Effect of dietary vitamin E on physicochemical and fatty acid stability of fresh and thawed lamb

•The effect of vitamin E was independent of freezing.•Muscle α-tocopherol concentration was 3.5-fold higher in supplemented lambs.•Dietary vitamin E protected PUFA from oxidation.•Lipid oxidation and colour degradation were reduced by dietary vitamin E.

This study evaluated the effect of dietary vitamin E supplementation (1000 mg of DL-α-tocopheryl acetate/kg of basal diet) on physicochemical and fatty acid stability of fresh and thawed lamb leg chops, frozen stored for 3, 6 and 9 months. Legs were chopped, modified atmosphere packaged (70% O2/30% CO2) and maintained under retail conditions (4 ± 0.5 °C, with 14 h fluorescent light) for 9 days. Muscle α-tocopherol concentration was over 3.5-fold higher in supplemented samples than in control lambs. The effect of dietary vitamin E was independent of frozen storage, so these effects were analysed separately. Vitamin E supplementation reduced lipid oxidation (P ≤ 0.001) and decreased metmyoglobin formation, leading to a more attractive colour of meat. Moreover, supplementation led to a higher percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Therefore, vitamin E supplementation could be recommended for preserving either fresh or thawed lamb.