The effect of dietary vitamin E and verbascoside on meat quality and oxidative stability of Longissimus Dorsi muscle in medium-heavy pigs

• Meat quality of Longissimus Dorsi muscle from medium-heavy swine was characterized.
• The effectiveness of dietary antioxidant mixture, containing polyphenols, was evaluated.
• Antioxidant mixture positively affected colour parameters and oxidative stability.
• No differences on chemical and sensory parameters were found.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of verbascoside and vitamin E dietary mixture (AOX) on the physical, chemical and sensory parameters of Longissimus Dorsi (LD) muscle in pigs slaughtered at 135 kg of live weight (LW). One hundred and fifty pigs, half castrated males and half females, were assigned to two experimental groups: the first group was fed a commercial diet (CTR) and the second group the same diet with the addition of AOX, containing vitamin E and verbascoside from Verbenaceae extract. Pigs were fed on the basis of 9% of metabolic weight (LW0.75). The antioxidant mixture was administered to pigs 38 days before slaughter. Twenty pigs per treatment (10 castrated males and 10 females) were randomly selected and the left LD muscle was sampled. Physical, chemical and sensory parameters were evaluated. Oxidative stability and color indices were assessed during eight days of refrigerated storage at 4 °C. Sex and dietary treatment did not affect (P < 0.05) the physical and chemical parameters of LD muscle. Dietary AOX improved (P < 0.01) oxidative stability and color indices in LD muscle during refrigerated storage. Sensory characteristics were unaffected by sex and dietary treatment. The results suggest that dietary AOX containing verbascoside is an effective antioxidant in LD muscle, enhancing oxidative status and color indices without affecting other meat quality parameters.