Description
Myristic acid is a saturated fatty acid commonly found in animal and vegetable fats that is frequently used in cosmetics, soaps, perfumes, and flavorings. It increases low density lipoprotein cholesterol making it one of the most hypercholesterolemic of the saturated fatty acids. Myristic acid ethyl ester (Ethyl myristate) is a more hydrophobic form of the free acid. It is a marker of excessive ethanol consumption that can be isolated from the hair of an individual.
Chemical Properties
Clear colorless liquid, solidifying in the cold
Chemical Properties
Ethyl myristate has a mild, waxy, soapy odor reminiscent of orris.
Occurrence
Reported found in apricot, grape, pear, capsicum, beef, beer, rum, tea, guava, Vitis vinifera, ginger, Gruyere
cheese, blue cheese, boiled mutton, cognac, whiskey, sparkling wine, cocoa, coconut meat, mango, corn oil, elderberry and mastic
gum leaf oil.
Uses
Ethyl myristate may be used as an analytical standard for the determination of the analyte as an alcohol biomarker in dried blood spots and hair samples by chromatography based techniques. Ethyl myristate may also be used as an analytical standard in the determination of the analyte in selected beer flavors by stir bar sorptive extraction and solvent back extraction.
Uses
Ethyl myristate is a labeled component from essential oil of natural hawthorn perfume. It is also frequently used in cosmetics, soaps, and flavorings.
Definition
ChEBI: A long-chain fatty acid ethyl ester resulting from the formal condensation of the carboxy group of myristic acid with the hydroxy group of ethanol.
Preparation
By esterification of the acid with ethyl alcohol in the presence of gaseous HCl.
Aroma threshold values
Detection: 4 ppm
Taste threshold values
Taste characteristics at 60 ppm: sweet, waxy and creamy.
General Description
Ethyl myristate is a fatty acid ethyl ester (FAEE) that can be formed in the body due to non-oxidative metabolism of ethanol. It also occurs in vegetable oils. Ethyl myristate, along with other FAEEs are used as alcohol markers in hair.
Safety Profile
Combustible liquid.
When heated to decomposition it emits
acrid smoke and irritating fumes.
