beta-oxidation

[ bey-tuh-ok-si-dey-shuhnor, especially British, bee- ]

noun

, Biochemistry.

1. a process by which fatty acids are degraded, involving oxidation of the beta carbons and removal of successive two-carbon fragments from the fatty acid.

Word History and Origins

Origin of beta-oxidation¹

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

If calories are plentiful and there are no periods of starvation, beta-oxidation enzymes are weak and it becomes difficult to mobilize the fat.

From New York Times