trioleate: Another chemical name for the same compound.

Notes on Meaning

• The term "olein" is highly specialized. In common commercial or food contexts, it often appears as part of a product name (e.g., ) rather than as the isolated chemical term. In such cases, it denotes an oil fraction with specific physical properties (like remaining liquid at room temperature) due to its high olein content.

Noun

1. a naturally occurring glyceride of oleic acid that is found in fats and oils