Flow of essential fatty acids through the plasma NEFA pool. Dietary fats enter plasma as triglycerides in chylomicron particles released from the intestine. Hydrolysis by lipoprotein lipase releases NEFA that mix with NEFA released from adipose tissue and with NEFA hydrolyzed from the very low density lipoprotein secreted by the liver. The half-life of plasma NEFA is about 2 to 4 min.