Saturated fatty acids are produced through a biochemical process called fatty acid biosynthesis.
Plants and animals utilize this process to create saturated fats. Here's a breakdown:
- What happens: Plants and animals use biochemical pathways to link basic molecules together.
- Key molecules involved: Acetyl-CoA and Malonyl-CoA.
- End result: These molecules are attached to form long hydrocarbon chains, which are saturated fatty acids.
In essence, the reference explains that saturated fatty acids are built by linking smaller building blocks (Acetyl-CoA and Malonyl-CoA) to form long chains via fatty acid biosynthesis, a process found in both plants and animals.