A note on the relationship between initial vitamin E content of four beef muscles and drip loss during refrigerated storage

The relationship between initial vitamin E content and subsequent drip loss was investigated for muscles (M. rhomboideus, M. seratus ventralis, M. semitendinosus and M. semimembranosus) from conventionally fed Friesian x Hereford heifers. For all muscles, vitamin E content was negatively correlated (P < 0.05) with drip loss after 8 days of refrigerated storage. This suggests that vitamin E may play a role in helping to prevent exudative losses in each of the muscles studied. The results further suggest that a substantial reduction in drip loss would occur if vitamin E concentrations of > 6 mg/kg in M. rhomboideus and M. seratus ventralis, and > 5 mg/kg in M. semitendinosus and M. semimembranosus were achieved.