Palmitic acid is a long-chain saturated fatty acid, found predominantly in palm oil and coconut oil and is also present in the human body, fruit, lard, butter, cheese and animal fats. It is obtained chemically from dimethyl 2-tetradecylmalonate using sodium hydride with methyl palmitate and the solvent reaction dimethyl carbonate.

Synthesised, it is found in the form of a white powder. Stable. Inflammable. Incompatible with bases, oxidising and reducing agents. Insoluble in water.

What it is used for and where

Food

Approximately 80 per cent of the fatty acids in the meat sector are palmitic acid (which makes up 27 per cent of the fatty acids in meat), stearic acid and oleic acid. The remaining 20 per cent is distributed among 30 different fatty acids (1). However, diets rich in saturated fats lead to obesity and insulin resistance due to their high blood plasma lipid levels, increase low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and consequently lead to diabetes mellitus and various diseases.

From a health point of view, palmitic acid has many contraindications, including:

• insulin resistance in a human endothelial cell line (2).
• it alters endothelial function by increasing oxidative stress (3)
• induces various metabolic and molecular changes in astrocytes and is involved in pathological conditions linked to neurodegenerative diseases (4)
• induces myocardial inflammatory lesions (5)

Recent clinical studies have found an association between obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome and inflammation caused by fatty acids (6).

Medical

The good news is that, in scientific research, researchers have discovered the usefulness of palmitic acid, which, in the interaction of certain bacteria with colon epithelial cells, showed anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties by reducing E.coli and E.faecalis populations and eliminated C.glabrata from the gut (7). 

Cosmetics

It acts as a cleansing, emollient and emulsifying agent in personal care cosmetics. Emulsifiers have the property of directly influencing the stability, sensory properties and surface tension of sunscreens by modulating their filmometric performance. Emollients have the property of enhancing the skin barrier through a source of exogenous lipids that adhere to the skin, improving barrier properties and protecting against inflammation.

Other uses

It is used to produce various metal salts of palmitic acid and unscented chloramphenicol. Precipitant, chemical reagent and sealing agent

This substance is also used in the following products:

• washing and cleaning products
• coating products
• hand paints
• fillers
• fillers
• plasters
• modelling clay
• polishes and waxes
• air care products
• plant protection products
• biocides
• disinfectants
• pest control products

For more information:

Palmitic Acid studies

Typical commercial product characteristics Palmitic Acid

Appearance	White powder
Boiling Point	340.6±5.0°C at 760 mmHg
Melting Point	61-62.5°C
Flash Point	154.1±12.5°C
Density	0.9±0.1 g/cm3
Refraction Index	1.454
Vapor Pressure	0.0±0.8 mmHg at 25°C
PSA	37.30000
LogP	7.15
Loss on drying	≤2.0%
Water	≤1.0%
Sulphated ash	≤0.5%/g
Residue on ignition	≤0.1%
Heavy metals	≤10 ppm
Shelf Life	24 Months
Chemical Risk

• Molecular Formula    C₁₆H₃₂O₂
• Linear Formula   CH₃(CH₂)₁₄COOH
• Molecular Weight    256.43 g/mol
• Exact Mass    256.240234
• CAS  57-10-3  
• EC Number: 200-312-9  
• FEMA Number: 2832
• UNIII: 2V16EO95H1
• DSSTox Substance ID  
• IUPAC  hexadecanoic acid
• InChl=1S/C16H32O2/c1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16(17)18/h2-15H2,1H3,(H,17,18)
• InChl Key      IPCSVZSSVZVIGE-UHFFFAOYSA-N
• SMILES   CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC(=O)O
• MDL number  MFCD00002747
• PubChem Substance ID    24898107
• ChEBI  15756
• RTECS  RT4550000
• NCI    C61873
• JECFA    115
• ICSC    0530
• NSC      5030
• RXCUI      1426390
• NACRES NA.25

Synonyms: 

• Acid, Hexadecanoic
• Hexadecanoic acid
• Acid, Palmitic
• Cetylic acid
• Calcium Palmitate
• palmitate
• Hexadecanoic Acid
• n-Hexadecanoic acid
• Palmitate, Calcium
• Palmitate, Sodium
• Hexadecylic acid
• Palmitic Acid
• Hydrofol
• Sodium Palmitate
• n-Hexadecoic acid
• 1-Pentadecanecarboxylic acid
• Emersol 140
• Industrene 4516
• Emersol 143
• C16 fatty acid
• Hystrene 8016
• 1-Hexyldecanoic Acid
• Hystrene 9016
• hexadecoic acid
• Fatty acids, C14-18
• Pristerene 4934
• Loxiol EP 278
• Edenor C16

References__________________________________________________________________________

(1) Marcela S. Whetsell, WVU Division of Plant Science Edward B. Rayburn and John D. Lozier, WVU Extension Service Human Health Effects of Fatty Acids in Beef August 2003

(2) Gustavo Vazquez-Jimenez J, Chavez-Reyes J, Romero-Garcia T, Zarain-Herzberg A, Valdes-Flores J, Manuel Galindo-Rosales J, Rueda A, Guerrero-Hernandez A, Olivares-Reyes JA   Palmitic acid but not palmitoleic acid induces insulin resistance in a human endothelial cell line by decreasing SERCA pump expression.  Cell Signal. 2016 Jan;28(1):53-9. doi: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2015.10.001. 

(3) Chen P, Liu H, Xiang H, Zhou J, Zeng Z, Chen R, Zhao S, Xiao J, Shu Z, Chen S, Lu H. Palmitic acid-induced autophagy increases reactive oxygen species via the Ca2+/PKCα/NOX4 pathway and impairs endothelial function in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.   Exp Ther Med. 2019 Apr;17(4):2425-2432. doi: 10.3892/etm.2019.7269.

(4) Tibolone attenuates inflammatory response by palmitic acid and preserves mitochondrial membrane potential in astrocytic cells through estrogen receptor beta.  González-Giraldo Y, Forero DA, Echeverria V, Garcia-Segura LM, Barreto GE.  Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2019 Apr 15;486:65-78. doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2019.02.017.

(5) Downregulation of growth arrest‑specific transcript 5 alleviates palmitic acid‑induced myocardial inflammatory injury through the miR‑26a/HMGB1/NF‑κB axis.  Yue Q, Zhao C, Wang Y, Zhao L, Zhu Q, Li G, Wu N, Jia D, Ma C.  Mol Med Rep. 2018 Dec;18(6):5742-5750. doi: 10.3892/mmr.2018.9593. 

(6) Drozd A, Kotlęga D, Nowacki P, Ciećwież S, Trochanowski T, Szczuko M. Fatty Acid Levels and Their Inflammatory Metabolites Are Associated with the Nondipping Status and Risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome in Stroke Patients. Biomedicines. 2022 Sep 6;10(9):2200. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines10092200.

(7) Charlet R, Le Danvic C, Sendid B, Nagnan-Le Meillour P, Jawhara S. Oleic Acid and Palmitic Acid from Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron and Lactobacillus johnsonii Exhibit Anti-Inflammatory and Antifungal Properties. Microorganisms. 2022 Sep 8;10(9):1803. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms10091803.