Dietary vitamin E inhibits the trans 10-18:1 shift in beef backfat

[EN]Forty feedlot steers were fed a barleygrain-based finishing diet typical for western Canada, with two levels of supplementary vitamin E (468 or 1068 IU head_1 d_1) and the effect on backfat trans-18:1 isomeric profile was determined. Feeding 1068 IU vitamin E reduced the total trans-18:1 content in backfat (P<0.01), as well as the percentage of trans 10-18:1 (P<0.001), which are related to an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. On the other hand, trans 11-18:1 (vaccenic acid) the precursor for cis 9,trans 11- 18:2 (rumenic acid), which have several purported health benefits, increased (P<0.01). Vitamin E could, therefore, be used to decrease trans-18:1 in beef and improve its isomeric profile.