UPTAKE OF ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL IN PORCINE PLASMA AND TISSUES

The effect of feeding alpha-tocopheryl acetate to pigs on the rate and extent of uptake of alpha-tocopherol in various tissues was investiga ted. The rate of iron ascorbate-induced lipid peroxidation was also st udied. One hundred and eight Landrace x Large White pigs were assigned at random to one of the following barley-based diets: 20 mg alpha-toc opheryl acetate/kg feed for up to 126 days; 20 mg/kg feed to day 91, f ollowed by 200 mg/kg feed to day 126, or 200 mg/kg feed for up to 126 days: Pigs from each group were slaughtered at specified intervals. Fo r pigs fed the diet supplemented with 200 mg alpha-tocopheryl acetate/ kg feed, alpha-tocopherol levels increased with increasing supplementa tion time up to day 126 in all tissues studied. The highest levels of alpha-tocopherol were observed in kidney fat and subcutaneous fat : (i nner layer) followed by subcutaneous fat (outer layer), liver, lung, h eart, kidney, with muscle and brain containing approximately the same level. The cr-tocopherol concentrations in all tissues examined, from pigs fed 200 mg alpha-tocopheryl acetate/kg feed from weaning to day 1 26 were greater than those fed the supplemented diet for 35 days. Iron -induced lipid peroxidation was reduced by dietary alpha-tocopheryl ac etate supplementation, and muscle samples from pigs supplemented for 1 26 days were significantly (p < 0.05) less susceptible to peroxidation compared to muscle from pigs fed the same supplemented diet for 35 da ys. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd