Exploring the antioxidant efficacy of tocotrienol rich mixed tocols in meats and cholesterol reduction effect of vascular rinsing and chilling technology

Meat is an important part of the human diet, particularly in the Western hemisphere, The potential negative effect of meat consumption on human health is reminded directly and indirectly to the consumers by television, press, and health authorities. Consequently meat has been labeled in public mind as an "unhealthy" food. However, it is possible to make meat more appealing for the health conscious consumers. The overall objective of this research is to explore two different, but simple to combine, pathways towards healthy meats (1) by effectively incorporating heart healthy antioxidants, tocotrienols, into meat, and (2) by reducing the cholesterol content of meat by novel vascular rinsing and chilling (VR&C) technology.; Muscle membrane phospholipid oxidation may be a limiting factor affecting shelf stability of ready to eat meat products (REMP). A palm derived tocotrienol rich tocol mixture (T3RTM) was used as the source of antioxidants in pre-rigor and post-rigor meats. Results indicated that pre-rigor incorporation of mixed tocols provided better stability than post-rigor incorporation at both levels (100 and 200 ppm total tocol) tested. This finding suggests that an active (energy requiring) process may be involved in incorporation of the antioxidant. alpha-tocotrienol was the prominent homologue that oxidized fastest during storage in pre-rigor meat. Use of mixed tocols, incorporated pre-rigor, promises extended shelf life for REMP.; Cholesterol reduction, color, tenderness and sensory improvements provided by Vascular Rinsing and Chilling (VR&C) Technology was evaluated in Triceps brachii (TB), Serratus ventralis (SV), Obliquus abdominus internus (OAI), and Semitendinosis (ST) muscles in twenty Angus steers. VR&C process was conducted on two consecutive days using 10 steers in each day, 5 steers per treatment per day. The VR&C technology reduced cholesterol content in muscles studied by up to 18%, improved retail display color characteristics in TB, SV, and OAI, and also improved desirable sensory attributes in TB.