title: Short term supplementation rates to optimise vitamin E concentration for retail colour stability of Australian lamb meat.
abstract: The relationship between vitamin E supplementation rate and colour stability was investigated using 70 mixed sex 6-8 month old crossbred lambs. An initial group of 10 were slaughtered, while the remainder were fed a pellet ration containing either 30, 150, 275 or 400 IU vitamin E/kg ration or on green pasture for 56 days. After slaughter, carcases were halved; one side packed fresh (5 days) and the other in CO2 (21 days), both at 2°C. Five muscles were set for retail display for 96 h. The oxy/metmyoglobin ratio was measured every 12 h. Colour stability increased with increasing muscle vitamin E until an apparent maximum effect for vitamin E concentration (3.5-4.0mg α-tocopherol/kg tissue) was reached beyond which no further response was evident. This was reached within 3-4 weeks (275 IU treatment), and meat from these lambs should reach 60 h retail display with a satisfactory surface colour. This effect was most apparent in aerobic muscle types and meat aged post slaughter.
authors.affiliation: Australian Sheep Industry CRC, Australia; School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia. Electronic address: c.jose@murdoch.edu.au.
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Jose
authors.affiliation: Australian Sheep Industry CRC, Australia; Department of Agriculture and Food, South Perth, WA 6151, Australia.
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Jacob
authors.affiliation: Australian Sheep Industry CRC, Australia; School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Pethick
authors.affiliation: Australian Sheep Industry CRC, Australia; School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Gardner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia; D001706:Biopsy / Q000662:veterinary; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D018857:Food Packaging; D063427:Food Quality; D061353:Food Storage; D031297:Lupinus / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis* / Q000191:economics; D008786:Metmyoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D009211:Myoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D055550:Protein Stability; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry; D034561:Sheep, Domestic / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D009211:Myoglobin; D010860:Pigments, Biological; C017595:oxymyoglobin; D008786:Metmyoglobin; D014810:Vitamin E; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol
keywords: Alpha tocopherol; Colour stability; Lamb; Supplementation; Vitamin E