Improved oxidative stability of veal lipids and cholesterol through dietary vitamin E supplementation

The influence of dietary vitamin E supplementation on the α-tocopherol content of muscle membranes and on the resultant oxidative stability of veal was investigated. Daily supplementation of veal calves with 500 mg vitamin E in the form of α-tocopherol acetate for 12 weeks after birth increased muscle and membranal α-tocopherol concentrations approximately 6-fold over those of control animals. Oxidative stability of mitochondrial and microsomal lipids was enhanced by dietary supplementation as indicated by the results of an oxidative assay using hydrogen peroxide-activated metmyoglobin as the catalyst of oxidation. Muscle lipid and cholesterol stability was also improved by supplementation.