Effect of a dietary vitamin E supplementation on colour stability and lipid oxidation of air- and modified atmosphere-packaged beef

The effects of dietary vitamin E supplementation on tissue α-tocopherol level and on the susceptibility of fresh and modified atmosphere-packaged beef on myoglobin and lipid oxidation were investigated. Charolais cattle, aged 32–44 months, were fed diets containing 75 (control, n=8) or 1000 mg (supplemented, n=8) α-tocopheryl acetate/kg feed/day for 111 days prior to slaughter. Following vacuum packaging, M. Longissimus lumborum and M. triceps brachii were aerobically packaged and held under refrigerated display (3°C) for 9 days or packaged under modified atmosphere (MAP; 20% CO 2: 80%O 2) and held under refrigerated display (8°C) for 13 days under fluorescent light. α-tocopherol concentrations were significantly higher ( P