Medium-chain triglycerides

About

Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are fats whose triglyceride molecules carry two or three fatty acids with tails of 6 to 12 carbon atoms, such as caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid; the body absorbs them without bile salts and metabolises them readily, so they serve in food as an easily used energy source and in specialised nutrition products.^[1] Palm kernel oil and coconut oil are the rich sources used for commercial extraction, by fractionation, and MCTs can also be made by interesterification.^[1] On cosmetics labels the caprylic/capric form appears under its INCI name, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (CAS 73398-61-5 / 65381-09-1), an emollient made from coconut oil and glycerin.^[2] The 2.39 oz cup of Velveeta Shells & Cheese Original lists MEDIUM CHAIN TRIGLYCERIDES last in its ingredient statement.^[3]

Classes of this ingredient

Products (8)

Includes products that name the class Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride.

ProductCategoryBarcode

Vaseline Lip Therapy Aloe Lipstick 4 g Vaseline · 4 g Lip Balms 8711600352728 Vaseline Lip Therapy Cocoa Lipstick 4 g Vaseline · 4 g Lip Balms 8711600353091 Vaseline Lip Therapy Original Lipstick 4 g Vaseline · 4 g Lip Balms 8711600352513 Vaseline Lip Therapy Rosy Lipstick 4 g Vaseline · 4 g Lip Balms 8711600352889 Velveeta Shells & Cheese Original 2.39 oz Velveeta · 68 g Dough Based Products / Meals - Not Ready to Eat - Savoury (Shelf Stable) 021000023226 Velveeta Shells & Cheese Original 4 × 2.39 oz Velveeta · 272 g Dough Based Products / Meals - Not Ready to Eat - Savoury (Shelf Stable) 021000023394 Velveeta Shells & Cheese Original Big Bowl 5 oz Velveeta · 142 g Dough Based Products / Meals - Not Ready to Eat - Savoury (Shelf Stable) 021000077151 Velveeta Shells & Cheese Original Big Cup 5 oz Velveeta · 142 g Dough Based Products / Meals - Not Ready to Eat - Savoury (Shelf Stable) 021000065561

Relations

• Derived from Coconut oil^[1] sourced
  MCTs are found in palm kernel oil and coconut oil and can be separated by fractionation
• Derived from Palm kernel oil^[1] sourced
  named with coconut oil as a rich source for commercial extraction
• Not to be confused with Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride^[2] sourced
  the INCI name of the caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) triglyceride used as an emollient on cosmetics labels

Referenced by

• Kinds include Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride verified
  CosIng describes it as mixed decanoyl and octanoyl glycerides; Wikipedia defines MCTs as triglycerides with 6 to 12 carbon tails

References

1. ↑ Wikipedia: Medium-chain triglyceride Wikipedia. publication. Accessed 2026-09-26. lede; Sources of MCTs; Medical relevance. cc-by-sa-4.0. Wikipedia contributors.
2. ↑ Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (Explained + Products) INCIDecoder. publication. Accessed 2026-09-26. What-it-does; CAS #; description.
3. ↑ Ingredient list and Nutrition Facts photographs of the 2.39 oz cup, 2023 Open Food Facts. pack. Published 2023-03-17. Accessed 2026-09-25. Record: 0021000023226. ingredients imgid 3 and 4, Nutrition Facts imgid 5. cc-by-sa-3.0. Open Food Facts contributors. Upstream: https://world.openfoodfacts.org/product/0021000023226.