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Oxidation

(Science: biochemistry) The process whereby fatty acids are degraded in steps, losing 2 carbons as (acetyl) coA. Involves coa ester formation, desaturation, hydroxylation and oxidation before each cleavage. The process of oxidizing; the addition of oxygen to a compound with a loss of electrons; always occurs accompanied by reduction.A reaction where electrons involved are lost from an atom, or the addition of [[ Oxygen to a substance. Oxidation releases energy when the substances bond with a hydrogen atom is broken. The term can also refer to a general increase in the proportion of oxygen in a molecule. This may not necessarilly involve adding more oxygen to a molecule, as removing other types of atom would naturally increase the amount of oxygen.