Vitamin E is partitioned into the cellular membranes where it acts
as an antioxidant, protecting the phospholipids from free radicals
and thereby decreasing the rate of lipid and pigment oxidation.
Therefore, as freezing and thawing increase the rate of oxidation
post thawing, the supplementation ante mortem increases the antioxidant
levels in the meat. Experimentally, this practice has been shown
to retard oxidation, leading to improved quality in the final product.