Method for improving the aging quality of tobacco leaves

Abstract

The application discloses a method for improving the quality of tobacco aging, which realizes the uniformity of tobacco aging at different levels through microbial transplantation, and comprises the following steps: (1) layering the tobacco aging in the aging box; (2) sensory evaluation and smoking of the tobacco aging at different levels; (3) finding out the tobacco aging layer with the highest sensory evaluation and smoking score, and screening the microorganisms in the layer, and preparing the screened microorganisms into microbial inoculants; and (4) spraying the microbial inoculants to other tobacco aging layers. The application finds out the tobacco aging layer with the highest sensory evaluation and smoking score through sensory evaluation and smoking of the tobacco aging at different levels, screens the microorganisms in the layer, and prepares the screened microorganisms into microbial inoculants for layering and spraying treatment of fermented tobacco. The microbial community realizes migration in the domestication process of the tobacco environment, further adjusts or reconstructs the balance of the tobacco microbial community, so that the quality of the tobacco aging is precisely improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tobacco production technology, and more specifically to a method for improving the quality of tobacco leaf aging. Background Technology

[0002] Tobacco aging improves the appearance quality of tobacco leaves, harmonizes their internal chemical components, brings out their aroma, reduces raw, grassy odors, and makes them more mellow. It is a crucial step in ensuring the supply of raw materials for cigarette manufacturers. During aging, environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and oxygen concentration affect the transformation of substances within the tobacco leaves, the formation of aroma precursors, and the overall aging process.

[0003] After the threshing and re-drying process, tobacco leaves are packed into 1-meter-long, 1-meter-wide, and 1-meter-high cardboard boxes, compressed into 200-kilogram cubes, and stored in warehouses for aging. Only tobacco leaves that have aged for a certain period and meet quality requirements can be used for later processing. During the aging process, changes in the external environment and environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity, and oxygen concentration inside the boxes will cause changes in the chemical composition, microbial community structure, and diversity of the tobacco leaves. Because the tobacco leaves are compressed and stored in the boxes, the stacking density of the tobacco leaves in different layers of the box is different, resulting in differences in the storage environment of the tobacco leaves in different layers of the box. For example, the lower layer of tobacco leaves, being more compacted, has a lower oxygen concentration than the upper layer of tobacco leaves, which will change the chemical composition, microbial community structure, and diversity of the lower layer of tobacco leaves. Therefore, the quality of tobacco leaves in different layers of the same box will also differ at the end of aging. Tobacco leaves that have been negatively affected by adverse environmental conditions are of poor quality and are not conducive to later tobacco processing.

[0004] The tobacco leaf microorganisms and the tobacco leaf as a whole constitute the micro-ecological environment of the tobacco box. The aging microorganisms secrete enzymes to participate in the degradation of macromolecules in the flue-cured tobacco, and at the same time, they utilize the tobacco leaf substrate to secrete secondary metabolites such as esters to improve the quality and aroma characteristics of the tobacco leaves. A balanced flue-cured tobacco microecological community is conducive to ensuring the uniform quality of the aging tobacco leaves in the box, while an imbalance of the microbial community will cause differences in the aging quality of the tobacco leaves.

[0005] To address the above problems, this invention is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention provides a method for precisely improving the quality of aged tobacco leaves through microbial community transplantation. This method addresses the problem of unbalanced tobacco leaf quality caused by differences in the microbial community structure of different layers within the tobacco storage container due to variations in storage location, temperature, humidity, and oxygen concentration during the aging process.

[0007] The technical solution adopted in this invention is as follows:

[0008] This invention provides a method for improving the quality of tobacco leaf aging, which achieves uniformity of tobacco leaf aging at different levels through microbial transplantation, and includes the following steps:

[0009] (1) The tobacco leaves in the aging chamber are layered;

[0010] (2) Sensory evaluation of different levels of aging tobacco leaves;

[0011] (3) Identify the layer of aged tobacco leaves with the highest sensory evaluation score, and screen the microorganisms in this layer of aged tobacco leaves. Prepare the screened microorganisms into microbial agents.

[0012] (4) Spray the microbial agent onto the other layers of aged tobacco leaves.

[0013] Preferably, in step (1), the aging tobacco leaves in the aging box are divided into two layers. The layering method includes: based on the total thickness of the aging tobacco leaves in the aging box, first remove 10% of the thickness of the aging tobacco leaves from the surface layer, then remove 10% of the thickness of the aging tobacco leaves from the bottom layer, and then take 10%-40% of the thickness of the aging tobacco leaves as the upper layer and 60%-90% of the thickness of the aging tobacco leaves as the lower layer, with the thickness of both the upper and lower layers being 30% of the total thickness. Taking a total thickness of 100cm for the aging tobacco leaves in the aging box as an example, first remove 10cm from the surface layer and the bottom layer, then take the upper layer (10-40cm) and the lower layer (60-90cm), with each layer being 30cm thick.

[0014] Preferably, in step (1), the aged tobacco leaves in the aging chamber are layered after aging for 1 year.

[0015] Preferably, in step (2), sensory evaluation of different levels of aged tobacco leaves is carried out in accordance with GB / T16447 standard. Specifically, the tobacco leaves are rolled into cigarettes, and then seven sensory evaluators smoke them and record the scores of tobacco leaf style characteristics and quality characteristics.

[0016] Preferably, in step (3), the microbial screening and preparation of microbial agents can be carried out in accordance with conventional methods in the art.

[0017] Preferably, in step (3), during the process of preparing the screened microorganisms into microbial agents, the layer of alcoholized tobacco leaves from which the screened microorganisms were selected is used to make a liquid culture medium.

[0018] Preferably, in step (3), the process of preparing microbial agents from the screened microorganisms includes using high-quality tobacco leaves (i.e., the layer of mellowed tobacco leaves with the highest sensory evaluation score), because the enrichment culture of the strains requires a liquid culture medium, which is made from this layer of tobacco leaves. The method of preparing the screened microorganisms into microbial agents includes crushing the layer of mellowed tobacco leaves from which the microorganisms were screened, passing it through a 100-mesh sieve, mixing the sieved tobacco powder with water in a certain proportion to make a liquid culture medium, and then inoculating the screened microbial strains into the liquid culture medium for enrichment culture and then preparing them into microbial agents.

[0019] Preferably, in step (3), the ratio of tobacco powder to water is 0.45:30.

[0020] Preferably, in step (4), the aging tobacco leaf layer after spraying microbial agents continues to age for 1-6 months.

[0021] The number of spraying times can be set according to the needs during the actual aging process; in this invention, one spraying is sufficient.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0023] This invention provides a method for precisely improving the quality of aged tobacco leaves through microbial community transplantation. This method addresses the problem of unbalanced tobacco leaf quality caused by differences in the microbial community structure of different layers within the tobacco storage container due to variations in storage location, temperature, humidity, and oxygen concentration. This invention involves sensory evaluation of different layers of aged tobacco leaves to identify the layer with the highest sensory score. Microorganisms from this layer are then screened, and the selected microorganisms are prepared as microbial agents for layered spraying of the fermented tobacco leaves. This allows the microbial community to migrate during the acclimatization process within the tobacco environment, further adjusting or restoring the balance of the tobacco microbial community, thereby achieving precise quality improvement of the aged tobacco leaves. Attached Figure Description

[0024] none. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The present invention will be further described below through embodiments, but is not limited to these embodiments. Experimental methods not specifically described in the embodiments generally use conventional conditions and conditions described in manuals, or conditions recommended by the manufacturer. The general equipment, materials, reagents, etc., used are all commercially available unless otherwise specified.

[0026] This invention, through long-term monitoring of the microbial community structure and composition of different layers of tobacco leaves in an aging chamber, revealed differences in the microbial community structure among these layers. Furthermore, these differences changed with increasing aging time. Based on this, this invention samples tobacco leaves from different layers of the aging chamber according to their origin, grade, and aging time, and performs sensory evaluation. The tobacco leaves are then classified according to the sensory evaluation results of different layers within the same chamber, clarifying the sensory characteristics and deficiencies of each layer. The higher-quality layers of tobacco leaves are screened for aging-functional microorganisms, which are then prepared as microbial agents. These agents are then sprayed onto the lower-quality layers of tobacco leaves, followed by sensory evaluation to compare the changes in tobacco quality before and after treatment.

[0027] This embodiment provides a method for improving the quality of tobacco leaf aging, which achieves uniformity of tobacco leaf aging at different levels through microbial transplantation, and includes the following steps:

[0028] (1) The tobacco leaves in the aging chamber are layered;

[0029] (2) Sensory evaluation of different levels of aging tobacco leaves;

[0030] (3) Identify the layer of aged tobacco leaves with the highest sensory evaluation score, and screen the microorganisms in this layer of aged tobacco leaves. Prepare the screened microorganisms into microbial agents.

[0031] (4) Spray the microbial agent onto the other layers of aged tobacco leaves.

[0032] In step (1), the aged tobacco leaves in the aging box are divided into two layers. The layering method includes: the total thickness of the aged tobacco leaves in the aging box is 100cm. First, remove 10cm from the top layer and the bottom layer, and then take the top layer (10-40cm) and the bottom layer (60-90cm). Each layer is 30cm thick.

[0033] In step (1), the aged tobacco leaves in the aging chamber are layered after aging for 1 year.

[0034] In step (2), sensory evaluation of different levels of aged tobacco leaves is carried out in accordance with GB / T16447 standard. Specifically, the tobacco leaves are rolled into cigarettes and then smoked by 7 sensory evaluators to record the scores of tobacco leaf style characteristics and quality characteristics.

[0035] In step (3), during the process of preparing the screened microorganisms into microbial agents, a liquid culture medium is prepared using the layer of aged tobacco leaves from which the microorganisms were screened. The process of preparing microbial agents from the screened microorganisms includes using high-quality tobacco leaves (i.e., the layer of aged tobacco leaves with the highest sensory evaluation score), because the enrichment culture of the strains requires a liquid culture medium, which is made using this layer of tobacco leaves. The method of preparing microbial agents from the screened microorganisms includes pulverizing the layer of aged tobacco leaves from which the microorganisms were screened, passing it through a 100-mesh sieve, mixing the sieved tobacco powder with water in a certain proportion to prepare a liquid culture medium, and then inoculating the screened microbial strains into the liquid culture medium for enrichment culture to prepare microbial agents.

[0036] In step (3), the ratio of tobacco powder to water is 0.45:30.

[0037] In step (4), the aging tobacco leaf layer after spraying microbial agents continues to age for 1 month.

[0038] In this embodiment, one application is sufficient.

[0039] Example 1

[0040] Three-year aged Yuxi C2F, Zunyi C2F, and Chenzhou C2F tobacco leaves were sampled in stratified layers. From top to bottom, the top and bottom 10cm layers were removed, and the top (10-40cm) and bottom (60-90cm) layers were collected, each 30cm thick. Sensory evaluation of the tobacco leaves was conducted. The results showed that the bottom layer tobacco leaves scored higher than the top layer tobacco leaves in the overall sensory evaluation for all three types of aged tobacco leaves after three years. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0041] Table 1 Sensory evaluation results of tobacco leaves aged for 3 years at different layers

[0042]

[0043]

[0044] Microorganisms were screened from the lower layer of Yuxi C2F, Zunyi C2F, and Chenzhou C2F tobacco leaves. The screened microorganisms were prepared into microbial agents and sprayed onto the upper layer of tobacco leaves. After aging for another month, the tobacco leaves were sensory evaluated again. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0045] Table 2 Sensory evaluation results of tobacco leaves after microbial inoculant spraying treatment

[0046]

[0047]

[0048] Analysis revealed that the microbial inoculants prepared from the lower layers of tobacco leaves, when used in sensory evaluation, enhanced the natural aroma of the tobacco, increased its aroma content, and reduced off-flavors. This resulted in a 1.5-2 point increase in the overall sensory evaluation score.

[0049] Example 2

[0050] Tobacco leaves aged for one year from Yuxi C2F, Zunyi C2F, Chenzhou C2F, Yuxi B2F, Zunyi B2F, and Chenzhou B2F were sampled in layers. From top to bottom, the top and bottom 10cm layers were removed, and the top layer (10-40cm) and bottom layer (60-90cm) were taken, each layer being 30cm thick. Sensory evaluation of the tobacco leaves was conducted. The evaluation results showed that the bottom layer tobacco leaves scored higher than the top layer tobacco leaves in the overall sensory evaluation of the three types of tobacco leaves aged for one year. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0051] Table 3 Sensory evaluation results of tobacco leaves aged for 1 year at different layers

[0052]

[0053]

[0054] Microorganisms were screened from the lower layers of tobacco leaves of Yuxi C2F, Zunyi C2F, Chenzhou C2F, Yuxi B2F, Zunyi B2F, and Chenzhou B2F varieties. The screened microorganisms were prepared into microbial agents and sprayed onto the upper layers of tobacco leaves. After aging for another month, the tobacco leaves were sensory evaluated again. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0055] Table 4 Sensory evaluation results of tobacco leaves after microbial inoculant spraying treatment

[0056]

[0057]

[0058] Analysis revealed that the microbial inoculants prepared from the lower layers of tobacco leaves, when used in sensory evaluation, increased aroma, reduced off-flavors, and decreased irritation. This resulted in a 0.5-1.5 point increase in the overall sensory evaluation score.

[0059] The present invention has been described above by way of example. It should be noted that any simple modifications, alterations or other equivalent substitutions that can be made by those skilled in the art without creative effort without departing from the core of the present invention fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for improving the quality of tobacco leaf aging, characterized in that, Achieving uniformity in tobacco leaf aging at different levels through microbial transplantation includes the following steps: (1) The tobacco leaves in the aging chamber are layered; (2) Sensory evaluation of different grades of aged tobacco leaves; (3) Identify the layer of aged tobacco leaves with the highest sensory evaluation score, and screen the microorganisms in this layer of aged tobacco leaves. Prepare the screened microorganisms into microbial agents. (4) Spray the microbial agent onto other layers of aged tobacco leaves, and then continue aging; In step (1), the aged tobacco leaves inside the aging chamber are divided into two layers; In step (1), the aged tobacco leaves in the aging chamber are layered after aging for 1-3 years; In step (3), the lower layer of tobacco leaves is screened for microorganisms, and the screened microorganisms are prepared into microbial agents and sprayed onto the upper layer of tobacco leaves; In step (3), during the process of preparing the screened microorganisms into microbial agents, liquid culture medium is made from the lower layer of alcoholized tobacco leaves. The enrichment culture of the strains requires liquid culture medium, which is made from the lower layer of alcoholized tobacco leaves. In step (3), the method of preparing the screened microorganisms into microbial agents includes crushing the lower layer of alcohol-cured tobacco leaves, passing them through a 100-mesh sieve, preparing a liquid culture medium by mixing the sieved tobacco powder and water in a certain proportion, and then inoculating the screened microbial strains into the liquid culture medium for enrichment culture and preparation into microbial agents. In step (3), the ratio of tobacco powder to water is 0.45:30; In step (4), the aging tobacco leaf layer after spraying microbial agents continues to age for 1-6 months.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step (2), sensory evaluation of different levels of aged tobacco leaves is conducted in accordance with GB / T16447 standard.

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