The protective effect of a-tocopherol against lipid oxidation in biological systems and food has been known for some time. Early investigators reported that dietary supplementation of dairy cattle with vitamin E yielded an antioxidant effect in milk. Musclebased food products also benefit from higher levels of
a-tocopherol . More recently, the color-stabilizing effect of atocopherol
within meat has renewed interest in dietary strategies for improving overall quality of beef
and other meat products . The purpose of this review is to summarize recent progress in understanding the effects of dietary vitamin E on beef quality and to highlight issues raised by this research.