High dietary vitamin E affects storage stability of frozen-refrigerated trout fillets

Abstract

Fillets were processed from trout fed a diet containing either 200 (low vitamin E [LVE] diet) or 5000 (high vitamin E [HVE] diet) mg α-tocopheryl acetate/kg for 0, 4, and 9 wk. These fillets were evaluated fresh and after 6 mo of frozen storage. Frozen fillets were thawed and stored 3 d at 1°C before analyses. Muscle α-tocopherol of fish fed the HVE diet continuously increased through 9 wk of feeding. Reduced muscle α-tocopherol and moisture, and increased muscle redness and fat were observed in frozen-refrigerated fillets compared with fresh fillets. Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances were lower in frozen-refrigerated fillets produced from fish fed the HVE diet. Proportion of unsaturated fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids increased as feeding duration increased from 0 to 9 wk. © 2006 Institute of Food Technologists.