368 Effects of functional oils and vitamin E addition on meat sensory traits from feedlot lambs

Abstract

The use of functional oils replacing additives, such as antibiotics, ionophores, and growth promoters, has shown good results. Furthermore, there is an increasing demand from consumers for healthier meat. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the inclusion of functional oils (Ricinus communis and Anacardium occidentale) and vitamin E in high-grain diets on meat sensory traits of lambs. A total of 30 crossbred lambs (12 males and 18 females), 5 mo of age, were used. Lambs presenting initial mean weights of 26 ± 3.6 kg for females and 28 ± 3.6 kg for males were grouped into a randomized block design, confined, and assigned to the following treatments, with 10 replicates each: no additives inclusion (CON), inclusion of functional oils (500 mg/kg DM; OIL), and inclusion of functional oils (500 mg/kg DM) + vitamin E (500 IU vitamin E/kg DM; OILVIT). Animals were fed ad libitum with a high-grain diet containing 85% concentrate. At the end of the experimental period (77 d), the animals were harvested with final mean weights of 38.59 ± 4.15 kg (females) and 47.11 ± 4.24 kg (males). Vacuum-packaged steaks (2.54-cm thick) from the LM were collected and stored at −18°C pending analysis for sensory traits. An acceptance test was used, in which 100 untrained laboratory consumer panelists evaluated 1 sample from each treatment class. Each panelist evaluated the samples using an evaluation form including a 9-point hedonic scale, where 1 = dislike extremely and 9 = like extremely, for sensory attributes such as aroma, flavor, tenderness, and juiciness and a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = very strong and 5 = absent, for off-flavor and off-aroma. Statistical analyses were performed using PROC MIXED of SAS (version 9.2). No difference was found between treatments for aroma, off-flavor, and off-aroma (P > 0.05). The best scores were observed in OILVIT for the tenderness and juiciness attributes when compared with the other treatments (P < 0.05). For the flavor attribute, the best scores were observed in OILVIT and CON when compared with the OIL treatment (P < 0.05). The inclusion of functional oils and vitamin E in the sheep diets appears to be a good option to improve lamb sensorial traits.