Effect of dietary vitamin E supplementation on the colour and lipid stability of fresh, frozen and vacuum-packaged beef

The effects of dietary vitamin E supplementation on tissue alpha-tocopherol (alpha-Toc) levels and on the susceptibility of fresh, frozen and vacuum-packaged beef to lipid oxidation and colour deterioration were investigated. Friesian cattle were fed diets containing 20 (basal, n = 5) or 2000 (supplemented, n = 5) IU (alpha-tocopheryl acetate/kg feed/day for approximately 50 days prior to slaughter. alpha-Toc levels were higher (p < 0.05) in muscles from supplemented animals than from those on a basal diet. Significant differences in alpha-Toc levels were also observed between muscles from different treatment groups, the order of the supplemented group was: M. psoas major (PM) > M. longissimus dorsi (LD) > M. gluteus medius (GM) (p < 0.05), and in the basal group the order was: PM > GM > LD (p < 0.05). Supplemented fresh, frozen and vacuum packed beef showed greater colour and lipid oxidative stability than meat from the basal group after 7 days retail display at 4 degrees C (p < 0.05). Thus, dietary (alpha-Toc supplementation appeared to retard metmyoglobin and TEARS formation in LD, GM and PM and increased the colour shelf life of these muscles. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.