INFLUENCE OF DIETARY-TREATMENT ON LIPID AND CHOLESTEROL OXIDATION IN PORK

The effect of oxidized corn oil and alpha-tocopherol acetate in pig diets on oxidation of lipids in raw and cooked pork was studied. Oxidation was significantly influenced by dietary alpha-tocopherol supplementation but not by oxidized corn oil. The rate of formation of lipid and cholesterol oxidation products was low in raw samples compared to that in cooked samples. After 2 days of refrigerated storage, total cholesterol oxides represented 2.7% of total cholesterol content of cooked pork from pip fed the basal level of alpha-tocopherol acetate (10 mg/kg of diet) and 1.6% of total cholesterol in pork from pigs fed the supplemented diet (200 mg/kg). Lipid and cholesterol oxide product formation were positively correlated in cooked pork (r = 0.88, P < 0.01). The results of the present study indicate that increasing the alpha-tocopherol content of muscle by dietary means can reduce cholesterol oxide formation in muscle foods.