Process for reducing nitrogen containing compounds and lignin in tobacco

a technology of nitrogen containing compounds and lignin, which is applied in the field of tobacco smoking materials, can solve the problems of adversely affecting the smoke quality of tobacco, difficult to extract nitrogenous compounds from cured tobacco lamina, stems, fiber cell walls, etc., and achieves the reduction of nitrogen containing pyrolitic products, reducing lignin and nitrogenous content, and improving smokability

Inactive Publication Date: 2006-06-22
MUA JOHN PAUL +2
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005] The present invention relates to a method for providing a tobacco material having a reduced lignin and nitrogenous content. The tobacco material in the form of flue cured and burley whole leaf lamina as well as stems, fines, or scraps is contacted with an aqueous solvent. The resulting liquid extract is separated from a tobacco fiber portion. The tobacco fiber portion is then contacted with a solution containing an alkali metal hydroxide, such as sodium hydroxide and / or potassium hydroxide, and hydrogen peroxide. This solution is also separated from the tobacco fiber portion. The tobacco fiber portion may then be washed, refined and further processed for use in smoking articles, such as cigarettes. The reduction of lignin and nitrogenous compounds in the tobacco material provides for improved smokability and a reduction in nitrogen containing pyrolitic products emitted from smoking articles which contain the tobacco material.

Problems solved by technology

Tobacco material contains various nitrogenous compounds that can adversely affect its smoke quality.
The smoke quality of tobacco is adversely affected particularly by heterocyclic and aromatic amines, and tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNA), as well as other compounds formed by pyrolysis or transfer of these nitrogenous compounds.
However, nitrogenous compounds are difficult to extract from cured tobacco lamina, stem, and fiber cell walls.
However, disadvantages arise from the use of such enzymatic compounds and agents.
In particular, enzymes are expensive, pH sensitive and degrade proteins into amino acids which tend to remain with the tobacco material.
Furthermore, microbial agents used in treating tobacco tend to cause unwanted reactions that generate undesirable by-products.
Moreover, in many of these tobacco treatments, the tobacco disintegrates or easily breaks into small pieces.

Method used

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  • Process for reducing nitrogen containing compounds and lignin in tobacco

Examples

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examples

[0016] For a better understanding of the present invention, the following Examples are incorporated herein to illustrate the present invention with no intention of being unduly limited thereby.

Control 1 and Example 1A, 1B

[0017] A 2.8 kg mixture of tobacco materials, including flue-cured and burley tobacco scraps, stems, laminae and fines having a nitrogen content of 2.09% was extracted with water at 70° C. for 30 minutes to 120 minutes as known in the art. Following centrifugation, the liquid extract was further treated with adsorbent (e.g. diatomaceous clay, activated charcoal, clyodextrin, or combinations thereof or absorbent (cellulose acetate) to remove nitrogenous compounds, and then concentrated by vacuum evaporation. The resultant washed fiber was further extracted to remove lignin and nitrogenous compounds, as mentioned below. From the washed fibers, 350 g portions were then loaded into vessel containing 2.8-4.2 L of an alkaline-peroxide solution, comprising 2.5% (w / w) sod...

examples 2a , 2

Examples 2A, 2B

[0018] These examples were carried out in a similar manner and with the same quantities of materials as in Examples 1A, 1B, except that tobacco materials in alkaline-peroxide solutions were heated to 90° C. and held for 1 h with agitation. Another exception was that one solution contained 4.2% (w / w) sodium hydroxide and 8.3% (w / w) hydrogen peroxide, while another contained 8.3% hydrogen peroxide only. The resulting fiber from the alkaline-peroxide extraction had a 30.5% reduction in lignin and a 62.8% reduction in Kjeldahl nitrogen, while the peroxide extracted fiber had a 18.6% and 20.9% reduction in lignin and Kjeldahl nitrogen, respectively.

examples 3a , 3

Examples 3A, 3B

[0019] These examples were carried out in a similar manner and with the same quantities of materials as in Examples 1A, 1B, the only changes being that tobacco materials and solutions were heated to 120° C. and held for 30 minutes. Another change was that one solution contained 2.5% sodium hydroxide and 7.5% hydrogen peroxide, while another solution contained 8.3% sodium hydroxide only. The fibrous materials from the hydroxide treatment gave a 14.5% reduction in lignin and 85.5% reduction in nitrogen, whereas the alkaline-peroxide treatment gave a 21.8% and 56.2% reduction in lignin and nitrogen content, respectively.

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Abstract

A process for reducing lignin and nitrogenous content in tobacco lamina and tobacco fiber material, including whole leaf, stems, scraps, fines and lamina, as well as burley leaf and stem, in an extraction with a solution containing hydrogen peroxide and an alkali metal hydroxide. The treated tobacco may then be further processed for use in cigarettes and other smoking articles.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates generally to tobacco and tobacco smoking materials and methods of making same. More particularly, the present invention relates to the materials and methods that provide tobacco materials with reduced lignin and nitrogenous content. [0002] Tobacco material contains various nitrogenous compounds that can adversely affect its smoke quality. Among these nitrogenous compounds are proteins, amino acids and certain alkaloids, such as nicotine, nornicotine, anabasine and anatabine. The smoke quality of tobacco is adversely affected particularly by heterocyclic and aromatic amines, and tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNA), as well as other compounds formed by pyrolysis or transfer of these nitrogenous compounds. Tobacco processing sometimes includes steps in which the nitrogen content of the tobacco is reduced so as to improve the smokability of the tobacco. However, nitrogenous compounds are difficult to extract from cured tobacco l...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): A24B15/24
CPCA24B15/24A24B15/243A24B15/245
Inventor MUA, JOHN-PAULHAYES, BRAD L.BRADLEY, KENNETH J. JR.
Owner MUA JOHN PAUL
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