INFLUENCE OF DIETARY-FAT AND ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL SUPPLEMENTATION ON LIPID OXIDATION IN PORK

Sixty-four pigs, approximately 3 weeks old, were fed diets containing 3% beef tallow or 3% soya oil with either a basal (10-50 mg/kg diet) or supplemented (200 mg/kg diet) level of alpha-tocopheral acetate. In pigs fed the soya oil diet the neutral and polar lipid fractions of muscle tissue and the total lipid fraction of adipose tissue had significantly (P < 0.05) higher C18:2/C18:1 ratios when compared to pigs fed the tallow diet. Muscle from pigs fed the soya oil diet was significantly more susceptible (P < 0.05) to lipid oxidation than muscle from pigs fed the tallow diet. In pigs receiving the alpha-tocopherol supplemented diet, alpha-tocopherol levels were approximately 3.3, 2.8 and 2-times higher in plasma, muscle and adipose tissue, respectively, when compared to pigs fed the basal level of alpha-tocopherol acetate. alpha-Tocopherol supplementation significantly increased (P < 0.05) the oxidative stability of muscle from pigs fed both the tallow and soya oil diets.