What distinguishes saturated fats from unsaturated fats?

Saturated fats are distinguished from unsaturated fats primarily by their chemical structure, specifically the presence or absence of double bonds between carbon atoms in their fatty acid chains. Saturated fats have no double bonds, which means that all carbon atoms are fully "saturated" with hydrogen atoms. This structure allows saturated fats to pack closely together, making them solid at room temperature.

In contrast, unsaturated fats contain one or more double bonds, which introduce kinks in their structure. These kinks prevent the molecules from packing tightly, resulting in a liquid state at room temperature. The lack of double bonds in saturated fats is what contributes to their stability and higher melting points.

Therefore, the distinguishing feature of saturated fats being different from unsaturated fats is the absence of double bonds, making the provided answer accurate.