The term “fatty acids” is conceptually well defined with regard to fats, whose extent of saturation or unsaturation is precisely indicated in the content description of foodstuff. In contrast, the term “fatty acid” gives no hint of being associated with “soap” (Na and K salts of fatty acids). Fatty acids in edible fats or in cleaning soaps have one thing in common: they are colorless. The prevalence of colorless fats and unadulterated white soaps has ensured that fatty acids are not associated with color. However, colored conjugated polyunsaturated fatty acids do exist, occurring abundantly in nature or manufactured at large scale. We endeavor to extricate conjugated polyenoic acids from oblivion by

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presenting new data on surface tension and critical micelle concentration of Na-, K- and Cs-carotenoates,

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comparing these data with Na-, K- and Cs-carboxylates,

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revisiting previously synthesized glycol-, glycerol- and phospholipids with carotenoic acids.

Based on the presented results (alkalicarotenoates have similar surface properties to alkalicarboxylates, carotenoic acids react like carboxylic acids to lipids), we argue for inclusion of conjugated carotenoic acids in fatty acid inventories and organic chemistry textbooks. Carotenoic acids and –salts have outstanding qualities by combining visibility and traceability with biological activity.

关于脂肪，术语“脂肪酸”在概念上定义明确，其饱和度或不饱和度的程度在食品的含量描述中准确指出。相反，术语“脂肪酸”没有暗示与“肥皂”（脂肪酸的钠盐和钾盐）有关。食用脂肪或清洁肥皂中的脂肪酸有一个共同点：它们是无色的。无色脂肪和纯白肥皂的普及确保了脂肪酸与颜色无关。然而，确实存在有色共轭多不饱和脂肪酸，其在自然界中大量存在或大规模生产。我们努力通过以下方法消除共轭多烯酸：

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提供关于Na-，K-和Cs-胡萝卜素的表面张力和临界胶束浓度的新数据，

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将这些数据与Na，K和Cs羧酸盐进行比较，

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再次与胡萝卜素酸合成乙二醇，甘油和磷脂。

根据提出的结果（链烷羧酸烯酸酯具有与碱金属羧酸酯相似的表面性质，胡萝卜素酸像羧酸一样反应生成脂质），我们认为在脂肪酸清单和有机化学教科书中应包括共轭胡萝卜素酸。胡萝卜素酸和–盐通过将可见度和可追溯性与生物活性相结合而具有出色的品质。