Fatty acid ester
Space-filling model of methyl linoleate, or linoleic acid methyl ester, a common methyl ester produced from soybean or canola oil and methanol
Fatty acid esters (FAEs) are a type of ester that result from the combination of a fatty acid with an alcohol. When the alcohol component is glycerol, the fatty acid esters produced can be monoglycerides, diglycerides, or triglycerides. Dietary fats are chemically triglycerides.
Biodiesels are typically fatty acid esters produced by the transesterification of vegetable fats and oils which results in the replacement of the glycerol component with a different alcohol.