Lipid oxidation

Lipid oxidation is the reaction of fats with oxygen or other oxidants, producing altered lipid molecules and breakdown products. It can cause rancid flavors and generate compounds that affect food quality and health.

Lipid peroxidation: A chain reaction in which oxidants attack lipids, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids, forming lipid radicals and peroxides. This radical-chain pathway explains much oxidation in unsaturated fats.
Rancidification: The development of unpleasant odors or flavors as fats and oils deteriorate. Oxidation is a major cause of rancid flavors in stored foods.
Fatty acid: A carboxylic acid with a hydrocarbon chain that is a basic component of many fats and oils. Fatty-acid structure determines how readily a lipid can be oxidized.
Hydrolytic rancidity: Rancidity caused by water-driven cleavage of fats, releasing free fatty acids. It can resemble oxidative rancidity in sensory effect but arises from hydrolysis.
Hexanal: A six-carbon aldehyde produced during oxidation of certain unsaturated fatty acids. Its formation can signal oxidation and contribute grassy or rancid notes in foods.
Free radical: An atom or molecule with an unpaired electron that can initiate or propagate chemical reactions. Radicals abstract hydrogen from fatty acids and sustain oxidation chains.
Food spoilage: The deterioration of food through biological, chemical, or physical changes that reduce its quality or safety. Lipid oxidation is one chemical route by which food quality declines.
Unsaturated fat: A fat containing fatty-acid chains with one or more carbon–carbon double bonds. Double bonds make many unsaturated fats more susceptible to oxidation.
Autoxidation: A spontaneous reaction with molecular oxygen that proceeds without direct enzymatic control. It is a common pathway for oxidation of fats exposed to air.
Malondialdehyde: A reactive three-carbon dialdehyde formed during breakdown of some polyunsaturated lipid peroxides. It is a widely studied marker and product of lipid peroxidation.

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