Dietary administration of ewe diets with a distillate from rosemary leaves (Rosmarinus officinalis L.): influence on lamb meat quality.

The effect of including distilled rosemary leaf in the diet of pregnant ewes on subsequent lamb meat quality was studied. Thirty-six Segureña ewes were randomly assigned to three homogeneous groups. One group was fed a basal diet (BD) as control while the diet of the other two groups was modified by substituting 10% (R(1)) and 20% (R(2)) of the BD with a pellet made from 50% barley and 50% of distilled rosemary leaves (DRL). Meat spoilage (TVC, PSY and MYC), TBARS, CIELab coordinates and the sensory characteristics contribution of fresh lamb meat packed in MAP (70% O(2):30% CO(2)) were analyzed on days 0, 7, 14 and 21. In general, R(1) and R(2) had higher a* values, better scores for meat and fat colour (P<0.05) and lower TBARS and rancid odour (P<0.05), than the control samples. The total viable count was lower in meat DRL. No statistically significant differences were detected between the two treatments (10-20% DRL).