Fatty acids
Organic acids, the main constituents of lipids, formed of oxygen, hydrogen and carbon atoms of almost even number, linked together by a single bond (if they are saturated fatty acids) and a double bond (if they are unsaturated fatty acids).
Recommended Dietary Allowances
To function, the body needs a set of nutrients provided in part by food. ANSES defines the reference values, corresponding to the needs of the entire population, under the name “Recommended Dietary Allowances” or ANC. However, these needs may vary according to age, sex and physical activity.
ANSES
Description of ANSES’s missions
French National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety.
Its role is to ensure human, animal and plant health safety in the areas of food, the environment and work.
Antioxidant
Molecule naturally present in certain foods (fruits, vegetables, fish, vitamins, trace elements) which has the particularity of fighting against the effects of free radicals, responsible for cellular ageing and the development of certain diseases.
Fat
Substance composed of triglycerides and unsaponifiables with hydrophobic properties.
Ester
Generic name of the compounds resulting from the action of an oxyacid on an alcohol or a phenol, with elimination of water.
Vegetable oil
Fat fluid obtained by simple cold pressing, hot pressing, or mechanical extraction, of seeds, nuts or fruits of oleaginous plants, that is to say which contains lipids. The oil can be virgin (without chemical additives) or refined (hot pressing and chemical transformation).
Virgin oil
A fatty substance derived from the seed or fruit of an oil-producing plant. Virgin oil is obtained solely by mechanical processes and clarified by physical means. It does not undergo any chemical treatment or refining operation.
INCI
International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients
Classification of ingredients used in cosmetic products by their Latin, botanical or chemical name. Their display on the packaging has been mandatory in Europe since 1998.
Lipids
A word designating the fatty part of foods. Lipids include: oils and butters of plant and animal origin, margarines. They play an essential role in metabolic and energy terms.
Free radicals
Chemical agents obtained by the oxidation of substances exposed to oxygen. Naturally present in the body, they become harmful when they are produced in excessive quantities, for example due to tobacco, sun, pollution, etc. They are responsible for the aging of cells and can be the cause of cardiovascular diseases and disorders.
Saponification
A natural method of soap making, cold saponification is a total chemical reaction between a fatty substance (butter or oil) and an alkali, generally soda or potash.
Triester
A substance with three times the “ester” function, a compound resulting from the action of an oxyacid on an alcohol or phenol, with elimination of water.
Saponification value
Quantity of Sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide required to saponify 1 gram of oil.
