Improvement of color and lipid stability of rabbit meat by dietary supplementation with vitamin E

Citation
C. Corino et al., Improvement of color and lipid stability of rabbit meat by dietary supplementation with vitamin E, MEAT SCI, 52(3), 1999, pp. 285-289
Citations number
38
Categorie Soggetti
Food Science/Nutrition
Journal title
MEAT SCIENCE
ISSN journal
03091740 → ACNP
Volume
52
Issue
3
Year of publication
1999
Pages
285 - 289
Database
ISI
SICI code
0309-1740(199907)52:3<285:IOCALS>2.0.ZU;2-4
Abstract
The effects of vitamin E (all-rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetate) supplementation on meat color and oxidative stability of muscle lipids in New Zealand Whit e rabbits was determined. Twenty animals received pelleted diet (containing 60 mg/kg alpha-tocopheryl acetate) and 10 of these (treatment group) recei ved drinking water containing 100 mg alpha-tocopheryl acetate/L for 15 days before slaughter. The alpha-tocopherol content of the longissimus lumborum muscle (LL) was higher (5.66 vs 1.65 mu g/g) in the supplemented group tha n the control group (p < 0.001). The surface redness (a*) of the muscle sho wed a significant time x treatment effect (p < 0.001), decreasing more in t he control group over 11 days of storage in the dark at +2.5 degrees C. The lightness (L*) showed a tendency (p = 0.06) for a treatment x time effect. No effect of vitamin supplementation was observed on yellowness (b*). Thio barbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in muscle, an index of oxidativ e stability, were lower in the treated than control group throughout storag e (p < 0.01 for treatment effect). Vitamin E supplementation appears to be an effective way to improve the color and lipid stability of rabbit meat. ( C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.