This study examined the effects of dietary vitamin E supplementation on meat quality attributes in beef cattle. Cattle were fed diets with or without additional vitamin E for varying time periods. Muscle samples were taken and analyzed for vitamin E concentration, oxidative stability, color stability, microbial counts, and eating quality over storage. Results showed that vitamin E concentrations in muscle peaked at around 3 months of supplementation but varied between individual animals and muscles. Supplementation generally improved meat quality and shelf life by increasing oxidative stability and color shelf life, though some unexpected results occurred at higher vitamin E levels above 3.0 mg/g. Further controlled studies are needed to fully understand interactions between vitamin E accumulation and meat quality attributes.

1. •THE ACCUMULATION OF
-TOCOPHEROLAND ITS
EFFECT ON MEAT
QUALITY OF FRESH BEEF
Dr. Esra KURT
University of Istanbul
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Division of Food Hygiene and Technology

2. WHY WE DID THIS STUDY?

3. Dietary supplementation with
high levels of -tocopherol , the
most active form of vitamin E, is
effective in improving beef
quality.

4. AIMS
• Determine the rate of uptake and the
clearance from muscle of vitamin E in beef
cattle fed supplementary vitamin E in a
concentrate diet along with ad libitum silage
• Establish a rational basis for the level and
timing of vitamin E supplementation
• Determine the effectiveness of vitamin E
supplementation on shelf life and sensory
quality during storage

5. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
Breed Standard +vit E -vitE
___________________________________________
_
November 5 BB 60 0 0
December 5 BB 60 28 0
January 5 BB 60 63 0
February 3BB, 2L 60 105 0
April 2BB, 3L 60 154 0
May 5 L 60 154 35
June 5 L 60 154 63

6. THE AMOUNT OF  -TOCOPHEROL
IN THE DIET (mg/kg)
______________________________________
_
+vit E -vit E
Pellet 5523 109
Barley 6.1 7.4
Mix 2.5kg, daily 2090 16.5
______________________________________
_

7. R e t a i l D i s p l a y
C o l o u r d e t e r i o r a t i o n d u r i n g d i s p l a y
T B A - t e s t a f t e r 4 , 8 , 1 1 , 1 5 d a y s d i s p l a y
F l a v o u r A n a l y s i s a f t e r 5 d a y s d i s p l a y
A g e i n g f o r 1 5 d a y s
D r i p l o s s o n a g e d s a m p l e s
L i p i d o x i d a t i o n i n d u c e d T B A t e s t
F a t t y a c i d c o m p o s i t i o n
V i t a m i n E c o n c e n t r a t i o n s
D r i p l o s s o n n o n - a g e d s a m p l e s
4 8 h P o s t s l a u g h t e r m . l o n g i s s i m u s d o r s i a n d p s o a s w e r e r e m o v e d f o r i n i t i a l t e s t s :
S L A U G H T E R
E v a l u a t i o n o f c a r c a s s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s
p H e s t i m a t i o n a t 3 h a n d 4 8 h
F E D F O R D A Y S
6 0 d a y s o n S t a n d a r d d i e t
2 8 , 6 3 , 1 0 5 , 1 5 4 d a y s o n s u p p l e m e n t + 2 0 0 0 I U / d a y v i t a m i n E
3 5 , 6 3 , 9 8 d a y s o n l o w v i t a m i n E S t a n d a r d d i e t
4 0 A N I M A L S
B e l g i a n B l u e x F r i e s i a n
L i m o u s i n x F r i e s i a n

8. RESULTS

9. No beneficial
effects of
dietary
vitamin E on
growth
performance
and carcass
characteristics
were observed.

10. Vitamin E
concentrations
were around the
value of 3.5 mg/g
as being necessary
for improving
colour display life
and reducing lipid
oxidation in
ground beef

11. Mean vitamin E values in m.longissimus
dorsi and psoas steaks from animals fed
with supranutritional vitamin E for
different periods

12. Vitamin E
concentrations
in psoas
muscles were
higher than in
longissimus
dorsi

13. TBA values for
psoas and
longissimus dorsi
muscles were
significantly
lower in April
when vitamin E
levels were
highest

14. Mean TBA values in psoas steaks from
animals fed with supranutritional
vitamin E for different periods

15. However, low
TBA values
were not
always
coincident
with high
vitamin E
concentrations

16. Mean TBA values in m.longissimus dorsi
steaks from animals fed with supra
nutritional vitamin E for different periods

17. The oxidative
stability of
longissimus
dorsi samples
was 4 days
longer than
psoas samples

18. Colour stability
was not always
coincident
with high
vitamin E
concentrations

19. The saturation values upto 18 days of
m.longissimus dorsi steaks from animals
fed with supra nutritional vitamin E
slaughtered at different months

20. The colour
shelf life was
shorter for
the psoas
muscle than
longissimus
dorsi

21. The colour
shelf life
was slightly
longer when
muscles
were MA
packed

22. The colour shelf life of OW or MAP psoas
and m.longissimus dorsi steaks from
animals fed with supra nutritional
vitamin E slaughtered at different months

23. There was no
obvious trend
relating
microbial
counts with
vitamin E
accumulation
So, the steaks
were
microbiologically
acceptable when
they had
acceptable red
colour

24. Vitamin E
supplementation
did not have any
adverse effect
on eating
quality

25. CONCLUSIONS
There is an
animal and
group variation
in the
accumulation
of α-tocopherol
levels in beef...

26. This variation
was related in a
several way to
the period of
supplementation
of α-
tocopherol..

27. In general, feeding critical levels
of supplemental vitamin E has a
positive and desirable effect on
meat quality and shelf life.

28. The
unexpected
results in
some
months are
difficult to
explain...

29. However, the results are
consistent with others who have
shown unclear effects of high
levels of supplementation above
a certain concentration of
vitamin E in muscle.

30. ... seem to be
related
concentrations
in fresh
muscle in
excess of
3.0 mg/g
α-tocopherol.

31. Breed
differences
could also
be
important..

32. Further experiments under more
controlled conditions are
required to determine the
possible interaction between
tocopherol levels and meat
quality attributes as well as the
influence of production systems

33. THANK