Complex sentence: In technical terms, saponification involves a base, usually sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) and hydrolysis of triglycerides, which are esters of fatty acids, to form the sodium salt of a carboxylate.
Split into simpler sentences: In technical terms, saponification involves a base, usually sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), and triglycerides, which are esters of fatty acids. The triglycerides are hydrolyzed to form the sodium salt of a carboxylate.