free fatty acid


free fat·ty ac·id

(FFA) (frē fatē aśid) A blood product that occurs due to the digestion of triglycerides.

free fatty acid

Abbreviation: FFA
The form in which a fatty acid leaves the cell to be transported for use in another part of the body. FFAs are not esterified and may be unbound (not bound to protein). In the plasma, the nonesterified fatty acids released immediately combine with albumin to form bound free fatty acids. See also: acid