An organic compound derived from plant matter, particularly from the pentosan sugars in grain husks and wood, used in industrial chemistry and manufacturing.
From Latin 'furfur' (bran) plus the chemical suffix '-al' for aldehydes; the compound was named because it's produced by the destructive distillation of bran and other plant materials.
Furfural is one of those chemicals that quietly powers modern industry—it's used to make everything from lubricating oils to foam insulation, yet most people have never heard of it because it's always hidden inside other products!
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