Saturated fatty acids belong to the group of fatty acids within the fatty acyls. Their structure consists of a hydrocarbon chain with a carboxylic head group. The hydrocarbon chain is saturated, it contains no double bonds. SFAs can be branched or linear.
The biological function of saturated fatty acids is mostly related to energy metabolism. They make up a significant amount of the fatty acids in lipids, and virtually all forms of life must synthesize medium chain and long chain SFAs from short chain fatty acid precursors. Cell membrane domains rich in SFAs feature increased rigidness and it is widely recommended to reduce dietary intake of saturated fatty acids, as it has been linked to increased risk for cardiovascular diseases.
Here you can read more about the analysis of saturated fatty acids performed at Lipotype:
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