Effect of α-tocopherol tissue levels on beef quality
R.T. Nassu,
M.E.R. Dugan,
M. Juárez,
J.A. Basarab,
V.S. Baron,
J.L. Aalhus
Affiliations
R.T. Nassu
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe Research Centre, 6000 C & E Trail, Lacombe, AB, T4L 1W1, Canada; Embrapa Pecuaria Sudeste, Rodovia Washington Luiz, km 234, CP 339, Sao Carlos, SP, CEP 13560-970, Brazil
M.E.R. Dugan
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe Research Centre, 6000 C & E Trail, Lacombe, AB, T4L 1W1, Canada
M. Juárez
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe Research Centre, 6000 C & E Trail, Lacombe, AB, T4L 1W1, Canada
J.A. Basarab
Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Lacombe Research Centre, 6000 C & E Trail, Lacombe, AB, T4L 1W1, Canada
V.S. Baron
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe Research Centre, 6000 C & E Trail, Lacombe, AB, T4L 1W1, Canada
J.L. Aalhus
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe Research Centre, 6000 C & E Trail, Lacombe, AB, T4L 1W1, Canada
To evaluate meat quality of beef with different α-tocopherol tissue levels, 55 feedlot steers were fed a barley-based finisher diet with four vitamin E supplementation levels (0, 350, 700 and 1400 IU dl-α-tocopheryl acetate/animal per day) for 120 days. Although the increase in oxidation levels overtime was much smaller (P 0.05) pH, proximate analysis, drip and cooking losses, and shear force of steaks. No effect of α-tocopherol tissue levels was found in retail evaluation of steaks after a short ageing time of 6 days, but with 21 days of ageing, a delay in formation of metmyoglobin (P = 0.008) was observed in steaks with higher tissue levels of α-tocopherol. Similar results were found for ground beef (25% fat) prepared from 6-day aged meat. Thus, higher α-tocopherol tissue levels protect ground beef and long-aged steaks from discolouration and lipid oxidation.
