Control of dietary energy level and dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate treatment can improve the lipid composition of lamb meat.

A diet rich in saturated fatty acids promotes plasmatic cholesterol levels and coronary disease in humans, whereas a high intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids reduces atheromatous plaque thickness. This study aimed at establishing a dietary energy level, which combined with intramuscular vitamin E treatment, would improve the nutritional lipid quality and shelf-life of lamb meat. Twenty male lambs were evaluated in a 2 x 2 factorial experiment: they were fed a low- and normal-energy diet (0.