Plant extracts combined with vitamin E in PUFA-rich diets of cull cows protect processed beef against lipid oxidation

The effect of supplementing PUFA-rich cull cow diets with vitamin E (2.8 g/animal/day) or vitamin E plus plant extracts rich in polyphenols (PERP) (126 g/animal/day), for 101 ± 3 days preceding slaughter, on the oxidative stability of longissimus thoracis (LT) and semitendinosus (ST) steaks was evaluated after ageing (for 12 d at 4 °C either in carcass or under-vacuum) and packaging (14 d under-vacuum (V), 4 d aerobic (A) and 7 d under modified atmosphere (70:30, O2/CO2) (MA)). The ageing method had no effect on a beef lipid oxidation intensity marker (malondialdehyde (MDA)), whereas packaging systems containing O2 (A and MA) significantly increased lipid oxidation intensity (5 and 13 times higher than under V, respectively). Adding antioxidants to diets of animals given a PUFA-rich diet significantly improved lipid stability in steaks; the combination of vitamin E and PERP was more efficient than vitamin E alone for the most deleterious beef packaging.