Table of Contents
What is Butyric Acid? ; Properties of Butyric Acid ; Physical Properties ; Preparation and Isolation of the Butyric Acid ; Butyric Acid Uses ; Current Status of the Production of Butyric Acid and Future Needs ; Butyric Acid as a Feed Supplement
Butyric acid is a four-carbon fatty acid that has a number of important properties. It is a strong acid that is soluble in water and has a pungent, unpleasant odor. It is used as a feed supplement for livestock, as a flavoring agent in food, and in the manufacture of plastics and other chemicals.
Butyric acid is produced commercially by the fermentation of carbohydrates, usually molasses, with a bacterium called Clostridium butyricum. The bacterium produces butyric acid from the carbohydrate and also produces other compounds, including hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide, that are used in the fermentation process. Butyric acid is also produced commercially by the hydrolysis of fats and oils.
Characteristics of Butyric Acid
Butyric acid is a four-carbon fatty acid that is found in milk, butter, and cheese. It has a pungent, acrid taste and a strong odor. Butyric acid is a colorless, oily liquid that is soluble in water. It is used in the manufacture of artificial butter flavorings, and it is also used as a food preservative. Butyric acid is toxic in large doses.
Butyric Acid Structure
Butyric acid is a four-carbon carboxylic acid. It is a colorless oily liquid with a pungent, unpleasant odor. It is soluble in water and ethanol. Butyric acid is a major component of rancid butter and vomit.
The structure of butyric acid is:
Butyric acid is a fatty acid with a four-carbon chain. The carbon chain is attached to a carboxyl group (C=O) and a hydroxyl group (OH).
Chemical Properties
The chemical properties of a substance are determined by the nature of the atoms and molecules that make it up, and how they are bonded together. Some chemical properties are the ability to dissolve in water (hydrophilic), the ability to react with other substances (reactive), the ability to form a gas (gaseous) and the ability to form a solid (solid).
