Method for removing impurities and enhancing aroma of cigar tobacco leaves

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of cigar processing, and discloses a method for removing impurities and enhancing the aroma of cigar tobacco leaves. To address the problem of reducing impurities and green odors in raw materials during industrial fermentation, the present invention adds a specific amount of spicy flavoring to the cigar raw materials for fermentation to remove and balance impurities such as impurities, green odors, and local odors in the cigar raw materials. This reduces the sensory perception of impurities in the fermented cigar tobacco leaves during smoking, highlighting the original cigar aroma and significantly improving the aroma and sensory quality of the cigar raw materials. The spicy flavoring is formed by combining anise oil, anise alcohol, anisaldehyde, gamma-octalactone, hexamethylcoumarin, ethyl maltol, flue-cured tobacco extract, eugenol, ethyl acetate, coumarin, and Peruvian extract.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of cigar processing, in particular to a method for removing impurities and enhancing the aroma of cigar tobacco leaves. Background Art

[0002] The saying "30% technology, 70% raw materials" in cigar tobacco production highlights the decisive role of leaf quality in the quality of cigars. Cigar raw material quality is shaped by multiple factors, including ecological environment, field management, harvesting time, drying methods, and fermentation technology.

[0003] Strains are a key indicator in the sensory quality evaluation of cigar tobacco leaves and cigar smoke. The presence of these odors often directly reduces the perception of aroma, thereby affecting the overall flavor evaluation of the cigar. Furthermore, these odors can leave an unpleasant aftertaste and irritation, reducing puff comfort and impacting the sensory experience. The generation of these odors is related to a variety of factors, including the ecological environment, climate and soil conditions, and field management during cultivation. An unsuitable ecological environment and fertilizer application rate and ratio can lead to the production of odors such as protein gas and endemic odors. Insufficient harvest maturity, a short curing cycle, and insufficient fermentation can also lead to the production of raw and green odors.

[0004] The fermentation and aging process can significantly improve tobacco leaf quality and reduce odor. Imported tobacco leaves have a longer procurement cycle and undergo a three-year aging and curing process before use, so their odor problems are generally less severe. In contrast, domestic cigars have a shorter raw material procurement cycle and use relatively fresh raw materials at the time of production. Due to factors such as poor field management, insufficient harvest maturity, and inadequate fermentation, some raw materials may exhibit green odor, green odor, protein odor, and endemic odor. Furthermore, in industrial pile fermentation, adjustments to fermentation environmental conditions, such as temperature and humidity, can often be made to improve the odor of flue-cured tobacco leaves. However, this approach is less effective in improving odor in cigars. This is because flue-cured tobacco is primarily cured in a fire-tube process, which allows for aging under relatively mild conditions, resulting in better aging. Cigars, on the other hand, are air-cured tobacco, a purely natural tobacco product. Fermentation and aging occur under mild conditions, resulting in less effective odor reduction. Without sufficient aging time, significant odor reduction is ineffective. However, if a long-term alcoholization method is used to improve the effect of removing impurities from raw materials, it will not be able to meet the needs of industrialization.

[0005] Cigars undergo three fermentation stages from the moment they are harvested before they are released for sale. The primary fermentation is the initial processing of cigar leaves after harvest. The secondary fermentation, which occurs after the raw cigars enter the factory, aims to further enhance their quality and meet the brand-focused product style and characteristics. The aging process of the tobacco stems, a third fermentation, stabilizes the flavor and style of the cigars.

[0006] In the prior art, technicians typically reduce the green odor of cigar tobacco leaves by adding a medium module during the industrial fermentation process. For example, Chinese patent application publication number CN115413810A discloses an industrial stacking fermentation method for cigar raw materials. This patent improves the fermentation quality by adding tangerine peel water during the fermentation process, increasing the aroma of the tobacco leaves, reducing the green odor in the cigar smoke, and forming its brand style. However, another factor that affects the sensory evaluation of the aroma of the processed cigar raw materials is the degree of fusion between the added substance and the aroma produced by the raw materials themselves. The tangerine peel water used in this patent has relatively strict requirements for its soaking water temperature and soaking time, and it is easy for the raw materials to produce herbal odors and new odors.

[0007] With the development of the domestic cigar market, more styles and brands of cigars are needed to meet the needs of the vast market. Summary of the Invention

[0008] To address the production of stylish, branded cigars with superior aroma quality, and more specifically, to address the issue of reducing raw material impurities and green odors during industrial fermentation, the present invention provides a method for removing impurities and enhancing the aroma of cigar tobacco leaves. This method involves adding a specific amount of spicy flavoring to the cigar raw material and fermenting it to remove and balance impurities such as impurities, green odors, and local odors. This results in a reduced sensory presence of impurities in the fermented cigar tobacco leaves during smoking, highlighting the original cigar aroma and significantly improving the aroma and sensory quality of the raw cigar.

[0009] The specific technical solutions of the present invention are:

[0010] In one aspect, the present invention provides a method for removing impurities and enhancing the flavor of cigar tobacco leaves. The method comprises the following steps: adding a spice with a spicy flavor to the cigar tobacco leaves for industrial fermentation, wherein the amount of the spice added is 5-9% of the weight of the tobacco leaves.

[0011] In order to reduce undesirable gases such as foreign gases, green foreign gases, and local foreign gases in cigar raw materials, and thereby prepare stylish and branded cigars from the cigar raw materials, the present invention provides a method for removing foreign gases and enhancing the aroma of cigar tobacco leaves. The present invention adds a specific amount of spicy flavor spices to the cigar raw materials for fermentation to remove and blend the foreign gases, green foreign gases, and local foreign gases in the cigar raw materials, so that the cigar tobacco leaves obtained after fermentation have less foreign gases when smoked, highlight the original aroma of the cigar, and significantly improve the aroma and sensory quality of the cigar raw materials.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment of the above method, the fragrance comprises the following components:

[0013] Anise oil, anise alcohol, anisaldehyde, gamma-octalactone, hexamethylcoumarin, ethyl maltol, flue-cured tobacco extract, eugenol, ethyl acetate, coumarin, Peruvian extract.

[0014] Specifically, the present invention combines anise oil, anise alcohol, anisaldehyde, gamma-octalactone, hexamethylcoumarin, ethyl maltol, flue-cured tobacco extract, eugenol, ethyl acetate, coumarin, and Peruvian extract to create the aforementioned spicy flavoring. This flavoring effectively masks and balances the unpleasant odors in cigar raw materials, effectively increasing the unpleasant odor score of fermented cigar tobacco leaves from 5 to over 8 (out of 10) in a puff evaluation. Overall, the spicy flavoring created by this formula can provide cigars with rich woody, roasted, fruity, and floral aromas, improving aroma quality and resulting in a warm, sweet, mellow, and full-bodied smoke.

[0015] In this blend, anise oil and anise alcohol provide a strong, unique spicy flavor, masking the unpleasant aromas in the cigar raw material. Coumarin provides a sweet and warm aroma, while gamma-octalactone, ethyl maltol, and ethyl acetate provide fruity and creamy notes. Eugenol provides a rich, sweet, floral aroma, and Peruvian extract provides woody and sweet notes, all of which help to balance the strong spicy notes. Finally, a flue-cured tobacco extract, which is not entirely consistent with the spicy flavor, is added to reduce the irritation caused by the strong spicy flavor and mitigate adverse sensory effects. Through these combined effects, the fermented cigar tobacco leaves exhibit reduced unpleasant aromas during smoking, highlighting the original cigar flavor and significantly improving the aroma and sensory quality of the cigar raw material.

[0016] As a preferred embodiment of the above method, the fragrance comprises the following components in parts by weight:

[0017] 0.1-0.3 parts of anise oil, 0.1-0.5 parts of anise alcohol, 0.1-0.5 parts of anisaldehyde, 0.1-0.2 parts of 10% gamma-octalactone, 0.4-0.6 parts of 1% hexamethylcoumarin, 0.1-0.5 parts of ethyl maltol, 0.2-0.6 parts of flue-cured tobacco extract, 0.05-0.2 parts of 10% eugenol, 0.05-0.3 parts of ethyl acetate, 0.5-0.7 parts of coumarin, and 0.2-1.0 parts of 10% Peruvian extract. The percentages for 10% gamma-octalactone, 1% hexamethylcoumarin, 10% eugenol, and 10% Peruvian extract are by mass.

[0018] The use of spicy flavored spices in the method for removing impurities and enhancing aroma from cigar tobacco leaves of the present invention is a key feature of the present invention in significantly improving the aroma and sensory quality of the cigar raw material. The spicy flavored spices of the present invention, when combined in the aforementioned weight proportions, exhibit a good effect. The present invention can adjust the sensory experience of the aroma of the cigar raw material by combining different proportions of the aforementioned components, thereby obtaining different comprehensive experiences of tobacco aroma. Overall, the cigar raw material exhibits distinct style characteristics, good homogeneity, rich aroma, prominent floral, fruity, woody, and sweet aromas, good aroma quality and sufficient quantity, low irritation from impurities, a clean and comfortable aftertaste, and a significant improvement in sensory quality.

[0019] Further preferably, the fragrance comprises the following components in parts by weight:

[0020] 0.2 parts of anise oil, 0.1 parts of anise alcohol, 0.2 parts of anisaldehyde, 0.1 parts of 10% gamma-octalactone, 0.4 parts of 1% hexamethylcoumarin, 0.2 parts of ethyl maltol, 0.4 parts of flue-cured tobacco extract, 0.1 parts of 10% eugenol, 0.2 parts of ethyl acetate, 0.6 parts of coumarin, 0.4 parts of 10% Peruvian extract, 76.1 parts of propylene glycol, and 21 parts of glycerin. The percentages mentioned for 10% gamma-octalactone, 1% hexamethylcoumarin, 10% eugenol, and 10% Peruvian extract are by mass.

[0021] The spicy flavor of the present invention achieves optimal results when combined in the aforementioned weight proportions, resulting in a cigar raw material with distinct style characteristics, good homogeneity, rich aroma, prominent floral, fruity, woody, and sweet aromas, good quality and sufficient aroma, minimal irritation from impurities, a clean and pleasant aftertaste, the best sensory quality improvement effect, and the highest overall sensory quality evaluation score. Propylene glycol as a solvent and glycerin as a humectant contribute to improved stability of the spice combination, further enhancing the impurity-removing and aroma-enhancing effects of the spice combination.

[0022] As a preferred embodiment of the above method, the adding method is: the flavor is atomized and then added to the tobacco leaves.

[0023] As a preferred embodiment of the above method, the temperature of the industrial fermentation environment is 28-32° C. and the relative humidity is 72-78%.

[0024] More preferably, the industrial fermentation time is 4 to 7 days.

[0025] As a preferred embodiment of the above method, before the industrial fermentation, the following steps are performed: moistening the tobacco leaves to a moisture content of 25-30%, and then steaming them over high heat for 25-30 minutes.

[0026] The high-heat steaming mentioned above, i.e., high-temperature steaming, can make the tobacco leaves more easily infused with the aroma of the spicy flavorings when they are added for fermentation, thereby improving the effect of the spices on removing impurities and enhancing the flavor of cigars. Secondly, high-temperature steaming can utilize the high temperature and high humidity environment to promote the reduction of impurities in the tobacco. In addition, after steaming, the processing efficiency of the method of the present invention can be improved. The entire process of raw material processing cycle is 7 to 9 days. This improvement improves the raw material processing efficiency and helps reduce costs and increase efficiency in the production process. The tobacco leaves need to be moistened before steaming. Its function is, on the one hand, to fully soften the tobacco leaves and reduce damage in the steaming vessel. On the other hand, it increases the moisture content of the tobacco leaves. Using moisture as a medium, it can promote the rapid heating of the tobacco leaves during the steaming process and eliminate some impurities.

[0027] The steaming process also causes aroma loss. The combination of spices mentioned above not only balances the strong spicy flavor but also recreates the cigar's style. The spice addition process requires strict control of the proportions. Too little addition will not effectively remove impurities and enhance flavor, while too much can lead to an unbalanced aroma and an overly strong taste, affecting the smoking experience. Therefore, the appropriate addition amount should be determined based on the sensory quality evaluation results of the tobacco leaves.

[0028] As a preferred embodiment of the above method, after the industrial fermentation, the following steps are performed: the relative humidity of the environment is adjusted to 55-62% at a uniform rate, and the tobacco leaves are dried, wherein the drying reduces the moisture content of the tobacco leaves to 14-16%. The uniform rate of adjustment is to reduce the relative humidity by 1%-4% RH per day, and when the relative humidity reaches 55-62%, the relative humidity is stopped from being reduced, and the relative humidity is maintained at this level for drying to the target moisture content.

[0029] Cigars are used in a state of low moisture content. Before being used, cigar raw materials are generally dried to a low moisture content range. According to the method provided by the present invention, after fermentation is completed, the tobacco leaves need to be dried by gently adjusting the humidity of the environment. Specifically, the placement environment of the tobacco leaves is adjusted to a relative humidity of 55-62% at a uniform rate for drying to prevent partial loss of the aroma of the spices. The partial loss of the aroma of the spices will lead to an unharmonious aroma and a deterioration in the sensory evaluation of the cigar tobacco leaves. More specifically, the uniform rate of adjustment is to adjust at a rate of reducing 1%-4%RH per day, and stop reducing the relative humidity when the relative humidity reaches 55-62%, and maintain it at this humidity for drying to the target moisture content.

[0030] In another aspect, the present invention provides cigar tobacco leaves obtained by the above method.

[0031] The present invention adds a specific amount of spicy flavoring to cigar raw materials and ferments them to remove and balance impurities such as unpleasant, green, and local flavors. This reduces the sensory presence of unpleasant odors in the fermented cigar tobacco leaves during smoking, highlighting the original cigar aroma and significantly improving the aroma and sensory quality of the cigar raw materials. This provides a cigar tobacco leaf with rich woody, roasted, fruity, and floral aromas, improved aroma quality, and a warm, sweet, mellow, and full-bodied smoke.

[0032] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following technical effects:

[0033] (1) In order to reduce the undesirable gases such as astheno-odor, green astheno-odor and local astheno-odor in cigar raw materials, and thus prepare stylish brand cigars from the cigar raw materials, the present invention adds a specific amount of spicy flavoring to the cigar raw materials for fermentation to cover and blend the astheno-odor, green astheno-odor and local astheno-odor in the cigar raw materials, so that the astheno-odor sensory perception of the cigar tobacco leaves obtained after fermentation is reduced during smoking, the original aroma of the cigar is highlighted, and the aroma and sensory quality of the cigar raw materials are significantly improved.

[0034] (2) The present invention uses anise oil, anise alcohol, anisaldehyde, gamma-octalactone, hexamethylcoumarin, ethyl maltol, flue-cured tobacco extract, eugenol, ethyl acetate, coumarin, and Peruvian extract to form the above-mentioned spices with spicy flavor, and adds the spices to cigar raw materials for industrial fermentation to cover and blend the foreign odors in the cigar raw materials. Specifically: anise oil and anise alcohol provide a strong and unique spicy flavor to cover the foreign odors in the cigar raw materials; coumarin is added to the combination to provide a sweet and warm aroma, gamma-octalactone, ethyl maltol, and ethyl acetate provide a fruity and creamy aroma, eugenol provides a rich floral sweet aroma, and Peruvian extract provides a woody and sweet aroma, which are used to blend the strong spicy aroma; and flue-cured tobacco extract that is not completely consistent with the spicy flavor is added to reduce the irritation caused by the strong spicy flavor and reduce adverse sensory effects. Through these combined effects, the fermented cigar tobacco leaves exhibit reduced odor during smoking, highlighting the cigar's inherent aroma and significantly improving the aroma and sensory quality of the raw material. Overall, the combined spicy flavoring imparts a rich, woody, roasted, fruity, and floral aroma to the cigars, improving their aroma quality and resulting in a warm, sweet, mellow, and full-bodied smoke. This delivers a cigar with superior aroma quality and a distinctive brand identity to the domestic cigar market. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the following embodiments. Those skilled in the art will be able to implement the present invention based on these descriptions. Furthermore, the embodiments of the present invention described below are generally only a portion of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all of the embodiments. Therefore, all other embodiments derived by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] This embodiment of the present invention improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves that contain green, green, protein, and local flavors. The goal is to use spicy flavorings to mitigate the sensory effects of these flavors, highlighting the original aroma of the cigar, and providing the cigar leaves with a richer aroma and sensory quality. The raw material for this embodiment of the present invention is CX14 upper leaves.

[0037] Specifically, the present invention provides a spice with a spicy flavor, comprising the following components:

[0038] Anise oil, anise alcohol, anisaldehyde, gamma-octalactone, hexamethylcoumarin, ethyl maltol, flue-cured tobacco extract, eugenol, ethyl acetate, coumarin, Peruvian extract.

[0039] Preferably, the spices with spicy flavor include the following components in parts by weight:

[0040] 0.1-0.3 parts of anise oil, 0.1-0.5 parts of anise alcohol, 0.1-0.5 parts of anisaldehyde, 0.1-0.2 parts of 10% gamma-octalactone, 0.4-0.6 parts of 1% hexamethylcoumarin, 0.1-0.5 parts of ethyl maltol, 0.2-0.6 parts of flue-cured tobacco extract, 0.05-0.2 parts of 10% eugenol, 0.05-0.3 parts of ethyl acetate, 0.5-0.7 parts of coumarin, 0.2-1.0 parts of 10% Peruvian extract, 70-80 parts of propylene glycol, and 18-25 parts of glycerol. The percentages before 10% gamma-octalactone, 1% hexamethylcoumarin, 10% eugenol, and 10% Peruvian extract are by mass fractions, and the same applies to the following specific examples, where the percentages are by mass fractions.

[0041] Further preferably, the spices with spicy flavor include the following components:

[0042] 0.2 parts of anise oil, 0.1 parts of anise alcohol, 0.2 parts of anisaldehyde, 0.1 parts of 10% gamma-octalactone, 0.4 parts of 1% hexamethylcoumarin, 0.2 parts of ethyl maltol, 0.4 parts of flue-cured tobacco extract, 0.1 parts of 10% eugenol, 0.2 parts of ethyl acetate, 0.6 parts of coumarin, 0.4 parts of 10% Peruvian extract, 76.1 parts of propylene glycol, and 21 parts of glycerol. The percentages before 10% gamma-octalactone, 1% hexamethylcoumarin, 10% eugenol, and 10% Peruvian extract are by mass fractions, and the same applies to the following specific examples, where the percentages are by mass fractions.

[0043] In an embodiment of the present invention, the relative humidity of the environment of cigar tobacco leaves after industrial fermentation is adjusted to 55-62% at a uniform rate, and the tobacco leaves are dried to a moisture content of 14-16%. The uniform rate of adjustment is to reduce the relative humidity by 1%-4% RH per day. When the relative humidity reaches 55-62%, the relative humidity is stopped and maintained at this level for drying to the target moisture content.

[0044] Example 1

[0045] A method for removing impurities and enhancing aroma of cigar tobacco leaves is provided, comprising the following steps:

[0046] Step S1: Take cigar tobacco leaves and add moisture to a moisture content of 30%, balance until the main vein becomes soft and there is no visible water on the surface of the tobacco leaves, and then steam over high heat for 28 minutes.

[0047] Step S2: providing a spice with a spicy flavor, wherein the spice with a spicy flavor is prepared according to the following method:

[0048] Take 0.2 parts of anise oil, 0.1 parts of anise alcohol, 0.2 parts of anisaldehyde, 0.1 parts of 10% gamma-octalactone, 0.4 parts of 1% hexamethylcoumarin, 0.2 parts of ethyl maltol, 0.4 parts of flue-cured tobacco extract, 0.1 parts of 10% eugenol, 0.2 parts of ethyl acetate, 0.6 parts of coumarin, 0.4 parts of 10% Peruvian extract, 76.1 parts of propylene glycol, and 21 parts of 95% edible alcohol, stir and mix uniformly to obtain a spicy flavor spice.

[0049] Step S3: The spicy flavoring provided in step S2 is atomized and added to the cigar tobacco leaves obtained in step S1, with the added amount of the flavoring being 7% of the tobacco leaf mass. The industrial fermentation is performed under the ambient temperature of 30° C. and the relative humidity of 75% for a total of 5 days.

[0050] Step S4: The ambient humidity of the fermented cigar tobacco leaves is uniformly adjusted to 61% and the leaves are dried to a moisture content of 16%. The uniform adjustment rate is defined as: reducing the relative humidity by 2% per day. When the relative humidity reaches 61%, the relative humidity is stopped and maintained at this relative humidity until the target moisture content is reached. That is, after 5 days of fermentation, the relative humidity of the environment in which the cigar tobacco leaves are placed is adjusted to 73% on the first day, 71% on the second day, 69% on the third day, 67% on the fourth day, 65% on the fifth day, 63% on the sixth day, and 61% on the seventh day. Finally, the leaves are dried to a moisture content of 16% in a relative humidity environment of 61%.

[0051] Example 2

[0052] A method for removing impurities and enhancing aroma of cigar tobacco leaves is provided, comprising the following steps:

[0053] Step S1: Take cigar tobacco leaves and add moisture to a moisture content of 30%, balance until the main vein becomes soft and there is no visible water on the surface of the tobacco leaves, and then steam over high heat for 28 minutes.

[0054] Step S2: providing a spice with a spicy flavor, wherein the spice with a spicy flavor is prepared according to the following method:

[0055] Take 0.2 parts of anise oil, 0.1 parts of anise alcohol, 0.2 parts of anisaldehyde, 0.1 parts of 10% gamma-octalactone, 0.4 parts of 1% hexamethylcoumarin, 0.2 parts of ethyl maltol, 0.4 parts of flue-cured tobacco extract, 0.1 parts of 10% eugenol, 0.2 parts of ethyl acetate, 0.6 parts of coumarin, 0.4 parts of 10% Peruvian extract, 76.1 parts of propylene glycol, and 21 parts of glycerol, and stir and mix them evenly to obtain a spicy flavor spice.

[0056] Step S3: The spicy flavoring provided in step S2 is atomized and added to the cigar tobacco leaves obtained in step S1, with the added amount of the flavoring being 7% of the tobacco leaf mass. The industrial fermentation is performed under the ambient temperature of 30° C. and the relative humidity of 75% for a total of 5 days.

[0057] Step S4: The ambient humidity of the fermented cigar tobacco leaves is uniformly adjusted to 61% and the leaves are dried to a moisture content of 16%. The uniform adjustment rate is defined as: reducing the relative humidity by 2% per day. When the relative humidity reaches 61%, the relative humidity is stopped and maintained at this relative humidity until the target moisture content is reached. That is, after 5 days of fermentation, the relative humidity of the environment in which the cigar tobacco leaves are placed is adjusted to 73% on the first day, 71% on the second day, 69% on the third day, 67% on the fourth day, 65% on the fifth day, 63% on the sixth day, and 61% on the seventh day. Finally, the leaves are dried to a moisture content of 16% in a relative humidity environment of 61%.

[0058] Example 3

[0059] A method for removing impurities and enhancing aroma of cigar tobacco leaves is provided, comprising the following steps:

[0060] Step S1: Take cigar tobacco leaves and moisten them until the moisture content reaches 25%, balance until the main veins become soft and there is no visible water on the surface of the leaves, and then steam them over high heat for 25 minutes.

[0061] Step S2: providing a spice with a spicy flavor, wherein the spice with a spicy flavor is prepared according to the following method:

[0062] Take 0.1 part of anise oil, 0.5 part of anise alcohol, 0.1 part of anisaldehyde, 0.2 part of 10% gamma-octalactone, 0.5 part of 1% hexamethylcoumarin, 0.5 part of ethyl maltol, 0.2 part of flue-cured tobacco extract, 0.05 part of 10% eugenol, 0.1 part of ethyl acetate, 0.5 part of coumarin, 0.2 part of 10% Peruvian extract, 70 parts of propylene glycol, and 25 parts of glycerol, and stir and mix uniformly to obtain a spicy flavor spice.

[0063] Step S3: The spicy flavoring provided in step S2 is atomized and added to the cigar tobacco leaves obtained in step S1, with the added amount of the flavoring being 5% of the tobacco leaf mass. The industrial fermentation is performed under an ambient temperature of 28° C. and a relative humidity of 78% for a total of 7 days.

[0064] Step S4: The ambient humidity of the fermented cigar tobacco leaves is uniformly adjusted to 58% and the leaves are dried to a moisture content of 14%. The uniform adjustment rate is defined as decreasing the relative humidity by 4% per day. When the relative humidity reaches 58%, the humidity is stopped and maintained at this relative humidity until the target moisture content is reached. Specifically, after seven days of fermentation, the relative humidity of the environment in which the cigar tobacco leaves are placed is adjusted to 74% on the first day, 70% on the second day, 66% on the third day, 62% on the fourth day, and 58% on the fifth day. The leaves are then dried to a moisture content of 14% in the 58% relative humidity environment.

[0065] Example 4

[0066] A method for removing impurities and enhancing aroma of cigar tobacco leaves is provided, comprising the following steps:

[0067] Step S1: Take cigar tobacco leaves and moisten them until the moisture content is 28%, balance until the main veins become soft and there is no visible water on the surface of the leaves, and then steam over high heat for 30 minutes.

[0068] Step S2: providing a spice with a spicy flavor, wherein the spice with a spicy flavor is prepared according to the following method:

[0069] Take 0.3 parts of anise oil, 0.2 parts of anise alcohol, 0.5 parts of anisaldehyde, 0.2 parts of 10% gamma-octalactone, 0.6 parts of 1% hexamethylcoumarin, 0.1 parts of ethyl maltol, 0.6 parts of flue-cured tobacco extract, 0.2 parts of 10% eugenol, 0.3 parts of ethyl acetate, 0.7 parts of coumarin, 1.0 parts of 10% Peruvian extract, 80 parts of propylene glycol, and 18 parts of glycerol, and stir and mix them evenly to obtain a spicy flavor spice.

[0070] Step S3: The spicy flavoring provided in step S2 is atomized and added to the cigar tobacco leaves obtained in step S1, with the added amount of the flavoring being 9% of the tobacco leaf mass. The industrial fermentation is performed under the ambient temperature of 32° C. and the relative humidity of 72% for a total of 4 days.

[0071] Step S4: The ambient humidity of the fermented cigar tobacco leaves is uniformly adjusted to 62% and the leaves are dried to a moisture content of 15%. The uniform adjustment rate is defined as decreasing the relative humidity by 1% per day. When the relative humidity reaches 62%, the reduction is stopped and the leaves are dried at this relative humidity until the target moisture content is reached. Specifically, after four days of fermentation, the relative humidity is reduced by 1% per day. On the tenth day after fermentation, the relative humidity is adjusted to 62%, and the leaves are then dried at 62% until the moisture content reaches 15%.

[0072] Comparative Example 1

[0073] This comparative example provides a method for removing impurities and enhancing the aroma of cigar tobacco leaves, which differs from Example 2 primarily in that, in step S3, the amount of spices added is 4% of the tobacco leaf mass. Other aspects are the same as in Example 2.

[0074] Comparative Example 2

[0075] This comparative example provides a method for removing impurities and enhancing the flavor of cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference between this method and Example 2 is that in step S3, the amount of spices added is 10% of the weight of the tobacco leaves. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0076] Comparative Example 3

[0077] This comparative example provides a method for removing impurities and enhancing the flavor of cigar tobacco leaves, which differs from Example 2 primarily in that, in step S2, the weight portion of aniseed oil is 0.6 parts. Other aspects are the same as in Example 2.

[0078] Comparative Example 4

[0079] This comparative example provides a method for removing impurities and enhancing the flavor of cigar tobacco leaves, which differs from Example 2 primarily in that aniseed oil is not added in step S2. Other aspects are the same as in Example 2.

[0080] Comparative Example 5

[0081] This comparative example provides a method for removing impurities and enhancing the flavor of cigar tobacco leaves, which differs from Example 2 primarily in that, in step S2, the weight portion of anise alcohol is 0.8 parts. Other aspects are the same as in Example 2.

[0082] Comparative Example 6

[0083] This comparative example provides a method for removing impurities and enhancing the flavor of cigar tobacco leaves, which differs from Example 2 primarily in that anisic alcohol is not added in step S2. Other aspects are the same as in Example 2.

[0084] Comparative Example 7

[0085] This comparative example provides a method for removing impurities and enhancing aroma from cigar tobacco leaves, which differs from Example 2 mainly in that in step S2, the weight portion of the flue-cured tobacco extract is 1 part. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0086] Comparative Example 8

[0087] This comparative example provides a method for removing impurities and enhancing the aroma of cigar tobacco leaves, which differs from Example 2 mainly in that in step S2, the weight portion of the flue-cured tobacco extract is 0.05 parts. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0088] Comparative Example 9

[0089] This comparative example provides a method for removing impurities and enhancing the flavor of cigar tobacco leaves, which differs from Example 2 mainly in that in step S2, the weight portion of coumarin is 1 part. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0090] Comparative Example 10

[0091] This comparative example provides a method for removing impurities and enhancing the flavor of cigar tobacco leaves, which differs from Example 2 mainly in that, in step S2, the weight portion of coumarin is 0.2 parts. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0092] Comparative Example 11

[0093] This comparative example provides a method for removing impurities and enhancing the flavor of cigar tobacco leaves, which differs from Example 2 mainly in that gamma-octanolactone is not added in step S2. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0094] Comparative Example 12

[0095] This comparative example provides a method for removing impurities and enhancing the flavor of cigar tobacco leaves, which differs from Example 2 primarily in that eugenol is not added in step S2. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0096] Comparative Example 13

[0097] This comparative example provides a method for removing impurities and enhancing aroma from cigar tobacco leaves, which differs from Example 2 mainly in that step S1 is not performed. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0098] Comparative Example 14

[0099] This comparative example provides a method for removing impurities and enhancing the aroma of cigar tobacco leaves, which differs from Example 2 mainly in that in step S3, the fermentation period is 3 days. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0100] Comparative Example 15

[0101] This comparative example provides a method for removing impurities and enhancing the flavor of cigar tobacco leaves. The method differs from Example 2 primarily in that, in step S4, the relative humidity of the environment is directly adjusted to 61%, and then the relative humidity of the environment is maintained at 61% to dry the tobacco leaves until their moisture content reaches 16%. All other aspects are the same as in Example 2.

[0102] Comparative Example 16

[0103] This comparative example provides a method for removing impurities and enhancing flavor from cigar tobacco leaves. The method differs from Example 2 primarily in that, in step S4, the relative humidity is reduced at a rate of 6% RH per day. When the relative humidity reaches 57%, the reduction is stopped and the relative humidity is maintained at that rate for drying to a target moisture content of 16%. Other aspects are the same as in Example 2.

[0104] Effect evaluation

[0105] Cigar tobacco leaves obtained in Examples 1-4 and Comparative Examples 1-16 were placed in an environment with a temperature of 15°C and a relative humidity of 70% for 30 days. The leaves were then rolled into single-stock cigarettes and subjected to sensory quality evaluation (using a 100-point scale). Untreated cigar raw materials used in the Examples and Comparative Examples were also evaluated for sensory quality. Evaluation criteria included aroma quality, aroma quantity, off-flavors, pungency, aftertaste, sweetness, burnability, and ash, with a maximum score of 18, 16, 10, 12, 16, 10, 10, and 8, respectively, for a total score of 100. The higher the score for each criterion, the better the tobacco leaf quality. For each evaluation, three batches of samples were sampled and smoked by five panelists, who then averaged the scores. The results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0106] Table 1

[0107] .

[0108] Analysis of sensory evaluation results:

[0109] (1) As shown in the example, the present invention adds a specific amount of spicy flavoring to the cigar raw material for fermentation to remove and blend the impurities such as the impurities such as the green impurities and the local impurities in the cigar raw material, so that the impurities in the cigar tobacco leaves obtained after fermentation are reduced during smoking, the original aroma of the cigar is highlighted, and the aroma and sensory quality of the cigar raw material are significantly improved. Specifically, the present invention forms the above-mentioned spice with a spicy flavor by combining anise oil, anise alcohol, anise aldehyde, gamma-octalactone, hexamethylcoumarin, ethyl maltol, flue-cured tobacco extract, eugenol, ethyl acetate, coumarin, and Peruvian extract. The spice is used to mask and blend the foreign odors in the cigar raw materials, which has a good effect. The foreign odor score of the cigar tobacco leaves obtained after fermentation can be improved from 5 points to more than 8 points (out of 10 points) in the smoking evaluation. In summary, the above-mentioned spice with a spicy flavor formed by combining anise oil, anise alcohol, anise aldehyde, gamma-octalactone, hexamethylcoumarin, ethyl maltol, flue-cured tobacco extract, eugenol, ethyl acetate, coumarin, and Peruvian extract can provide cigars with rich woody, roasted, fruity and floral aromas, promote the improvement of aroma quality, and make the smoke warm, sweet, mellow and full-bodied.

[0110] (2) From the comparative analysis of Comparative Examples 1 and 2 and Example 2, it can be seen that the addition amount of spices in Comparative Examples 1 and 2 is 4% and 10% of the tobacco mass, respectively. The impurity scores are reduced and the aroma quality improvement effect is reduced. This shows that the addition ratio of the spices with spicy flavor provided by the present invention must be strictly controlled. If the addition amount is too low, the effect of removing impurities and enhancing the aroma is insufficient. If the addition amount is too high, the aroma may be unbalanced and the taste is too strong, which affects the smoking experience. Therefore, the appropriate addition amount should be determined based on the sensory quality evaluation results of the tobacco leaves.

[0111] (3) Comparative analysis of Examples 3 to 12 with Example 2 shows that in Examples 3 to 4, 0.6 parts of anise oil and 0 parts of anise oil are added, respectively; in Examples 5 to 6, 0.8 parts of anise alcohol and 0 parts of anise alcohol are added, respectively. The impurity scores of Examples 3 to 6 are reduced. In the spices of the present invention, anise oil and anise alcohol are mainly the sources of spicy flavor, and the core of the method of the present invention is to use spicy flavor to cover the original impurities of the raw materials. The reduction in the impurity scores of Examples 3 to 6 can illustrate the importance of the spice components anise oil and anise alcohol, which are the sources of spicy flavor, and the importance of the number of portions added in the method of removing impurities and enhancing flavor of the present invention. In Examples 7 to 8, the amount of flue-cured tobacco extract added was adjusted. It was found that when different amounts of flue-cured tobacco extract were added, the impurity scores also decreased to varying degrees. Combined with the role of flue-cured tobacco extract in the spices of the present invention, the impurity scores of Examples 3 to 6 were reduced. The flue-cured tobacco extract is a flue-cured tobacco extract that is not completely consistent with the spicy flavor. It reduces the irritation caused by the strong spicy flavor. The flue-cured tobacco extract can reduce the adverse sensory sensation caused by the strong stimulation of the spicy flavor. Therefore, when the amount of flue-cured tobacco extract added is changed, the processed tobacco raw materials will also have different sensory evaluations; Comparative Examples 9 to 12 respectively adjust the addition amounts of coumarin, γ-octanolactone and eugenol, showing the important role of coumarin, γ-octanolactone and eugenol in the compatibility spices of the present invention. Coumarin can provide a sweet and warm aroma, γ-octanolactone provides fruity and creamy aroma, and eugenol provides a sweet aroma of rich floral fragrance. They can reconcile the strong spicy aroma and bring a rich aroma experience to the tobacco leaves. When they are added in too little or not added, the aroma quality and sweetness of the processed tobacco leaves deteriorate, the impurity score decreases, and the irritation increases.

[0112] In summary, by comparing comparative examples 3 to 12 with Example 2, it can be seen that the present invention can adjust the sensory experience of the aroma of the cigar raw material by combining different proportions of the above components to obtain different comprehensive feelings of tobacco aroma. The overall performance is: the cigar raw material has obvious style characteristics, good homogeneity, rich aroma, prominent floral, fruity, woody, and sweet aromas, good aroma quality and sufficient amount, low irritation of off-flavors, clean and comfortable aftertaste, and obvious improvement in sensory quality, as shown in Examples 1 to 4.

[0113] (4) Comparative Example 13 and Example 2 show that the sensory evaluation score of Comparative Example 13 is greatly reduced when the high-temperature cooking of step S is not performed. The reasons are as follows: high-temperature cooking has many functions. First, the tobacco leaves can be easily infiltrated by the aroma of the spicy flavor spices when they are added for fermentation, thereby improving the effect of the spices on removing impurities and enhancing the flavor of cigars; second, high-temperature cooking can utilize the high temperature and high humidity environment to promote the reduction of impurities in tobacco; thus, the tobacco leaves obtained by adding spicy spices for fermentation after cooking have rich woody, roasted, fruity and floral aromas, improved aroma quality, warm, sweet, mellow and full-bodied smoke, and high sensory evaluation scores.

[0114] (5) From the comparative analysis of Comparative Examples 15-16 and Example 2, it can be seen that for the impurity removal and flavoring method provided by the present invention, the cigar tobacco leaves need to be dried at a relatively uniform and slow rate, otherwise the impurity removal effect will be reduced.

[0115] Unless otherwise specified, the raw materials and equipment used in the present invention are commonly used in the art; the methods used in the present invention are conventional methods in the art unless otherwise specified.

[0116] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the present invention in any way. Any simple modification, change and equivalent transformation made to the above embodiment based on the technical essence of the present invention still fall within the scope of protection of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for removing impurities and enhancing the flavor of cigar tobacco leaves, characterized by: Adding spicy flavorings to cigar tobacco leaves for industrial fermentation, wherein the temperature of the industrial fermentation environment is 28-32°C, the relative humidity is 72-78%, and the amount of the added flavorings is 5-9% of the tobacco leaf weight; The spices include the following components by weight: 0.1-0.3 parts of anise oil, 0.1-0.5 parts of anise alcohol, 0.1-0.5 parts of anisaldehyde, 0.1-0.2 parts of 10% gamma-octalactone, 0.4-0.6 parts of 1% hexamethylcoumarin, 0.1-0.5 parts of ethyl maltol, 0.2-0.6 parts of flue-cured tobacco extract, 0.05-0.2 parts of 10% eugenol, 0.05-0.3 parts of ethyl acetate, 0.5-0.7 parts of coumarin, and 0.2-1.0 parts of 10% Peruvian extract, of which the percentages involved in 10% gamma-octalactone, 1% hexamethylcoumarin, 10% eugenol, and 10% Peruvian extract are by mass fractions.

2. The method for removing impurities and enhancing the aroma of cigar tobacco leaves as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The spices include the following components by weight: 0.2 parts of anise oil, 0.1 parts of anise alcohol, 0.2 parts of anisaldehyde, 0.1 parts of 10% gamma-octanolactone, 0.4 parts of 1% hexamethylcoumarin, 0.2 parts of ethyl maltol, 0.4 parts of flue-cured tobacco extract, 0.1 parts of 10% eugenol, 0.2 parts of ethyl acetate, 0.6 parts of coumarin, 0.4 parts of 10% Peruvian extract, 76.1 parts of propylene glycol, and 21 parts of glycerol, among which: the percentages involved in 10% gamma-octanolactone, 1% hexamethylcoumarin, 10% eugenol, and 10% Peruvian extract are mass fractions.

3. The method for removing impurities and enhancing the aroma of cigar tobacco leaves as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The adding method is: after the spices are atomized, they are added into tobacco leaves.

4. The method for removing impurities and enhancing the aroma of cigar tobacco leaves as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The industrial fermentation time is 4 to 7 days.

5. The method for removing impurities and enhancing the aroma of cigar tobacco leaves according to claim 1, wherein: Before the industrial fermentation, the following steps are performed: moistening the tobacco leaves until the moisture content is 25-30%, and steaming them over high heat for 25-30 minutes.

6. The method for removing impurities and enhancing the aroma of cigar tobacco leaves according to claim 1, wherein: After the industrial fermentation, the following steps are performed: the relative humidity of the environment is adjusted to 55-62% at a uniform rate, and the tobacco leaves are dried, wherein the drying makes the moisture content of the tobacco leaves 14-16%.

7. Cigar tobacco leaves obtained by processing according to the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.