Toxicological, bacteriocidal and fungicidal properties of fatty acids and some derivatives

The LD 50 oral ingestion values for the common commercial fatty acids are in the range which are considered nontoxic; 24 hour primary skin irritation is considered positive for octanoic acid but negative for decanoic acid and upwards; 4 hour skin corrosivity is considered positive for decanoic acid and lower, negative for lauric acid and higher; eye irritation is considered positive for lauric acid and lower, negative for myristic acid and higher. Among the fatty acid derivatives that have well recognized bacteriocidal and fungicidal properties are undecanoic acid and its salts, sodium and zinc particularly, (athlete's foot fungus), fatty amine quaternary salts, (general bacteriocide properties), fatty amide derivatives, and sodium salts of common fatty acids. The highly purified monoglyceride prepared from high C‐12 fatty acid has unprecedented activity and sanitizing properties.