Improvement of Pigment and Lipid Stability in Holstein Steer Beef by Dietary Supplementation with Vitamin E

Pigment and lipid oxidation was investigated in fresh ground sirloin from control and vitamin E‐supplemented (370 I.U./head/day) Holstein steers. Alpha‐tocopherol levels were higher (P<0.05) in muscle from supplemented animals than from controls. During 6 days storage at 4°C, metmyoglobin accumulation and lipid oxidation (TBA) were greater (P<0.05) in beef from control versus supplemented animals. TBA value and % metmyoglobin were highly correlated in the control (r = 0.91) and supplemented (r = 0.72) groups. TBA values of cooked sirloin slices subsequently stored for 2 days at 4°C, and for frozen ground sirloin patties stored at ‐18°C for 1.5 and 3 months, were lower (P<0.05) in beef from supplemented animals than from controls. Meat which contained in excess of ca. 0.3 mg α‐tocopherol/100 g tissue displayed the least oxidation of both pigments and lipids.