Dietary vitamin E, oxidative stability and fatty acid profile of homogenised and lyophilised rabbit meat

The effect of vitamin E level (50 vs 200 mg α-tocopheryl acetate/kg diet) on the qualitative characteristics of homogenised and lyophilised rabbit meat for infant nutrition was studied. Two groups of 100 hybrid male rabbits were fed experimental diets and sacrificed at 84 days of age. After freezing (60 days at -40°C) the deboned carcass, with the addition of other ingredients, was submitted to Homogenisation (H) or Lyophilisation (L). Chemical composition, energy content, α-tocopherol level, lipid oxidation (peroxides and TBA-RS) and fatty acid concentration of the products were determined. The two processes caused a considerable increase of TBA-RS, especially L (fresh meat: 1.30; L: 5.92; H: 3.60). The supranutritional level of vitamin E significantly improved the oxidative stability and amount of DHA (H: -25% peroxides; -56% TBA-RS; + 480% DHA - L: -33% peroxides; -26% TBA-RS; + 460% DHA).