EFFECTS OF DIETARY ALPHA-TOCOPHERYL ACETATE SUPPLEMENTATION ON ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL DEPOSITION IN PORCINE M-PSOAS MAJOR AND M-LONGISSIMUS-DORSIAND ON DRIP LOSS, COLOR STABILITY AND OXIDATIVE STABILITY OF PORK MEAT

The effect of feeding supra-nutritional levels of alpha-tocopheryl ace tate on its deposition in two porcine muscles of different metabolic r ates (m. longissimus dorsi and m. psoas major) and the effect on meat quality (lipid oxidation, colour stability and drip loss) was studied. Pigs were fed a standard diet supplemented with three levels: 100, 20 0 and 700 mg/kg of alpha-tocopheryl acetate from the time of weaning t o slaughter at 90 kg live weight. Muscle alpha-tocopherol levels were linearly related to the logarithm of dietary alpha-tocopheryl acetate supplementation and the linear relationship was estimated for the two muscles. The levels of alpha-tocopherol in the two muscles differed by a parallel displacement with consistently higher alpha-tocopherol lev els in m. psoas major compared to m. longissimus dorsi. Dietary alpha tocopheryl acetate supplementation significantly reduced lipid oxidati on as measured by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in b oth raw and cooked meat during storage at 4 degrees C for 6 days. Drip loss and colour stability of raw muscles were not affected by dietary alpha-tocopheryl acetate levels, 100 mg alpha-tocopheryl acetate/kg f eed resulted in sufficient alpha-tocopherol levels in muscles to ensur e minimum drip loss and optimum colour stability. (C) 1997 Elsevier Sc ience Ltd.