Saturated fatty acid: Caproic acid

Caproic acid CH3(CH2)4COOH is also known as Hexanoic acid, Capronic acid. Caproic acid derived its name from Latin word caper, which means goat.

It is a colorless oily liquid smelling of cheese. It is a fatty acid found as a triglyceride in cow and goat butter, and in coconut and palm oils.

Caproic acid has and heavy, acrid-acid, fatty-acid odor, often described as sweat-liked. Caproic acid is medium chain triglycerides (MCT). MCTs are widely used for parenteral nutrition in individuals requiring supplemental nutrition and are being more widely used in foods, drugs and cosmetics; they are essentially non-toxic.

This fatty acid is used as flavour ingredient and very characteristic of human sweat. It is an important ingredient in Italian cheese flavors and is also important in the profile of fermentation products.
Saturated fatty acid: Caproic acid