Dietary Plant Extracts Combined with Vitamin E Limit the Discoloration in Stored n-3 PUFA Rich Meat

Abstract

In finishing cull-cows given n-3 PUFA-rich diets (for 101 ± 3 days preceding slaughter), the ability of vitamin E (2.8 g/animal/day) or vitamin E associated with plant extracts rich in polyphenols (PERP) (126 g/animal/day) to limit discoloration was evaluated on color attributes of Longissimus thoracis (LT) and Semitendinosus (ST) processed meat. Color attributes were determined after muscles ageing and retail display in different packaging systems consisting in 14 d. under vacuum (V), 4 d. aerobic (A) or 7 d. under modified atmosphere (70:30, O 2 /CO 2 ) (MA). Vit. E associated with PERP were able to limit color deterioration by decreasing metmyoglobin% in ST and LT for all tested packaging systems. The antioxidant association increased the L* coordinate and the oxygenation index as compared with vit. E alone. We show the possibility to limit color deterioration of processed beef by an original dietary antioxidant strategy during the finishing period. KeywordsColor, Vitamin E, Plant, Beef, Packaging Practical ApplicationDietary n-3 PUFA associated to vitamin E and plant extract rich in polyphenols could be added in the feeding of cull-cows during the finishing period in order to improve their meat quality. By the antioxidant strategy, PUFA rich beef could be conserved from color discoloration. IntroductionDuring the finishing period, ruminant intake of an appropriated quantity of extruded linseed rich in linolenic acid (LA, 18:3 n-3) increased deposition in mus- [7]. The PERP mixture is of known concentration, controlled and reproducible. By using the same samples from this study on cull cows [7], we investigate here the effect of the association of vit. E with PERP added in M. Delosière et al. DOI: 10.4236/as.2018.91003 25 Agricultural Sciences the n-3 PUFA rich diet of cows on meat color attributes of LT and ST muscles after ageing and retail storage in aerobic, vacuum and modified atmosphere packaging systems. Materials and Methods Animals and DietsExperimental procedures and animal holding facilities had respected French animal protection legislation, including licensing of experimenters. They were controlled and approved by the French Veterinary Services (slaughterhouse and cattle experimental facilities license numbers are #63 345 01 and #63 345.17, respectively). The experiment was conducted on 15 Normand cull cows, of which meat is frequently consumed in France. Animals were selected on live weight (649 ± 41 kg), age (48 -60 month-old) and body fat score (2.0 ± 0.3) estimated by visual and manual procedures. Cows were randomly assigned to three isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diets (n = 5 per diet) during a 101 ± 3 d. of finishing period. The basal diet consisted in straw (30%) and concentrate (70%); the concentrate was supplemented with 40 g of lipids/kg DM obtained from extruded linseeds (60%) and rapeseeds (40%). Animals were given either 1) the basal diet (C group, n = 5), or 2) the basal diet supplemented with vit. E as dl-α-tocopheryl acetate (INZO Company, Château-Thierry, France), ...