The distribution of dietary vitamin E in the muscles of the porcine carcass

The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of dietary vitamin E supplementation on tissue α-tocopherol levels in muscles in the porcine carcass. Pigs (n = 9), were selected at random and divided into three groups (n = 3) and fed diets containing 0 (basal), 20, 160 mg dl-α-tocopheryl acetate/kg feed for a period of 130 days prior to slaughter. After slaughter carcasses were split centrally and chilled at 4°C × 24 h. Muscles (n = 37) were identified and removed from the left side of each animal for each dietary group and stored at -20°C until required. The mean α-tocopherol levels in pork muscle tissue were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the high-supplemented group (160 mg α-tocopheryl acetate/kg of feed) compared with the low-supplemented (20 mg/kg of feed) and basal groups (unsupplemented). In the supplemented samples, the muscles of the thoracic limb (4.8-9.9 mg α-tocopherol/kg of tissue) and neck and thorax (3.7-9.2 mg/kg) contained the greatest levels of α-tocopherol compared the muscles of the pelvic limb (4-5.6 mg/kg) and back (2.5-3.5 mg/kg).