title: Beef quality attributes as affected by increasing the intramuscular levels of vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids.
abstract: In order to investigate the effects of increasing beef n-3 fatty acid content and the protective effects of vitamin E antioxidant activity on meat quality characteristics, 80 feedlot steers were fed 4 different diets (control, high vitamin E, 10% ground flaxseed or high vitamin E-10% ground flaxseed). While dietary treatments had no effect (P>0.05) on meat composition or tenderness values, the increase in oxidation products was lower (P=0.046) in meat from vitamin E supplemented steers and higher (P=0.006) in meat from flaxseed fed animals. The increase in α-tocopherol tissue levels (P<0.001) in meat from animals fed flaxseed and increased dietary vitamin E resulted in the lowest drip loss values (P=0.013). As expected, display time had a large effect on retail traits in both steaks and patties (P<0.001). While retail traits of steaks were not affected by the dietary treatments (P>0.05), feeding flaxseed decreased (P<0.05) ground beef retail scores, which were not corrected by higher levels of dietary vitamin E. Finally, although no effect (P>0.05) was observed among treatments for sensory attributes in steaks, the correlations of a combined n-3:α-tocopherol ratio against retail and sensory attributes (P<0.05) suggest that increased n-3 fatty acids levels require increased dietary antioxidants, such as vitamin E to avoid negative effects on meat quality from a loss in oxidative stability.
authors: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe Research Centre, 6000 C & E Trail, Lacombe, AB, Canada T4L 1W1. Manuel.Juarez@AGR.GC.CA
authors: Manuel
authors: M
authors: Juárez
authors: Michael E R
authors: ME
authors: Dugan
authors: Noelia
authors: N
authors: Aldai
authors: John A
authors: JA
authors: Basarab
authors: Vern S
authors: VS
authors: Baron
authors: Tim A
authors: TA
authors: McAllister
authors: Jennifer L
authors: JL
authors: Aalhus
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000032:analysis*; D019597:Flax / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D014810:Vitamin E