ScienceAugust 24, 2026

ferulic

fuh-ROO-lik

Definition

Relating to a specific organic acid found in the cell walls of plants that acts as a precursor for chemical synthesis, particularly in the production of vanillin.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin 'ferula,' which refers to a type of giant fennel plant where this acid was first isolated. The suffix '-ic' is added to denote its nature as a chemical acid.

In the news

In this article, yeast is engineered to convert ferulic acid—which is extracted from plant biomass—into vanillin, providing a renewable way to produce a natural-tasting flavor.

Scientists Transform Plastic Bottles Into Cookies

Read the full article ↗

Bioengineer.org

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