hydroxl functional groups
Glycerol is a triol, an alcohol which contains three hydroxyl functional groups. A fatty acid is a long carbon chain, generally from 12 to 24 carbons in length, with an attached carboxyl group. Each of the three fatty acid molecules undergoes an esterification with one of the hydroxyl groups of the glycerol molecule. The result is a large triester molecule referred to as a triglyceride.