Tobacco sheet for catalytically enhancing aroma release, preparation thereof, and heated cigarette

Abstract

A tobacco sheet for catalytically enhancing aroma release, its preparation, and heated cigarettes are disclosed. Tobacco powder is pretreated at a temperature of 30-50°C and a relative humidity of 80%-120%. A catalyst selected from a ZSM-5 molecular sieve, a titanium silicon molecular sieve, and a metal oxide is added and stirred uniformly. The mixture is then heated in a closed oxygen-deficient magnetic field of 2000-6000 gauss. The heating is performed by gradient heating, i.e., first heating to 80-100°C for 0.5-1 hour, then heating to 100-150°C for 1-1.5 hours. The mass ratio of tobacco powder to catalyst is 5-20:1. The molecular sieve catalyst is sieved out of the heated tobacco powder, and tobacco sheets are then prepared. The heated cigarette of the present invention can pyrolyze the macromolecular substances in the tobacco raw materials under low temperature conditions, retaining the volatile low-molecular aroma components to a large extent, and can solve the problems of insufficient tobacco aroma and slow tobacco aroma release rate during the smoking process of heated cigarettes. The operation of the present invention is relatively simple, the process is stable and controllable, and it is easy to implement.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of tobacco, and in particular to a method for preparing tobacco sheets for heated cigarettes, and the obtained tobacco sheets and heated cigarettes. Background Art

[0002] Heated cigarettes use heating to evaporate the aroma, nicotine, and atomizer from the tobacco segments to meet consumer demand. Traditional cigarettes reach high temperatures during the ignition process, releasing the aroma compounds from the tobacco into the smoke through high-temperature combustion, pyrolysis, and distillation. However, heated cigarettes, due to their lower heating temperatures (generally below 350°C), do not undergo high-temperature combustion, and the aroma components produced by pyrolysis and distillation are relatively low. Consequently, heated cigarettes often suffer from a lack of aroma.

[0003] The methods adopted in the prior art include:

[0004] (1) CN105852199A performs dry distillation and pyrolysis of tobacco raw materials in a closed system at 180-365°C; then, the aroma substances are extracted from the dry distillation and pyrolysis tobacco raw materials. The extracted product and the product obtained after further refining are the tobacco-derived basic tobacco flavor raw materials. This method first pyrolyzes the aroma macromolecules in the tobacco by pyrolysis, and then prepares tobacco sheets to increase the aroma release content of heated cigarettes. However, there are problems such as the loss of low-molecular volatility in the tobacco due to high temperature.

[0005] (2) CN105167170A A tobacco processing method for treating tobacco by dry distillation and pyrolysis for use in novel tobacco products, resulting in an extract with a sensory enjoyment and physiological strength close to that of traditional cigarettes. A method for preparing electronic cigarette liquid from tobacco treated by dry distillation and pyrolysis, the method comprising the following steps: weighing the tobacco, placing it in a heating furnace, heating it to 150-1000°C, introducing a carrier gas, carrying the smoke generated by pyrolysis into an absorption bottle, placing it in a cold trap, capturing the smoke with an electronic cigarette solvent, and washing out the smoke condensate in the pipe with a capture liquid to obtain a tobacco extract. This method is relatively cumbersome to operate and the cost of the tobacco extract prepared is relatively high.

[0006] In order to overcome the problems existing in the prior art, those skilled in the art urgently need to find a simple and convenient method that is conducive to improving the aroma of heated cigarette tobacco. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a method for preparing tobacco sheets for heated cigarettes that can effectively enhance the release of aroma components in tobacco raw materials.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide tobacco sheets prepared by the preparation method.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a heated cigarette made from the tobacco sheet.

[0010] The object of the present invention is achieved through the following solutions:

[0011] A method for preparing tobacco sheets capable of catalytically enhancing aroma release comprises the following steps: pre-treating tobacco powder at a temperature of 30-50°C and an air relative humidity of 80%-120%, adding a catalyst selected from the group consisting of a ZSM-5 molecular sieve, a titanium silicon molecular sieve (TS molecular sieve), and a metal oxide, stirring the mixture evenly, and heating the mixture in a closed oxygen-deficient magnetic field, wherein the magnetic field environment is set to 2000-6000 gauss. The heating is performed by gradient heating, i.e., first heating the mixture to 80-100°C for 0.5-1h, then heating the mixture to 100-150°C for 1-1.5h. The mass ratio of tobacco powder to catalyst is 5-20:1. The molecular sieve catalyst is sieved out of the heated tobacco powder, and the tobacco sheet is further prepared.

[0012] The metal oxide is preferably one or more of magnesium oxide, iron oxide, aluminum oxide and zinc oxide.

[0013] The particle size of the catalyst is no greater than 1000 microns.

[0014] The tobacco powder is preferably 100-250 mesh.

[0015] The preferred magnetic field environment is 4000-6000 Gauss.

[0016] A further preferred mass ratio of tobacco powder to catalyst is 10-20:1.

[0017] The above tobacco sheets are then made into heated cigarettes through existing methods.

[0018] Since the heating temperature of heated cigarettes is too low, the aroma release is relatively low, which has always been the focus and difficulty of research for technicians. However, by using the method of the present invention, ZSM-5 molecular sieve, titanium silicon molecular sieve or metal oxide is added to tobacco powder while being combined with a magnetic field environment, especially after gradient temperature treatment, the aroma release content can be greatly improved. The specific effects can be seen in the test results Table 1, Table 2, and Table 3 of Examples 1, 2, and 3 of the present invention. The total release of aroma components has reached more than 3.86E+10, among which Example 1 has also achieved a good effect of 4.05E+10; and from the test results of Table 7 of Comparative Example 4, it can be seen that when the method of the present invention is not adopted, the total release is only 1.30E+10. In addition, the test results Tables 4-6 of Comparative Examples 1-3 are not satisfactory. Their corresponding total release amounts are only slightly improved relative to the results of Comparative Example 4.

[0019] In summary, the tobacco sheets prepared by the present invention are used to roll heated cigarettes, which can achieve pyrolysis of macromolecular substances in tobacco raw materials under low temperature conditions, retaining volatile low-molecular aroma components to a large extent, and can solve the problems of insufficient tobacco aroma and slow tobacco aroma release rate during the smoking process of heated cigarettes. In addition, the present invention is relatively simple to operate, the process is stable and controllable, and it is easy to implement. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The examples of the present invention are intended to illustrate the present invention rather than to further limit the present invention.

[0021] Example 1

[0022] 1. Pretreatment process of tobacco raw materials

[0023] Tobacco powder (150 mesh) is equilibrated at 30°C and 80% relative humidity for 48 hours. A ZSM-5 molecular sieve catalyst (particle size 500 microns) is then mixed with tobacco dust, with a mass ratio of tobacco powder to catalyst of 10:1. The mixture is then heat-treated in a closed, oxygen-deficient magnetic field at 4000 gauss. A gradient heating method is preferred, with the temperature first raised to 100°C for 0.5 hours, then to 150°C for 1.5 hours. After heating, the ZSM-5 molecular sieve catalyst is removed, and the heated tobacco powder is processed into tobacco sheets.

[0024] 2. Detection of aroma components during cigarette rolling and puff-by-puff;

[0025] Tobacco sheets were made into cigarettes and then rolled together. Smoke components were captured using a linear smoking machine. The captured smoke was then subjected to headspace gas chromatography analysis using Cambridge filters. The chromatographic peak areas of 30 characteristic aroma components in the smoke of heated cigarettes were used to characterize the aroma component release characteristics of heated cigarettes. The measurement results are shown in Table 1.

[0026] Example 2

[0027] 1. Pretreatment process of tobacco raw materials

[0028] Tobacco powder (200 mesh) is equilibrated at 40°C and 100% relative humidity for 48 hours. A titanium silicalite catalyst (particle size 300 microns) is then mixed with the tobacco dust, with a mass ratio of tobacco powder to catalyst of 20:1. The mixture is then heat treated in a closed, oxygen-deficient magnetic field at 5000 gauss. A gradient heating method is preferred, with the temperature first raised to 80°C for 1 hour, then to 150°C for 1.5 hours. After heating, the titanium silicalite catalyst is sieved out, and the heated tobacco powder is processed into tobacco sheets.

[0029] 2. Detection of aroma components during cigarette rolling and puff-by-puff;

[0030] Tobacco sheets were made into cigarettes and rolled together. Smoke components were then captured using a linear smoking machine. The captured smoke was then subjected to headspace gas chromatography analysis using Cambridge filters. The chromatographic peak areas of 30 characteristic aroma components in heated cigarette smoke were used to characterize the aroma component release characteristics of heated cigarettes. The measurement results are shown in Table 2.

[0031] Example 3

[0032] Pretreatment process of tobacco raw materials

[0033] Tobacco powder (250 mesh) is equilibrated at 50°C and 120% relative humidity for 36 hours. An alumina catalyst (600 micron particle size) is then mixed with the tobacco dust, with a mass ratio of 15:1. The mixture is then heat treated in a closed, oxygen-deficient magnetic field at 4000 gauss. The temperature is preferably increased by a gradient, first to 90°C for 1 hour, then to 140°C for 1.5 hours. After heating, the alumina catalyst is sieved out, and the heated tobacco powder is processed into tobacco sheets.

[0034] 2. Detection of aroma components during cigarette rolling and puff-by-puff;

[0035] Tobacco sheets were made into cigarettes and rolled together, and smoke components were captured using a linear smoking machine. The captured smoke was then subjected to headspace gas chromatography analysis using Cambridge filters. The chromatographic peak areas of 30 characteristic aroma components in the smoke of heated cigarettes were used to characterize the aroma component release characteristics of heated cigarettes. The measurement results are shown in Table 3.

[0036] Comparative Example 1

[0037] The preparation process was the same as in Example 1, except that the tobacco powder was not subjected to staged heating. That is, the heating method was to heat to 150° C. for 2.5 h. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0038] Comparative Example 2

[0039] The preparation process was the same as in Example 1, except that no ZSM-5 molecular sieve catalyst was added. The results are shown in Table 5.

[0040] Comparative Example 3

[0041] The preparation process was the same as in Example 1, except that no magnetic field was used. The results are shown in Table 6.

[0042] Comparative Example 4

[0043] The preparation process was the same as in Example 1, except that no magnetic field was used, no catalyst was added, and no staged heating was performed. That is, the heating method was to raise the temperature to 150° C. for 2.5 h. The results are shown in Table 7.

[0044] Table 1

[0045]

[0046]

[0047] Table 2

[0048]

[0049]

[0050] Table 3

[0051]

[0052]

[0053] Table 4

[0054]

[0055]

[0056] Table 5

[0057]

[0058]

[0059] Table 6

[0060]

[0061]

[0062] Table 7

[0063]

[0064]

Claims

1. A method for preparing tobacco sheets that catalytically enhance aroma release, characterized in that: The method comprises pre-treating tobacco powder at a temperature of 30-50°C and an air relative humidity of 80%-120%, adding a catalyst selected from the group consisting of a ZSM-5 molecular sieve, a titanium silicon molecular sieve, and a metal oxide, stirring the mixture evenly, and heating the mixture in a closed oxygen-deficient magnetic field environment, wherein the magnetic field environment is set to 2000-6000 gauss. The heating is performed by gradient heating, i.e., first heating the mixture to 80-100°C for 0.5-1h, then heating the mixture to 100-150°C for 1-1.5h. The mass ratio of tobacco powder to catalyst is 5-20:

1. The catalyst is sieved out from the heated tobacco powder, and the mixture is further prepared into tobacco sheets.

2. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that The metal oxide is one or more of magnesium oxide, iron oxide, aluminum oxide and zinc oxide.

3. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that The particle size of the catalyst is no greater than 1000 microns.

4. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that The tobacco powder size is controlled at 100-250 meshes.

5. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that The magnetic field environment is 4000-6000 Gauss.

6. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that The mass ratio of tobacco powder to catalyst is 10-20:

1.

7. Tobacco sheet prepared by the preparation method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

8. A heated cigarette made from the tobacco sheet according to claim 7.

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