EFFECT OF DIETARY ALPHA-TOCOPHERYL ACETATE SUPPLEMENTATION ON ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL DISTRIBUTION IN RAW TURKEY MUSCLES AND ITS EFFECT ON THE STORAGE STABILITY OF COOKED TURKEY MEAT

Day-old turkey chicks (n = 99) were divided at random into three group s (n = 33) and fed diets containing 20 (E20), 300 (E300) and 600 (E600 ) mg all-rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetate per kg feed per day for 21 weeks prior to slaughter. After slaughter, breasts and legs were removed an d examined for alpha-tocopherol content. Breast muscle from birds fed the three diets was oven cooked, cooled, sliced and overwrapped. The o xidative and colour stability of the slices was examined. Mean alpha-t ocopherol levels in turkey muscle were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the E300 and E600 groups compared to the control group fed the E20 diet. alpha-Tocopherol levels in the E300 and E600 groups showed that concentrations in leg muscle were significantly (p < 0.05) higher tha n in breast muscle. alpha-Tocopherol levels in leg and breast muscles from birds fed E20 and E600 diets decreased significantly (p < 0.05) d uring 12 months of frozen (-20 degrees C) storage. TEARS numbers for b reast slices from all three dietary groups, cooked both 24 hr after sl aughter and following frozen (-20 degrees Cx11 months) storage, increa sed during refrigerated (4 degrees C) display for 10 days. TEARS numbe rs for slices produced from meat previously held in frozen storage inc reased more rapidly than those for meat cooked following slaughter. rn both cases, E300 and E600 diets significantly (p < 0.05) suppressed l ipid oxidation compared to E20 samples. In general, Hunter a values fo r meat slices from turkeys fed the E300 and E600 diets were higher tha n those for meat slices from turkeys fed the E20 diet. (C) 1998 Elsevi er Science Ltd. All rights reserved.