Answer: The correct option is C (One of the fatty acid salts was unsaturated, and it completely isomerized under the reaction conditions).
Step-by-step explanation:
Fats and oils belongs to a general group of compounds known as lipids. Fatty acids are weak acid and are divided into two:
--> Saturated fatty acids: These have NO double bonds in their hydrocarbon chain, and
--> Unsaturated fatty acids: These have one or more double bonds in their hydrocarbon chain.
SAPONIFICATION is defined as the process by which fats and oil is hydrolyzed with caustic alkali to yield propane-1,2,3-triol and the corresponding sodium salt of the component fatty acids. During this process, One hydroxide ion is required to hydrolyze one ester linkage of a triacylglycerol molecule. Because there are three ester linkages in a triacylglycerol, three equivalents of sodium hydroxide will be needed to completely saponify the triacylglycerol. This explains the reason why saponification of the triacylglycerol iresulted in four different fatty acid salts.