Display life of fresh beef containing different levels of vitamin E and initial microbial contamination

Strip loins from beef cattle fed diets supplemented or not supplemented wit h alpha-tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E, 500 IU animal(-1) d(-1)) were fabric ated into steaks inoculated at three initial levels (1.7 to 1.9, 2.3 to 2.5 , 6.4 to 7.1 log CFU/cm(2)) of bacterial contamination (from over aged reta il steaks) and evaluated for psychrotrophic plate counts (PPC), over all ap pearance and color during 6 days of simulated retail display (0 to 4C). Ini tial contamination affected changes in PPC (P < 0.05) during display, while the highest level of initial contamination eliminated benefits of high vit amin E concentrations on product color within 4 days of retail display. How ever; increased vitamin E concentrations in steaks were associated with hig her (P < 0.05) CIE a* values appearance scores when the level of initial co ntamination was less than 2.5 CFU/cm(2). Results indicated that vitamin E s upplementation does not mask high levels of bacterial contamination.