"Acrolein (systematic name: propenal) is the simplest unsaturated aldehyde. It is produced widely but is 
most often immediately reacted with other products due to its instability and toxicity. It has a piercing, disagreeable, acrid smell; the smell of burnt fat (as when cooking oil is heated to its smoke point) is caused by glycerol in the burning fat breaking down into acrolein."
"Acrolein is used in the preparation of polyester resin, polyurethane, propylene glycol, acrylic acid, acrylonitrile, and glycerol. Acrolein tends to polymerize when left at room temperature, leaving a gummy yellowish residue with a putrid odor."