Bovine meat compositions having enhanced quality, nutritive and health values obtained from enrichment diets

Abstract

The present invention relates to improved meat products produced by novel methods of increasing the selenium and Vitamin E content in beef by feeding special enriched diets. The present invention further provides improved meat products having increased Vitamin E retention, reduced TBARS and/or improved water holding capacity in comparison to meat products not obtained from beef cattle fed said special enrichment diet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A stabilized meat product comprising:
 a meat product having increased Vitamin E retention, wherein said product is produced by the process for increasing selenium content in beef comprising:   combining organic selenium and other organic trace minerals to create a special enrichment diet to feed to beef cattle, wherein said organic trace minerals are selected from the group consisting of Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, zinc, copper, iodine, manganese, cobalt and combinations thereof, and wherein said special enrichment diet does not contain any inorganic and/or metallic trace minerals and compounds; and   feeding said special enrichment diet to beef cattle.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said increased Vitamin E retention provides improved shelf-stability and reduced oxidative damage in comparison to meat products not obtained from beef cattle fed said special enrichment diet. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the product has a lower TBARS (e.g. less lipid degradation of the product) in comparison to meat products not obtained from beef cattle fed said special enrichment diet. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the product has improved water holding capacity in comparison to meat products not obtained from beef cattle fed said special enrichment diet. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein said improved water holding is measured according to a drip loss of reduction of at least about 1%.