Saponification es le reaction chimic hydrolyse inter acidos grasse e un hydroxydo, per exemplo hydroxydo de sodium ( N a O H {\displaystyle {\mathsf {NaOH}}} ) o hydroxydo de potassium ( K O H {\displaystyle {\mathsf {KOH}}} ). Le resultato es sales del acido e alcohol. Le sales del acidos grasse es nominate sapones.
acido grasse + {\displaystyle +} 3 vices hydroxydo de sodium ⟶ {\displaystyle \longrightarrow } alcoholo + {\displaystyle +} 3 vices sapon
( C H 2 ) 14 C H 3 − O − C H 2 − C ( H ) O − ( C H 2 ) 14 C H 3 − C H 2 − O − ( C H 2 ) 14 C H 3 {\displaystyle {\mathsf {(CH}}_{2}{\mathsf {)\,14\,CH}}_{3}{\mathsf {-O-CH}}_{2}{\mathsf {-C(H)O-(CH}}_{2}{\mathsf {)\,14\,CH}}_{3}{\mathsf {-CH}}_{2}{\mathsf {-O-(CH}}_{2}{\mathsf {)\,14\,CH}}_{3}} + 3 N a O H ⟶ C H 2 − O H − C H − O H − C H 2 − O H {\displaystyle {\mathsf {+\,3\,NaOH}}\longrightarrow {\mathsf {CH}}_{2}{\mathsf {-OH-CH-OH-CH}}_{2}{\mathsf {-OH}}} + 3 ( C H 2 ) 14 C H 3 − C O 2 − N a {\displaystyle {\mathsf {+\,3\,(CH}}_{2}{\mathsf {)\,14\,CH}}_{3}{\mathsf {-CO}}_{2}{\mathsf {-Na}}}
3 vices hydroxydo de sodium 
alcoholo 3 vices sapon
