Novel tobacco products for improving sensory evaluation and smoking quality, and their heating section and preparation method of thickened sheet.

Abstract

This invention belongs to the field of new materials in novel tobacco products, specifically disclosing a method for improving the sensory evaluation quality of novel tobacco sheets produced using the slurry method. The method involves obtaining a slurry containing a binder and tobacco ash, adding additives to the slurry and adjusting the pH to 3-6, followed by stirring and reacting at a temperature of 50-95°C and low pressure to obtain a modified slurry. The modified slurry is then spread and dried to obtain novel tobacco sheets produced using the slurry method. The additives include additive A, additive B, and additive C. Additive A is at least one of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, ammonium phosphate, and diammonium hydrogen phosphate; additive B is a compound having Formula 1; and additive C is a monosaccharide. The process described in this invention can selectively increase the release content of target aroma substances, thereby improving the smoking experience of the resulting novel tobacco sheets.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of new materials in novel tobacco, specifically relating to the design and production technology of thick slurry sheets for novel tobacco. Background Technology

[0002] Tobacco sheets are a reconstituted process developed in the 1960s to address the recycling of waste from tobacco processing. However, with increasing public concern about cigarette health, tobacco sheets have taken on a more important role. Because their chemical composition and combustion performance are easier to adjust than traditional tobacco leaves, they have been given tar-reducing and harm-reducing functions, serving as a functional carrier or a primary material for improving cigarette combustion and regulating the chemical composition of smoke. Today, with the rise of heated cigarettes (new tobacco products), they are used as a major new smoking material in the new tobacco industry, and the functionality of tobacco sheets is being more widely utilized. The main methods for manufacturing tobacco sheets include the slurry method, the roll pressing method, the papermaking method, and the modified papermaking method (dry process). Currently, 80% of new tobacco smoking materials in the new tobacco industry use the slurry method or the roll pressing method. Both of these methods require mixing tobacco ash with a binder to create a slurry before producing sheets. However, sheets produced using the traditional slurry method or roll pressing method suffer from quality problems such as insufficient tobacco aroma, bland aroma, poor fragrance quality, and a strong binder odor. The aforementioned quality problems are particularly prominent when used in the manufacture of new types of tobacco (such as heated cigarettes).

[0003] To improve the taste of tobacco sheets, existing technologies have reported several methods of adding flavorings and fragrances. For example, Chinese patent document CN113508918A discloses a method for preparing a multi-flavored heated tobacco sheet. This method involves adding a mixture of macromolecular flavor precursors, thermally conductive binders, thermally conductive colorants, and tobacco powder to a slurry of wood pulp fibers, an atomizing agent, and water. By controlling the slurry stirring rate, increasing the stirring rate and temperature of the thickened slurry, and selecting suitable coating plates and covering films, freeze-drying technology can yield a novel tobacco sheet that is uniform, smooth, delicate, and easy to peel. While this technology achieves good technical results, it still suffers from problems such as insufficient tobacco aroma, bland fragrance, poor aroma quality, a strong binder odor, and an unsatisfactory smoking experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the problems of insufficient tobacco aroma, bland aroma, poor aroma quality, strong binder smell, and unsatisfactory smoking experience in existing novel tobacco (heated cigarette) thick pulp sheet, the primary objective of this invention is to provide a method to improve the sensory evaluation quality of novel tobacco (heated cigarette) thick pulp sheet, aiming to improve the smoking experience of the prepared novel tobacco (heated cigarette) thick pulp sheet.

[0005] The second objective of this invention is to provide a novel tobacco (heated cigarette) sheet prepared by the aforementioned method and its application in novel tobacco (heated cigarettes).

[0006] A third objective of this invention is to provide a novel tobacco (heated cigarette) comprising the aforementioned slurry-processed sheet.

[0007] A method for improving the sensory evaluation quality of novel tobacco sheet produced by the slurry method involves obtaining a slurry containing a binder and tobacco ash, adding additives to the slurry and adjusting the pH of the system to 3-6, and then stirring and reacting the mixture at a temperature of 50-95°C and under low pressure (negative pressure) to obtain a modified slurry; the modified slurry is then spread and dried to obtain novel tobacco sheet produced by the slurry method.

[0008] The additives include additive A, additive B, and additive C;

[0009] Additive A is at least one of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, ammonium phosphate, and diammonium hydrogen phosphate;

[0010] The additive B is a compound having Formula 1;

[0011]

[0012] The R is H, a C1-C6 alkyl group, a C1-C6 alkyl group with a substituent, or a heterocyclic ring;

[0013] The substituent is at least one selected from hydroxyl, mercapto, aryl, carboxyl, amide, heterocyclic, and amino groups;

[0014] The additive C is a monosaccharide.

[0015] This invention innovatively adds additives containing additives A, B, and C to a thick slurry. Combined with the low-pressure stirring and temperature control, this facilitates the chemical synergy of the additives, helps improve flavor compounds, reduces off-gassing, and improves the smoking experience.

[0016] In this invention, the components and contents of the slurry can be conventional or obtained by known means.

[0017] For example, the adhesive is at least one of plant gum, starch derivative, CMC, and sodium alginate. The plant gum is at least one of xanthan gum, tamarind gum, carrageenan, guar gum, and konjac gum. The starch derivative is at least one of modified starch, oxidized starch, and etherified starch.

[0018] In this invention, the ash contains tobacco raw materials. The ash may also contain at least one of the following: tobacco leaf raw materials (such as shredded tobacco), stems, papermaking sheet shreds, tea leaves, plant roots, stems, leaves, flowers, or fruits;

[0019] For example, the thick slurry may also contain an atomizing agent, which may include at least one of ethylene glycol and glycerol.

[0020] For example, the thick slurry also contains added plant fibers.

[0021] The slurry may also contain other permitted ingredients. Furthermore, the content of ingredients in the slurry can be reasonably controlled based on known principles.

[0022] In this invention, the composition of the additives, as well as the combined control of low-pressure stirring and temperature, are key to synergistically improving the mouthfeel of the thick slurry method.

[0023] In this invention, additive A is ammonium dihydrogen phosphate. Research in this invention shows that using ammonium dihydrogen phosphate as additive A, in combination with additives B and C and the alcoholization process, can further improve the smoking experience of the resulting thin film.

[0024] In this invention, the heterocycle in Formula 1 is, for example, a saturated or aromatic ring, wherein the heteroatom is, for example, O or N, preferably N. Further, the heterocycle is a tetrahydropyrrole ring, an indole ring, pyrrole, imidazole, etc.

[0025] In this invention, the additive B is a compound containing a heterocyclic ring, which includes at least one of Formula 1-A to Formula 1-D;

[0026]

[0027] The present invention shows that additive B, which uses formulas 1-A to 1-D, can be further combined with additives A and C and the alcoholization process to further improve the smoking experience of the resulting thin film.

[0028] Preferably, additive B is a mixture of formula 1-A and formula 1-C in a weight ratio of 1:0.5 to 2. Studies have shown that using this preferred additive B can unexpectedly improve the release effect of the target aroma substance, and further improve the inhalation effect.

[0029] In this invention, the monosaccharide is at least one selected from arabinose, ribose, xylose, lysolose, glucose, mannose, fructose, and galactose, preferably a mixture of ribose and glucose. The preferred monosaccharide can further synergize with the ingredients and the process of this invention, further improving the content of the target aroma and further improving the smoking experience.

[0030] In this invention, the weight ratio of additive A, additive B and additive C is 1:0.5 to 10:0.5 to 10, and may further be 1:1 to 2:1 to 10.

[0031] In this invention, the weight ratio of additive to slurry is less than or equal to 0.3:1, preferably 0.1 to 0.2:1.

[0032] In this invention, after the additive is added, the pH of the system is adjusted by a pH adjuster.

[0033] The pH adjuster can be a conventional acid or base. For example, the acid can be phosphoric acid, and the base can be sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, etc.

[0034] In this invention, the pH of the slurry is controlled to be 3-5 by the pH adjuster.

[0035] In this invention, the thick slurry with added additives and adjusted pH is reacted under low pressure, which helps to improve the synergy of the components and further improves the smoking experience of the resulting thin film.

[0036] Preferably, the low pressure is less than 0.1 MPa, and more preferably 0.001 to 0.05 MPa;

[0037] In this invention, the low-pressure stirring process includes a first-stage heat preservation process at temperature T1 and a second-stage heat preservation process at temperature T2, wherein T1 is 55–65°C and T2 is 75–85°C. Studies have shown that, with the aforementioned synergistic additives, further combining this two-stage gradient low-pressure stirring process can further improve the chemical synergy of the components and further improve the sucking experience of the flakes.

[0038] In this invention, the low-pressure stirring time is 4 to 30 hours, preferably 4 to 24 hours; when the preferred two-stage low-pressure stirring process is adopted, the time of the first stage of low-pressure stirring is preferably 2 to 15 hours, preferably 2 to 4 hours; the time of the second stage of low-pressure stirring is preferably 2 to 15 hours, preferably 2 to 4 hours.

[0039] The present invention also provides a novel slurry-processed sheet for tobacco (heated cigarettes) prepared by the aforementioned method.

[0040] The present invention also provides a heating section for a novel tobacco (heated cigarette), which contains a thick slurry sheet of a novel tobacco (heated cigarette) prepared by the method of the present invention.

[0041] The present invention also provides a novel heated cigarette having the heating section described in the present invention.

[0042] Beneficial effects

[0043] This invention innovatively adds additives containing additives A, B, and C to the thick paste. Combined with the aforementioned low pressure and temperature control, this facilitates the chemical synergy of the additives, helps improve flavor compounds, reduces off-gassing, and improves the smoking experience.

[0044] This invention also shows that by innovatively using Formula 1 component with R as a heterocyclic ring as additive B, and further combining it with ammonium dihydrogen phosphate as an additive and the combination of low-pressure two-stage gradient, an unexpected synergistic effect can be achieved, which helps to further improve the content of target aroma components, reduce off-odors, and significantly improve the sensory evaluation effect of smoking. Attached Figure Description

[0045] Figure 1 The image shows a comparison of the aroma components of the thin film prepared in Example 1 and Comparative Example 1; the upper part of the spectrum is the spectrum of Example 1, and the lower part of the spectrum is the spectrum of Comparative Example 1. Detailed Implementation

[0046] The invention will be further understood through the specific embodiments given below. However, these are not intended to limit the invention.

[0047] In this invention, the initial slurry can be obtained using methods known in the industry, for example, it can be obtained by conventional binder components and soot pulping.

[0048] For example, as a typical example, 15 kg of sucrose fiber and 450 kg of water are weighed and placed in a high-speed hydraulic defiberizer for 70 minutes, with a stirring speed of 5000 rpm. Then, 3 kg of guar gum, 0.5 kg of xanthan gum, 32 kg of 10% PEG solution, and 5 kg of glycerin are added sequentially to the liquid in the hydraulic defiberizer, and the mixture is stirred at 5000 rpm for another 30 minutes. Simultaneously, 60 kg of tobacco leaves, 30 kg of tobacco stems, and 10 kg of tea leaves are dry-ground into 300-mesh ash for later use.

[0049] In this invention, the thick slurry modified by the additives and methods described herein can be processed into sheets using known methods of slurry application, drying, and peeling. For example, the drying temperature can be 98℃±3.

[0050] Example 1

[0051] Step (1):

[0052] Take 500 kg of the prepared binder and 100 kg of the prepared soot and mix them according to the batch formula requirements to form a uniformly mixed slurry (initial slurry). Add additive A (ammonium dihydrogen phosphate), additive B (formula 1-A), and additive C (a mixture of ribose and glucose in a 1:1 weight ratio) to the initial slurry in sequence; the weight ratio of additive A:additive B and additive C is 1:2:1; the weight ratio of additives (referring to the total weight of additives A to C) to slurry is 0.2:1; then adjust the pH value of the slurry to 3.5 with phosphoric acid (pH adjuster) to obtain a mixed slurry.

[0053] Step (2):

[0054] The mixed slurry from step (1) was continuously stirred at 400 rpm for 6 hours under low pressure and heat preservation conditions of 0.02 MPa (85±5)℃ to obtain a modified slurry for later use.

[0055] Step (3) involves applying the sizing agent, drying, and peeling to form a sheet. The sheet thickness is 0.17 mm, and the moisture content is 11.8%.

[0056] The sheet was rolled into a new type of tobacco (heated cigarette) and evaluated by seven specially trained sensory evaluation experts according to the relevant methods in the "Sensory Evaluation Method for Reconstituted Tobacco (Papermaking Method)" (YC / T 498-2014). The average quantitative score is shown in Table 1.

[0057] Comparative Example 1:

[0058] Compared to Example 1, the only difference is that the initial slurry from step 1 was directly processed in step 3 to obtain a control sheet. The sheet thickness was 0.18 mm, and the moisture content was 11.5%.

[0059] Aroma components of flue gas treated with two different methods were analyzed by GC / MS. The GC parameters were as follows: column: HP-5MS capillary column (60.0 m × 250 μm × 0.25 μm); injection temperature: 250℃; carrier gas: high-purity helium; flow rate: 1.0 mL / min; split ratio: 15:1; temperature program: initial temperature 40℃, hold for 2 min, increase to 280℃ at 8℃ / min, hold for 25 min. The mass spectrometry parameters were as follows: ionization method: electron impact source (EI); ionization energy: 70 eV; ion source temperature: 230℃; quadrupole temperature: 150℃; scan mode: full scan; scan range: 35-450 amu. A comparison of aroma components is shown in [reference needed]. Figure 1 This demonstrates that the method of the present invention can selectively increase the content of target aroma substances.

[0060] The sheet was rolled into a new type of tobacco (heated cigarette) and evaluated by seven specially trained sensory evaluation experts according to the relevant methods in the "Sensory Evaluation Method for Reconstituted Tobacco (Papermaking Method)" (YC / T 498-2014). The results showed that, compared with the control sheet prepared in Comparative Example 1, the sheet obtained in Example 1 had significantly improved aroma, a fuller tobacco aroma, reduced off-flavors, better harmony, and a reduced binder odor. The average quantitative scores are shown in Table 1.

[0061] Table 1 Original Records of Sensory Quality Evaluation of Reconstituted Tobacco (Papermaking Method)

[0062]

[0063]

[0064] Table 2. Changes in the main aroma components of flue gas samples under two different treatments.

[0065]

[0066] from Figure 1 As shown in Table 2, the novel tobacco (heated cigarette) rolled using the sheet from Example 1 exhibits an increase of 15% in 2-methylpyrazine, 38% in furfural, 52.7% in furfuryl alcohol, 57.5% in 5-guaiacol, and 80.8% in 2-acetylpyrrole in its smoke. In addition, other typical target flavor components show varying degrees of increase.

[0067] Example 2

[0068] Compared to Example 1, the only difference is that 5 kg of the above-mentioned binder and 1 kg of soot are mixed to form an initial thick slurry, and the composition and proportion of additives A, B, and C in the preparation process are changed. The experimental groups are as follows:

[0069] Experimental Group A: Additive A is diammonium hydrogen phosphate, and the total amount of additive A remains unchanged.

[0070] Experimental group B: Additive B is formula 1-C, and the total amount of additive B remains unchanged.

[0071] Experimental group C: Additive B is Formula 1-A and Formula 1-C in a weight ratio of 1:1, and the total amount of additive B remains unchanged.

[0072] Experimental group D: Additive B is a compound of formula 1 with R1 being benzyl, and the total amount of additive B remains unchanged.

[0073] Experimental group E: Additive C is glucose, and the total amount of additive C remains unchanged.

[0074] Experimental group F: In the additives, the weight ratio of additive A, additive B and additive C is 1:10:10, and the weight ratio of additives that are thick pastes is 0.1:1.

[0075] Example 3

[0076] Compared with Example 2C, the only difference is that in step (2), a low-pressure two-stage gradient treatment is adopted. The difference is that the mixed slurry in step (1) is preheated at (60±5)℃ for 3h under the condition of 0.02Mpa, and then at (80±5)℃ for 3h to obtain the modified slurry.

[0077] Comparative Example 2

[0078] Compared with Example 2B, the only difference is that an equal weight of ammonium lactate is used as additive A.

[0079] Comparative Example 3

[0080] Compared with Example 2B, the only difference is that in step 2, the reaction process is carried out at atmospheric pressure.

[0081] Following the national standard method of Example 1, aspiration was performed on Examples 2-3 and Comparative Examples 2-3, and the results are shown in Table 3:

[0082] Table 3: Aspiration evaluation results of Examples 2-3 and Comparative Examples 2-3:

[0083]

[0084] As shown in Table 2, using ammonium dihydrogen phosphate as additive A, and using additive A with R as an aromatic heterocyclic compound of formula 1 (groups B to D), especially the combination of formula 1-A and formula 1-C, can further synergistically improve the release of the target aroma substances and further improve the taste evaluation. In addition, further employing a two-stage low-pressure reaction (Example 3) can further improve the taste evaluation of the prepared film.

[0085] Example 4

[0086] Compared with Example 1, the difference lies in changing the additive components and conditions, specifically: Step (1):

[0087] Additive A (ammonium phosphate), additive B (formula 1-B), and additive C (mannose) are added sequentially to the mixed slurry; the weight ratio of additive A: additive B and additive C is 1:1:1; the weight ratio of additives to slurry is 0.2:1; the pH of the slurry is adjusted to 4.0 with phosphoric acid.

[0088] Step (2):

[0089] The slurry from step (1) is stirred continuously at 300 rpm for 6 hours under low pressure and heat preservation conditions of 0.02 MPa (60±5)℃, and then set aside for use.

[0090] Step (3) involves applying the sizing agent, drying, and peeling to form a sheet. The sheet thickness is 0.16 mm, and the moisture content is 11.0%.

[0091] Example 5

[0092] Step (1):

[0093] 500 kg of the prepared adhesive and 100 kg of soot were mixed according to the batch formula requirements to form a uniformly mixed slurry. Additive A (ammonium dihydrogen phosphate), additive B (formula 1-B), and additive C (lythose) were added to the slurry in sequence; the weight ratio of additive A:additive B:additive C was 1:1:10; the weight ratio of additives to slurry was 0.15:1; the pH of the slurry was adjusted to 5.0 with phosphoric acid.

[0094] Step (2):

[0095] The slurry from step (1) is stirred continuously at 300 rpm for 8 hours under low pressure and heat preservation conditions of 0.02 MPa (70±5)℃, and then set aside for use.

[0096] Step (3) involves applying the sizing agent, drying, and peeling to form a sheet. The sheet thickness is 0.17 mm, and the moisture content is 11.3%.

[0097] Example 6

[0098] Step (1):

[0099] 500 kg of the prepared adhesive and 100 kg of soot were mixed according to the batch formula requirements to form a uniformly mixed slurry. Additive A (ammonium dihydrogen phosphate), additive B (formula 1-B), and additive C (arabinose) were added to the slurry in sequence; the weight ratio of additive A:additive B:additive C was 1:1:5; the weight ratio of additives to slurry was 0.10:1; the pH of the slurry was adjusted to 4.5 with phosphoric acid.

[0100] Step (2):

[0101] The slurry from step (1) is stirred continuously at 500 rpm for 8 hours under low pressure and heat preservation conditions of 0.15 MPa (60±5)℃, and then set aside for use.

[0102] Step (3) involves applying the sizing agent, drying, and peeling to form a sheet. The sheet thickness is 0.18 mm, and the moisture content is 11.8%.

[0103] Examples 4 to 6 were evaluated using the method described in Example 1, and the results are shown in Table 4.

[0104] Table 4: Evaluation Results of Examples 4-6

[0105]

[0106] In summary, the process of the present invention, based on the aforementioned additives and low-pressure reaction, can unexpectedly improve the release of the target aroma substances in the prepared sheets.

Claims

1. A method for improving the sensory evaluation quality of novel tobacco sheet produced using the thick pulp method, characterized in that, A thick slurry containing binder and soot was obtained. Additives were added to the slurry and the pH of the system was adjusted to 3-6. The mixture was then stirred and reacted at a temperature of 50-95℃ and low pressure to obtain a modified slurry. The modified thick slurry is spread and dried to produce a new type of tobacco thick slurry sheet. The additives include additive A, additive B and additive C; Additive A is at least one of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, ammonium phosphate, and diammonium hydrogen phosphate; The additive B is a compound containing heterocyclic rings, including at least one of Formula 1-A to Formula 1-D; Formula 1-A; Formula 1-B; Formula 1-C; Equation 1-D; Additive C is a monosaccharide, wherein the monosaccharide is at least one of arabinose, ribose, xylose, lythose, glucose, mannose, fructose, and galactose; The weight ratio of additive A, additive B, and additive C is 1:0.5~10:0.5~10; The weight ratio of additives to slurry is less than or equal to 0.3:1; The low-pressure stirring process includes a first low-pressure stirring process at temperature T1 and a second low-pressure stirring process at temperature T2, wherein T1 is 55~65℃ and T2 is 75~85℃. The pressure of the low pressure is less than 0.1 MPa; The first stage of low-pressure stirring lasts for 2 to 15 hours. The second stage of low-pressure stirring process takes 2 to 15 hours. The first low-pressure stirring process takes 2-4 hours; the second low-pressure stirring process takes 2-4 hours.

2. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The adhesive is at least one of plant gum, starch derivative, CMC, and sodium alginate; The plant gum mentioned is at least one of xanthan gum, tamarind gum, carrageenan, guar gum, and konjac gum; The starch derivative is at least one of modified starch, oxidized starch, and etherified starch.

3. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The slurry also contains an atomizing agent, which includes at least one of ethylene glycol and glycerol.

4. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The ash contains tobacco raw materials.

5. The method as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The ash also contains at least one of the following: tobacco leaves, stems, papermaking sheets, tea leaves, flowers, or fruits.

6. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The thick slurry also contains added plant fiber.

7. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Additive A is ammonium dihydrogen phosphate.

8. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, pH adjusters are acids or bases.

9. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The weight ratio of additives to slurry is 0.1~0.2:

1.

10. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The pressure of the low pressure is 0.001~0.05 MPa.

11. A novel tobacco sheet prepared by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. A novel heating section for heated cigarettes, characterized in that, Add the slurry-processed sheet as described in claim 11.

13. A novel heated cigarette, characterized in that, It has the heating section as described in claim 12.

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