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Method for treating plants with probiotics

a technology for plants and probiotics, applied in tobacco treatment, tobacco preparation, tobacco treatment, etc., to achieve the effect of reducing the content of asparagin

Pending Publication Date: 2021-11-11
R J REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a method for making tobacco that has reduced amounts of harmful chemicals. These harmful chemicals are formed when tobacco is burned and can be potentially harmful to smokers. The method involves using probiotics to modify the tobacco composition, specifically by reducing the content of asparagine which leads to the formation of acrylamide in mainstream smoke. The resulting tobacco can be used to make smoking articles like cigarettes or smokeless tobacco products. The technical effect of this invention is to provide safer tobacco products with reduced harmful chemicals.

Problems solved by technology

Such a method may result in the part of the plant that is harvested exhibiting certain taste changes, such as less bitterness.

Method used

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  • Method for treating plants with probiotics
  • Method for treating plants with probiotics

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

example 1

Evaluation of Burley Tobacco Following Treatment with Probiotic Bacteria

[0055]Burley tobacco is treated prior to harvest with solutions containing probiotic bacteria, available over the counter as a digestive support product. Ten live burley tobacco plants are treated with one gallon of solution containing 60×109 live bacteria cells per gallon (“Senior Probiotic,” from CVS / Pharmacy®, comprising Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactococcus lactis, and Streptococcus thermophilus). Ten additional live burley tobacco plants are treated with one gallon of solution containing 60×109 live bacteria cells per gallon (“Super Probiotic,” from Walgreens, comprising Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis).

[0056]The treated burley tobacco is harvested and subjected to curing in standard conditions. The tobacco is stalk cut...

example 2

Evaluation of TSNAs in Burley Tobacco Following Treatment with Probiotic Bacteria

[0059]Burley tobacco plants are treated with two different probiotic solutions, harvested, and cured as described in Example 1. About 15 g of leaf from the middle of the plant are ground and analyzed for tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs). As compared with the control, tobacco treated with “Super Probiotic” from Walgreens contains 95% NAT and 70% NNN. As compared with a control (untreated) tobacco, tobacco treated with Senior Probiotic from CVS / Pharmacy® contains 57% NAT and 43% NNN.

example 3

Evaluation of Acrylamide Content in Mainstream Smoke Produced by Burley Tobacco Following Treatment with Probiotic Bacteria

[0060]Burley tobacco plants are treated with two different probiotic solutions, harvested, and cured as described in Example 1. A portion of the middle stalk leaves of the treated tobacco plants are cut and made into cigarettes. The cigarettes are tested using a Ceruean SM 450 smoking machine (Cerulean, Linford Wood East, MK14 6LY, United Kingdom) under ISO conditions (a 35 mL puff volume, 2 second puff, and 60 second puff interval). Smoke is collected in each run on a 44 mm Cambridge smoke pad. To analyze the acrylamide content in the smoke produced from each cigarette, the smoke pads are soaked in methanol; water is added and an internal standard solution of 2H3-acrylamide (CDN Isotopes, Ponte-Claire, Quebec H9R1H1, Canada) is added. The resulting extract is filtered and passed through an SFE cartridge (Bond Elute C18), Varian, Walnut Creek, CA 9 for sample cl...

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PUM

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Abstract

A method of modifying the content of certain chemical compounds in tobacco materials is provided, the method including treatment of a tobacco plant component with at least one probiotic. For example, the method may modify the asparagine content in tobacco materials, which can result in a modification in acrylamide production when the tobacco material is exposed to elevated temperatures. The type of tobacco plant component treated according to the invention can be a tobacco seed, a tobacco seedling, an immature live plant, a mature live plant, a harvested plant, or a portion thereof. Examples of probiotics include probiotic species of the genera Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Proionobacterium, Bacillus, Saccharomyces, Streptococcus, and mixtures thereof. Smoking articles and other tobacco products including such probiotic-treated tobacco materials are also provided.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to plants and modifications to the method of growing, harvesting, and / or treating plants (e.g., tobacco). Particularly, the present invention relates to products made or derived from tobacco, or that otherwise incorporate tobacco, and are intended for human consumption.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Popular smoking articles, such as cigarettes, have a substantially cylindrical rod shaped structure and include a charge, roll or column of smokable material such as shredded tobacco (e.g., in cut filler form) surrounded by a paper wrapper thereby forming a so-called “tobacco rod.” Normally, a cigarette has a cylindrical filter element aligned in an end-to-end relationship with the tobacco rod. Typically, a filter element comprises plasticized cellulose acetate tow circumscribed by a paper material known as “plug wrap.” Certain cigarettes incorporate a filter element having multiple segments, and one of those segments can compri...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): A24B15/20A24B15/24
CPCA24B15/20A24B15/245A24B1/00
Inventor MARSHALL, JERRY WAYNEMOLDOVEANU, SERBAN C.DAVIS, MICHAEL F.RIDDICK, MARVIN GLENN
Owner R J REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY