SELENIUM AND TOCOPHEROL CONTENT OF COOKED PORK ROASTS

The content and the retention of the antioxidant nutrients, selenium a nd tocopherol (vitamin E), in boneless Chef's Prime(TM) pork loin roas ts cooked by different methods to 71 and 82C internal temperatures wer e determined. Roasts were cooked at 163C by roasting, braising, and in an oven cooking bag. Yield, moisture, and crude fat measurements were similar for all treatments. The only form of vitamin E in the sample was alpha-tocopherol. Selenium and vitamin E content as well as true r etention values were similar in pork cooked to the two internal temper atures by the three household methods with one exception; the selenium content was significantly higher in pork cooked in the bag and roaste d than in those prepared by braising. Overall, the selenium and vitami n E content of the cooked pork was 101.8 +/- 0.5 mu g/100 g ((X) over bar +/- SEM) and 0.144 +/- 0.006 mg alpha-TE/100 g, respectively. Over half of the vitamin E but little to none of the selenium in the pork was lost during these household cooking procedures.