Friesian steers (n=5), aged 26–27 months, were fed a diet containing 2000 (supplemented) IU α-tocopheryl acetate/head/day for approximately 50 days prior to slaughter.
Muscularis semimembranosus muscles from supplemented cattle were held in frozen storage (−20°C×12 weeks) following which they were minced and divided into five batches.
The batches contained:
(1) control, containing only vitamin E supplemented beef (C);
(2) vitamin E supplemented beef with 4% soya oil (S);
(3) vitamin E supplemented beef mixed with 0.2% Duralox NMC dissolved in 4% soya oil (R1);
(4) vitamin E supplemented beef mixed with 0.25% Herbalox type 25 (containing 25 natural antioxidant extracts of rosemary) dissolved in 4% soya oil (R2); and
(5) vitamin E supplemented beef mixed with a 1:1 mixture of 0.01% (w/w) BHA and 0.01% (w/w) BHT dissolved in 4% soya oil (B).
The meat was then aerobically packaged (A) or packaged under the following modified atmospheres (MAP); 30:70 (M1); 70:30 (M2) or 80:20 (M3) (O2:CO2).
Oxidative stability (TBARS) and Hunter ‘a’ values (redness) were determined in all beef patties over 8 days of refrigerated (4°C) storage.
Under MAP or aerobic packaging conditions, elevated oxygen levels brought about increased (P