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

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, O2/CO2) (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.