Influence of dietary vitamin E supplementation on fatty acid composition of the biceps femoris muscle and cooked ham during storage

The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of feeding pork with different levels of vitamin E on the fatty acids composition of biceps femoris muscle and processed ham, during 60 days at 5 degrees C. To verify off flavors proveked by suplementation of vitamin E in the pig diets, sensory analysis of cooked ham was carried out. Sixteen pigs (eight barrows and eight gilts) were divided in four groups. Each group received a control diet, and diets formulated with 100, 200 and 400 mg of vitamin E/ka of feed. No significant difference in the fatty acids composition was observed between biceps femoris muscle and cooked ham samples, and between different treatments with vitamin E. However, it was observed significative difference between the C18: 1n9 contents of barrows (49.0 +/- 1.7%) and gilts (45.0 +/- 1.5%). During storage were observed loss of C16:1n7 and C18:1n9 in the control samples and samples supplemented with 100 mg vitamin E/kg of feed. However, the composition of fatty acids in the samples supplemented with 200 and 400 mg vitamin/kg of feed at 5 degrees C during 60 days was not modified, and it was not observed the appearance of off flavors.