EFFECT OF THE DIETARY SUPPLEMENTATION WITH VITAMIN-E ON COLOR STABILITY AND LIPID OXIDATION IN PACKAGED, MINCED PORK

The effect of supplementation of vitamin E (200 IU kg(-1) feed) in the diet of pigs on colour stability and lipid oxidation in minced pork w as studied. Control and enriched diets were provided for the last 12 w eeks before slaughter. Half of the samples of minced shoulder meat fro m control and supplemented pigs were packaged on trays with oxygen-per meable overwraps and half in modified atmosphere packs (initial gas mi xture. O-2/CO2/N-2=66/27/7). Meats were stored for 10 days at 7 degree s C in an illuminated retail display cabinet. The meat from vitamin E- supplemented pigs was more resistant to lipid oxidation than was the c ontrol meat. Gas packaging appeared to increase lipid oxidation in con trol meat, whereas lipid oxidation was stable in meat from vitamin E-s upplemented pigs. Colour stability for gas-packed meat was comparable for both dietary groups. However, oxygen-permeable overwraps had a neg ative effect on colour stability in vitamin E-enriched meat. The reaso n for this is not known. The shelf-life of enriched and control meat w as similar. Thus supplementation of pig feeds with vitamin E is recomm ended if an improved stability against lipid oxidation of (minced) por k is required. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.