IMPROVEMENT IN THE OXIDATIVE STABILITY OF PORK BY DIETARY SUPPLEMENTATION OF SWINE RATIONS

The extent of improvement in the oxidative stability of pork through dietary supplementation was determined by feeding pigs rations containing α-tocopherol acetate and ascorbic acid. Approximately 7.7, 5 and 4.3 μg of α-tocopherol per gram of tissue were deposited in the renal fat, the subcutaneous fat and the triceps muscle respectively by 200 ppm α-tocopherol acetate supplementation of the ration fed between beginning weights of 9–20 kg and a slaughter weight of 91 kg. The oxidative stability of the pork tissues was unaffected by ascorbic acid supplementation. However the stability of the adipose tissues was significantly increased (P < 0.01) by α-tocopherol acetate supplementation as indicated by the oxygen bomb stability test. There was a linear relationship between the stability of adipose tissues and their α-tocopherol content. Supplementation of 100 ppm of α-tocopherol acetate in the ration appeared to be the optimum level for improvement of the oxidative stability of the muscle.