Pentacosanoic acid

Pentacosanoic acid (CAS 506-38-7) is a straight-chain saturated fatty acid containing 25 carbon atoms, also known commercially as hyenic acid, hyenate, or pentacosylic acid. It carries no assigned E-code and is catalogued under EC 208-036-0. The compound belongs to the odd-chain fatty acid class, distinguishing it from the more common even-chain series.

In personal care formulations, pentacosanoic acid functions as a rheology modifier by integrating into lipid matrices to increase structural rigidity and control product texture. In food and nutrition research, it serves as a biochemical reference standard for odd-chain fatty acid analysis, and its emulsification behaviour supports stabilisation of lipid-water interfaces in experimental systems.

Pentacosanoic acid is supplied as a solid and is subject to REACH registration requirements for quantities above threshold volumes within the EU. Procurement teams should confirm purity grade specifications, as research-grade and formulation-grade material differ in analytical certification. Standard packaging formats vary by supplier volume tier.