Antioxidant diet supplementation and lamb quality throughout preservation time

• This study evaluated diet supplementation (vitamin E/flavonoids/vit E. + flavonoids/no supplementation) effect on lamb quality.
• Quality was analyzed throughout preservation time up to 10–12 days.
• Supplementation had a great benefit on lipid oxidation, increased at higher doses.
• Supplementation influenced visual score after 4 days of display.
• Higher vitamin E doses showed higher stability and extended shelf-life.

Diet supplementation (DS) (100, 200, 300 ppm vitamin E -VE; 150 ppm product rich in flavonoids—PRF; 100 + 100 ppm VE-PRF; no supplementation) effect was evaluated on lamb quality throughout 10 days after sampling (preservation time: PT). pH, colour, myoglobin forms and lipid oxidation were analyzed on Longissimus muscle. Trained panellists evaluated colour intensity of chops packaged in modified atmosphere under display up to 12 days. PT had a larger effect on quality than DS. DS showed a clear antioxidant effect on lipids, especially at long PT and at high doses of VE. Visual test showed statistical differences among DS from day 4 of display where 200 and 300 ppm VE improved visual colour score. In general, supplementation with antioxidants showed better meat quality and diets higher than 100 ppm VE showed higher antioxidant capacity than the rest. The PRF diet was similar for a short PT but lower at a long PT. More research on flavonoids is necessary.