Glycerol (/ˈɡlɪsərɒl/) is a sugar alcohol with chemical formula C3H5(OH)3. It has three carbon atoms and as many hydroxyl groups. It is a colorless, odorless, sweet-tasting, viscous liquid at Standard Ambient Temperature and Pressure (SATP). Because of its three hydroxyl groups, glycerol is miscible with water and is hygroscopic in nature.
The glycerol backbone is found in lipids known as glycerides, where one or more of the hydroxyl groups are esterified with fatty acids. The most abundant of glycerides are triglycerides (found in animal fats and vegetable oils), it is where glycerol is most commonly found in nature. It is also widely used as a sweetener in the food industry and as a humectant in pharmaceutical formulations.
