No signi®cant eect of vit. E supplementation was observed on a-values of fresh and aged LT muscle samples (Fig. 1). In aged PM muscle, SUP samples had significantly lower a values immediately after portioning (day 0). However, the a values for (oxygenated) SUP samples were signi®cantly (P < 0:05) lower in fresh muscles at day 1 and in aged muscle at days 1 and 2, in comparison with the CON samples (Fig. 1). In Fig. 2 R630-580 is used as a parameter for colour stability. Unfortunately for aged muscle data from day 1 are missing due to instrument failure. Although treatment
eects were not signi®cant in aged muscles, similar trends are found for R630-580 as for the a values. Eects of
aging on colour stability (Hood, 1980) are more clear with this parameter, than with the a-values (Fig. 1).