title: Effects of muscle α-tocopherol level and surface microbiological contamination on retail caselife of fresh beef from the US, Japan and Australia.
abstract: This study evaluated effects of dietary supplementation of vitamin E (1000 IU vitamin E/daily for 100 days prior to harvest) to fed cattle on retail caselife performance of fresh US beef in an export market (Japan). Economic performance (monetary losses associated with color deterioration) for US beef from vitamin E supplemented cattle vs beef from non-vitamin E supplemented cattle was contrasted. An additional, controlled study was performed to compare muscle α-tocopherol concentrations, color changes and microbiological growth for fresh beef derived from vitamin E supplemented US cattle and fresh beef from cattle with an unknown history, but from other countries. Australian strip loin steaks had the highest muscle α-tocopherol concentrations (4.6 μg/g tissue), followed by US strip loin steaks derived from vitamin E supplemented cattle (3.4 μg/g tissue) and Japanese strip loin steaks (2.8 or 2.5 μg/g tissue). US strip loin steaks from non-vitamin E supplemented cattle had the lowest (p<0.05) α-tocopherol levels (1.7 μg/g tissue). Aerobic plate counts and total coliform counts were generally low at 0 days of retail display, and they changed similarly among treatments over 6 days of display, regardless of the country of origin of the beef. Vitamin E supplementation of US cattle reduced total Japanese retail store losses due to discoloration of US beef, in yen, by 5.2 percentage points (p<0.05), saving Japanese retailers US $0.24/kg. Data suggest that US beef-normally perceived, in Japan, to discolor more quickly in the retail display case than beef from Australia-would compete more favorably, in shelf-life, with beef from other countries if it was derived from cattle that had been fed supplemental vitamin E.
authors: Center for Red Meat Safety, Colorado State University, Department of Animal Sciences, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1171, USA.
authors: H N
authors: HN
authors: Zerby
authors: K E
authors: KE
authors: Belk
authors: J K
authors: JK
authors: Ahola
authors: J N
authors: JN
authors: Sofos
authors: D M
authors: DM
authors: Schaefer
authors: J B
authors: JB
authors: Morgan
authors: G C
authors: GC
authors: Smith