Free fatty acids are defined as FFA in the chemical sector. This abbreviation consists of the first letters of English fatty acids. Free fatty acids are non-triglyceride free fatty acids. These fatty acids are present in large quantities in crude oil, but if the oil is refined the amount decreases to a certain level.

The number of acids in oils refers to the weight in milligrams of the amount of potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide required to neutralize 1 grams of fat.

Free fatty acidity is an important quality indicator for oils. This value is used to monitor the shelf life of oils. Therefore, measurement of free fat asthmatics is one of the basic analyzes in quality control studies. If the free acidity of the oil is high, the stability of the oil against oxidation is low. This is an important indicator that the oil is getting bitter. The free fatty acid is a result of the oil being hydrolyzed by various factors from the triglyceride structure.

The determination of free fatty acid is important in both refined and crude oils. Because, how much caustic must be treated in the neutralization process, ie in the deacidification process, is calculated on the basis of the value of the free acid content of the crude oil. If the acidity of the crude oil is unknown, how much caustic should be used during the neutralization process cannot be calculated. In this case, the expected level of neutralization in the oil cannot be achieved. For this reason, the determination of free fatty acid is made primarily in crude oil. This analysis is also carried out between processes to check whether the oil has decreased to the expected acidity level during the neutralization process.

In the laboratories, acid number and free fatty acid determination studies are carried out within the scope of chemical tests. These studies are quite simple and based on quantitative observation. During the studies, the standards prepared by local and foreign organizations are complied with.