Meat texture and antioxidant status are improved when carnosic acid is included in the diet of fattening lambs

Abstract

Thirty-two Merino lambs fed barley straw and a concentrate alone (CONTROL group) or enriched with carnosic acid [0.6gkg−1 dry matter (DM), CARN006 group; 1.2gkg−1 DM, CARN012 group] or vitamin E (0.6gkg−1 DM, VITE006 group) were used to assess the effect of these antioxidant compounds on meat quality. After being fed the experimental diets for at least 5weeks, the animals were slaughtered with the 25kg intended body weight and the different muscles (longissimus lumborum; LL, gluteus medius; GM) were sliced and kept refrigerated under modified atmosphere packaging during 0, 7 and 14days. The results indicate that carnosic acid seemed to be useful to delay lipid peroxidation in a medium colour-stable muscle such as GM, but this effect was lower than that observed when vitamin E was supplemented to fattening lambs. On the contrary, meat texture and protection against cholesterol oxidation were equally improved with both compounds.