Hydrolysis of triglycerides yields which products?

• A. Glycerol and fatty acids
• B. Glycerol and cholesterol
• C. Glycerol and monoglycerides
• D. Glycerol and water

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that hydrolysis breaks the ester bonds in a triglyceride by adding water, converting each fatty acid–glycerol ester linkage into a free fatty acid and glycerol. Since there are three ester bonds, complete hydrolysis gives glycerol plus three fatty acids. Cholesterol isn’t produced by this reaction, and monoglycerides would only arise if hydrolysis stopped after one bond. Water is consumed in the reaction, not produced. So the products are glycerol and fatty acids.