Essence for improving the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves and its application

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of cigar processing, and discloses an essence for improving the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves and its application. The present invention utilizes a vanilla-flavored flavor essence to blend and optimize the aroma of under-mature cigar tobacco leaves. The vanilla-flavored flavor essence comprises the aforementioned vanilla molecular distillate, fig absolute, linalool, benzaldehyde, furfural, and furanone in the aforementioned proportions by weight. The addition of this flavor essence enhances the woody, floral, fruity, and milky aromas after fermentation, adding a multi-layered flavor and enriching the aroma experience to the cigar leaves.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of cigar processing, and in particular to an essence for improving the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves and an application thereof. Background Art

[0002] The saying "30% technology, 70% raw materials" in cigar tobacco production highlights the crucial role of leaf quality in determining cigar quality. The quality of cigar raw materials is shaped by numerous factors, including ecological environment, field management, harvesting time, drying methods, and fermentation techniques. High-quality cigar tobacco requires seamless coordination of every step in the production process, ensuring that the tobacco's quality characteristics are maximized throughout the entire process.

[0003] From an industrial production perspective, some cigar raw materials currently fail to meet quality standards, exhibit poor compatibility, and exhibit low industrial usability. In-depth research into the causes of these low-quality cigar raw materials has revealed a widespread lack of maturity. These quality issues may be due to insufficient maturity of the leaves at harvest, which prevents the accumulation of chemical compounds within the leaves. Furthermore, insufficient drying time and inadequate humidity control prevent the adequate degradation and transformation of macromolecules within the leaves, impacting overall quality. Traditional pile fermentation methods have also failed to achieve significant quality improvements. Traditional pile fermentation involves stacking tobacco leaves into piles of a defined size and fermenting them in a natural environment for approximately 50 to 70 days. Cigar tobacco leaves that are insufficiently mature or under-cured are difficult to fully degrade and transform using traditional pile fermentation methods.

[0004] The problems of low-quality cigar raw materials are manifested in that the tobacco leaves contain a high level of green, have a tight tissue structure, and are stiff. When smoked, the tobacco leaves have a strong green and protein smell, a strong pungent feeling, a dull and opaque aroma, and a bitter aftertaste. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to solve the problem of improving the quality of the above-mentioned low-quality cigar raw materials, more specifically, for cigar tobacco leaves that are not mature enough at the time of harvest, the present invention provides a flavor for improving the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves and its application.

[0006] The specific technical solutions of the present invention are:

[0007] In one aspect, the present invention provides a flavor for improving the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves.

[0008] The essence comprises the following components:

[0009] Vanilla molecular distillate, fig absolute, linalool, benzaldehyde, furfural, furanone.

[0010] The low-quality cigar tobacco raw material described in this invention is cigar tobacco raw material that is not sufficiently mature at the time of harvest. Due to this lack of maturity, the chemical substances within the tobacco leaves have not fully accumulated, and macromolecules such as starch, protein, and cellulose have not been fully converted. Chemical substances within tobacco leaves refer to specific chemical components that gradually accumulate in the tobacco leaves during growth and maturation and have a significant impact on the quality and taste of the tobacco leaves, such as nicotine, tar, and various aroma chemicals.

[0011] Aiming at the smoke characteristics of cigar tobacco leaves that are not mature enough at the time of harvest, such as heavy green smell, strong pungent feeling, dull and opaque aroma, bitter aftertaste, etc., the present invention provides a vanilla aroma style essence as mentioned above, which contains vanilla molecular distillate, fig absolute oil, linalool, benzaldehyde, furfural, and furanone components. The use of this essence to add to the cigar tobacco raw materials that are not mature enough can recreate the aroma of the tobacco raw materials, and the recreated aroma presents a multi-layered taste and a rich aroma experience. After the immature cigar tobacco raw materials are recreated with this essence, the aroma is rich, among which the woody, floral, fruity, and milky aromas are prominent, the sweetness is good, and the homogeneity is good.

[0012] In this flavor, vanilla molecular distillate provides a sweet and warm vanilla aroma with woody, floral, fruity, and nutty notes. Fig absolute offers sweet, fruity, and woody notes. The woody notes in the vanilla aroma mask the greenish notes of underripe tobacco, lending the cigar a rich, deep, and distinctive aroma and mouthfeel. Because this flavor is applied to underripe cigars, proteases are often added during fermentation to fully convert and utilize the chemical substances in the tobacco leaves. This unique woody note in this flavor can mitigate the unpleasant sweetness caused by excessive enzymatic hydrolysis, reducing sweetness and enhancing the aroma, mouthfeel, and flavor of the tobacco. Linalool, benzaldehyde, furfural, and furanone are added to this flavor to enhance the fusion of the vanilla and fig notes, resulting in a rich and delicate aroma.

[0013] Preferably, the essence comprises the following components in parts by weight:

[0014] 0.5-1.5 parts of vanilla molecular distillate, 1-3 parts of fig absolute oil, 0.1-0.5 parts of linalool, 0.05-0.1 parts of benzaldehyde, 0.1-0.5 parts of furfural, and 0.2-1 parts of furanone.

[0015] The present invention further studies the aforementioned flavorings that can improve the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves and finds that by controlling the content of vanilla molecular distillate, fig absolute, linalool, benzaldehyde, furfural, and furanone components, the masking effect of green and burnt flavors and the blending effect of sweet and greasy flavors can be maximized. Another factor affecting the sensory evaluation of aroma by added flavorings is the degree of fusion between the aromas produced by various substances, including the degree of fusion between the aromas of the flavor components and between the flavor aroma and the smoke aroma. The present invention can promote the fusion of vanilla and fig aromas by adjusting the content of linalool, benzaldehyde, furfural, and furanone components, and further integrate the flavor aroma with the smoke aroma, so that the tobacco leaves exhibit a delicate and rich aroma after adding the flavoring.

[0016] More preferably, the essence comprises the following components in parts by weight:

[0017] 0.5-1.5 parts of vanilla molecular distillate, 1-3 parts of fig absolute oil, 0.1-0.5 parts of linalool, 0.05-0.1 parts of benzaldehyde, 0.1-0.5 parts of furanone, 0.2-1 parts of furanone, 0.5-1 parts of cinnamyl cinnamate, 0.05-0.2 parts of methyl cinnamate, 0.05-0.2 parts of cinnamyl alcohol, 0.5-2 parts of lactic acid, 0.1-0.5 parts of citric acid, 0.5-1 parts of Turkish oriental tobacco extract, 0.1-0.5 parts of anise alcohol, 0.1-0.3 parts of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, 1-3 parts of vanillin, 0.1-0.5 parts of eugenol, 0.1-0.5 parts of ethyl levulinate, 0.2-2 parts of benzyl alcohol, 0.05-0.2 parts of butyl-decanoic acid, and 30-50 parts of propylene glycol.

[0018] Based on a flavor containing vanilla molecular distillate, fig absolute, linalool, benzaldehyde, furfural, and furanone, the present invention further blends the flavor aroma of the flavor by adding other components, including cinnamyl cinnamate, cinnamyl alcohol, and citric acid. This allows for a more integrated blend between the flavor and the tobacco aroma, resulting in a richer and more layered aroma after the flavor treatment. Among these, lactic acid, citric acid, and propylene glycol play an important role in the stability of the flavor, allowing the tobacco leaves to exhibit a stable, rich aroma after the flavor treatment, while also exhibiting a lingering aftertaste.

[0019] A flavor comprising vanilla molecular distillate, fig absolute, linalool, benzaldehyde, furfural, and furanone, wherein the flavor comprises the following components, calculated by weight, which scored highest in the sensory quality evaluation of post-processed cigar puffs and is further preferred. The components of the flavor that scored highest in the sensory quality evaluation are as follows:

[0020] 1.0 part of vanilla molecular distillate, 2.1 parts of fig absolute oil, 0.3 part of linalool, 0.07 part of benzaldehyde, 0.4 part of furanone, 0.7 part of furanone, 0.8 part of cinnamic cinnamate, 0.1 part of methyl cinnamate, 0.2 part of cinnamyl alcohol, 1.2 parts of lactic acid, 0.1 part of citric acid, 0.6 part of Turkish aromatic tobacco extract, 0.5 part of anise alcohol, 0.1 part of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, 2 parts of vanillin, 0.1 part of eugenol, 0.2 part of ethyl levulinate, 1.2 parts of benzyl alcohol, 0.1 part of butyl-decanoic acid, 40 parts of propylene glycol.

[0021] On the other hand, the present invention provides the use of the above-mentioned essence in the fermentation of low-quality cigar tobacco raw materials.

[0022] As a preferred embodiment of the above application, the fermentation method is: after adding a macromolecular substance degrading enzyme to the tobacco leaves for enzymatic hydrolysis for 4 to 12 hours, the essence is added to the tobacco leaves, the tobacco leaves are sealed, and then the tobacco leaves are placed in an environment with a temperature of 30.0 to 35.0°C and a relative humidity of 70 to 75% for fermentation.

[0023] Although excessive enzymatic hydrolysis of macromolecular substances in cigar tobacco will bring some adverse consequences to the aroma of the tobacco, for example, excessive enzymatic hydrolysis of proteins in cigar tobacco leaves will cause the tobacco aroma to produce unpleasant flavors such as burnt and bitter tastes; excessive enzymatic hydrolysis of saccharifying enzymes will make the tobacco taste sweet and greasy. However, the inventors found in their research that within a certain range of excessive enzymatic hydrolysis, the unpleasant flavors and tastes produced can be ignored after the chemical substances in the tobacco leaves are fully converted and utilized and supplemented and recreated with a certain amount of vanilla aroma style essence. Within this range, even if unpleasant flavors are produced, after being fully converted with the effective chemical substances in the tobacco leaves and optimized with the vanilla aroma style essence, the taste of the cigar tobacco leaves is greatly improved, with the effect of "breaking first and then building".

[0024] Specifically, the present invention adds a macromolecular substance-degrading enzyme to tobacco leaves for 4 to 12 hours of enzymatic hydrolysis, fully utilizing all chemical substances in the leaves. However, excessive degradation can lead to some unpleasant flavors. The flavoring provided by the present invention is then added to the tobacco leaves for fermentation, compensating for the loss of aroma caused by excessive degradation of macromolecular substances and significantly improving the aroma and taste of cigar tobacco leaves. Fermentation is carried out in an environment with a temperature of 30.0 to 35.0°C and a relative humidity of 70 to 75%.

[0025] The method of the present invention is used to improve the quality of low-quality cigar raw materials, and the resulting tobacco leaves have a transparent aroma and rich fragrance, among which the woody, floral, fruity and milky aromas are prominent. At the same time, the smoke is smooth, sweet and homogeneous.

[0026] As a preferred embodiment of the above application, the macromolecular substance degrading enzyme comprises the following components in parts by weight:

[0027] 5-10 parts of cellulase, 15-35 parts of protease, 15-60 parts of amylase, 20-60 parts of pectinase, and 15-60 parts of saccharifying enzyme.

[0028] For this application, the dosage of the macromolecular substance-degrading enzyme is preferably 7 to 22.5 grams per kilogram of tobacco leaves. The dosage of the macromolecular substance-degrading enzyme can be calculated based on the weight of the tobacco leaves to be treated. After weighing and mixing, the enzyme is dissolved in deionized water to achieve the target moisture content of the tobacco leaves. The deionized water containing the macromolecular substance-degrading enzyme is then added to the tobacco leaves. The target moisture content of the tobacco leaves is preferably 20%.

[0029] As a preferred embodiment of the above application, the amount of flavor added is 0.3-0.5% of the tobacco leaf mass.

[0030] As a preferred embodiment of the above application, the fermentation time is 5 to 7 days.

[0031] Traditional processing methods typically require 50 to 70 days for fermentation, which not only consumes significant time but also increases labor and storage costs. The present invention achieves a stable fusion of the vanilla-flavored flavor with the tobacco leaf in just 5 to 7 days. Furthermore, due to the over-enzymatic hydrolysis, the fermentation process eliminates the need for molecular transformation, significantly shortening the fermentation time. The present method reduces the entire process to just 8 to 10 days.

[0032] As a preferred embodiment of the above application, during the fermentation process, the moisture content of the tobacco leaves is 28-32%.

[0033] During fermentation, the moisture content of the tobacco leaves is set at 28-32%, which has a better fermentation effect and can make the vanilla aroma style flavor provided by the present invention better integrated with the tobacco raw materials, so that the flavor can be fully utilized and the tobacco aroma is rich and delicate.

[0034] As a preferred embodiment of the above application, after fermentation is completed, the tobacco leaves are dried in an environment with a temperature of 16-20° C. and a relative humidity of 65-70%.

[0035] Cigars are used at a relatively low moisture content. Cigar raw materials are generally dried to a relatively low moisture content before use. For the use of the flavor provided by the present invention, after the fermentation process, the tobacco leaves need to be dried in an environment with relatively low temperature and relatively high humidity, specifically at a temperature of 16-20°C and a relative humidity of 65-70%. This prevents the loss of some of the aroma created by the flavor and effectively prevents the loss of oil from the tobacco leaves due to excessive drying.

[0036] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following technical effects:

[0037] (1) The present invention integrates and optimizes the aroma of under-mature cigar tobacco raw materials by using the aroma of vanilla aroma style essence, wherein the vanilla aroma style essence includes the above-mentioned vanilla molecular distillate, fig absolute oil, linalool, benzaldehyde, furfural, and furanone in the above-mentioned parts by weight. By adding this style essence, the aroma of wood, flower, fruit, and milk can be highlighted after fermentation, adding multi-layered flavor and rich aroma experience to the cigar tobacco. In this style flavor, vanilla molecular distillate can provide the tobacco with a sweet and warm vanilla aroma with woody, floral, fruity, nutty and other aroma characteristics. Fig absolute oil has sweet fruity and woody aroma characteristics. The woody aroma in the vanilla aroma masks the green smell of the less mature raw materials, the burnt taste and bitterness, and the unpleasant sweet taste caused by excessive enzymatic hydrolysis, and brings a rich and deep style characteristic aroma and taste to the cigar. In this style flavor, the addition of linalool, benzaldehyde, furfural and furanone can promote the fusion of vanilla and fig aromas, making the tobacco aroma rich and delicate. Among the above-mentioned characteristics of the present flavor, the said method of reconciling the unpleasant sweet and greasy taste caused by excessive enzymatic hydrolysis can make the range of applicable raw materials of the present flavor wider. For example, when targeting excessively enzymatically hydrolyzed raw materials, the flavor provided by the present invention can also have a good aroma reconstruction effect. Among them, although excessive enzymatic hydrolysis of macromolecular substances in cigar tobacco will bring some adverse consequences to the aroma of the tobacco, such as excessive enzymatic hydrolysis of protein in cigar tobacco leaves will cause the tobacco aroma to produce unpleasant flavors such as burnt and bitter tastes, and excessive enzymatic hydrolysis of saccharifying enzymes will make the tobacco leaves taste sweet and greasy, excessive enzymatic hydrolysis can degrade the chemical substances in the tobacco leaves and then fully utilize them, and the flavor of the present invention can significantly improve the aroma reconstruction effect of excessively enzymatically hydrolyzed raw materials.

[0038] (2) The present invention provides the application of the above-mentioned vanilla aroma style flavor. The use of the flavor provided by the present invention can not only compensate for the loss of aroma and the increase of unpleasant flavors caused by the excessive degradation of macromolecular substances, but also achieve a significant improvement in the aroma and taste of cigar tobacco leaves. The fermented and blended cigar tobacco leaves present a multi-layered stable taste and a rich aroma experience. The aroma of low-quality cigar raw materials is recreated using the above-mentioned flavor of the present invention. The aroma of the obtained tobacco leaves is transparent and rich in fragrance, among which the woody, floral, fruity and milky aromas are prominent. At the same time, the smoke is smooth, sweet and homogeneous. The use of the above-mentioned flavor of the present invention can improve the quality and industrial availability of low-quality cigar raw materials as a whole. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] 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.

[0040] The present invention improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves, which are harvested at an insufficient maturity. Due to this lack of maturity, chemical substances within the leaves have not been fully accumulated, and macromolecules such as starch, protein, and cellulose have not been fully converted. The cigars used in the present invention are CX14 mid-leaf leaves.

[0041] In the present invention, the preparation method of vanilla molecular distillate is as follows: weighing 100 grams of vanilla raw material, adding it into an alcohol solution (volume concentration of 70%) with a mass 50 times that of vanilla raw material for soaking, then heating and refluxing for extraction for 6 hours, filtering after cooling, and concentrating the clear liquid to 1.2 g / cm³ to obtain a vanilla ethanol extract; further subjecting the vanilla ethanol extract to molecular distillation separation to obtain a molecular distillation light component, namely the vanilla molecular distillate, and the molecular distillation process parameters are: scraper speed of 300 r / min, distillation pressure of 300 Pa, distillation temperature of 60°C, and feed rate of 1.5 mL / min.

[0042] In the present invention, the preparation method of fig absolute oil comprises the following steps: adding dried ripe figs and ethanol (volume concentration of 30%) in a material-liquid mass ratio of 1:10 into an extraction tank, heating to boiling, reflux extraction for 5 hours, filtering, and concentrating under reduced pressure to obtain a fig extract; and dissolving the fig extract and ethanol (volume concentration of 95%) in a mass ratio of 1:3, filtering, and concentrating under reduced pressure to a relative density of 1.05 g / cm³ to obtain fig absolute oil.

[0043] Example 1

[0044] To improve the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco, follow these steps:

[0045] Step S1: providing an essence for improving the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves, wherein the formulation is as follows in parts by weight:

[0046] Take 1.0 part of vanilla molecular distillate, 2.1 parts of fig absolute, 0.3 part of linalool, 0.07 part of benzaldehyde, 0.4 part of furanone, 0.7 part of furanone, and 20 parts of propylene glycol. Add 10 parts of 95% edible alcohol and stir to obtain a vanilla aroma style essence.

[0047] Step S2: 8 parts of cellulase, 20 parts of protease, 45 parts of amylase, 40 parts of pectinase and 39 parts of saccharifying enzyme are mixed by weight to obtain a macromolecular substance degrading enzyme.

[0048] Step S3: Dissolve a macromolecular substance-degrading enzyme in deionized water to obtain an enzyme solution, then add the enzyme solution to the low-quality cigar tobacco raw material and perform enzymatic hydrolysis for 10 hours to achieve over-degradation. The amount of macromolecular substance-degrading enzyme used is 15 grams per kilogram of tobacco leaves, and the amount of deionized water used is such that the moisture content of the tobacco leaves reaches 20% by weight.

[0049] Step S4: Add the above-mentioned essence evenly to the tobacco leaves after the treatment in step S2 at a rate of 0.4% by weight of the tobacco leaves, add an appropriate amount of water to make the moisture content of the tobacco leaves 30%, seal the tobacco leaves and place them in an environment with a temperature of 30.0-35.0°C and a relative humidity of 70-75% for fermentation for 6 days.

[0050] Step S5: drying the tobacco leaves obtained after fermentation in an environment with a temperature of 16-20° C. and a relative humidity of 65-70% until the moisture content of the tobacco leaves reaches 14%.

[0051] Example 2

[0052] To improve the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco, follow these steps:

[0053] Step S1: providing an essence for improving the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves, wherein the formulation is as follows in parts by weight:

[0054] Take 1.0 part of vanilla molecular distillate, 2.1 parts of fig absolute oil, 0.3 part of linalool, 0.07 part of benzaldehyde, 0.4 part of furanone, 0.7 part of furanone, 0.8 part of cinnamyl cinnamate, 0.1 part of methyl cinnamate, 0.2 part of cinnamyl alcohol, 1.2 parts of lactic acid, 0.1 part of citric acid, 0.6 part of Turkish oriental tobacco extract, 0.5 part of anise alcohol, 0.1 part of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, 2 parts of vanillin, 0.1 part of eugenol, 0.2 part of ethyl levulinate, 1.2 parts of benzyl alcohol, 0.1 part of butyl-decanoyl lactone, and 40 parts of propylene glycol. Add 10 parts of 95% edible alcohol and stir to obtain a vanilla aroma flavor.

[0055] Step S2: 8 parts of cellulase, 20 parts of protease, 45 parts of amylase, 40 parts of pectinase and 39 parts of saccharifying enzyme are mixed by weight to obtain a macromolecular substance degrading enzyme.

[0056] Step S3: Dissolve a macromolecular substance-degrading enzyme in deionized water to obtain an enzyme solution, then add the enzyme solution to the low-quality cigar tobacco raw material and perform enzymatic hydrolysis for 10 hours to achieve over-degradation. The amount of macromolecular substance-degrading enzyme used is 15 grams per kilogram of tobacco leaves, and the amount of deionized water used is such that the moisture content of the tobacco leaves reaches 20% by weight.

[0057] Step S4: Add the above-mentioned essence evenly to the tobacco leaves after the treatment in step S2 at a rate of 0.4% by weight of the tobacco leaves, add an appropriate amount of water to make the moisture content of the tobacco leaves 30%, seal the tobacco leaves and place them in an environment with a temperature of 30.0-35.0°C and a relative humidity of 70-75% for fermentation for 6 days.

[0058] Step S5: drying the tobacco leaves obtained after fermentation in an environment with a temperature of 16-20° C. and a relative humidity of 65-70% until the moisture content of the tobacco leaves reaches 14%.

[0059] Example 3

[0060] To improve the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco, follow these steps:

[0061] Step S1: providing an essence for improving the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves, wherein the formulation is as follows in parts by weight:

[0062] Take 0.5 parts of vanilla molecular distillate, 1 part of fig absolute oil, 0.1 part of linalool, 0.05 parts of benzaldehyde, 0.1 parts of furanone, 0.2 parts of furanone, 0.5 parts of cinnamyl cinnamate, 0.05 parts of methyl cinnamate, 0.05 parts of cinnamyl alcohol, 0.5 parts of lactic acid, 0.1 parts of citric acid, 0.5 parts of Turkish oriental tobacco extract, 0.1 parts of anise alcohol, 0.1 parts of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, 1 part of vanillin, 0.1 parts of eugenol, 0.1 parts of ethyl levulinate, 0.2 parts of benzyl alcohol, 0.05 parts of butyl-decanoic acid, and 30 parts of propylene glycol. Add 10 parts of 95% edible alcohol and stir to obtain a vanilla aroma flavor.

[0063] Step S2: 8 parts of cellulase, 20 parts of protease, 45 parts of amylase, 40 parts of pectinase and 39 parts of saccharifying enzyme are mixed by weight to obtain a macromolecular substance degrading enzyme.

[0064] Step S3: Dissolve a macromolecular substance-degrading enzyme in deionized water to obtain an enzyme solution, then add the enzyme solution to the low-quality cigar tobacco raw material and perform enzymatic hydrolysis for 10 hours to achieve over-degradation. The amount of macromolecular substance-degrading enzyme used is 15 grams per kilogram of tobacco leaves, and the amount of deionized water used is such that the moisture content of the tobacco leaves reaches 20% by weight.

[0065] Step S4: Add the above-mentioned essence evenly to the tobacco leaves after the treatment in step S2 at a rate of 0.4% by weight of the tobacco leaves, add an appropriate amount of water to make the moisture content of the tobacco leaves 30%, seal the tobacco leaves and place them in an environment with a temperature of 30.0-35.0°C and a relative humidity of 70-75% for fermentation for 6 days.

[0066] Step S5: drying the tobacco leaves obtained after fermentation in an environment with a temperature of 16-20° C. and a relative humidity of 65-70% until the moisture content of the tobacco leaves reaches 14%.

[0067] Example 4

[0068] To improve the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco, follow these steps:

[0069] Step S1: providing an essence for improving the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves, wherein the formulation is as follows in parts by weight:

[0070] Take 1.5 parts of vanilla molecular distillate, 3 parts of fig absolute oil, 0.5 part of linalool, 0.1 part of benzaldehyde, 0.5 part of furanone, 1 part of cinnamyl cinnamate, 0.2 part of methyl cinnamate, 0.2 part of cinnamyl alcohol, 2 parts of lactic acid, 0.5 part of citric acid, 1 part of Turkish oriental tobacco extract, 0.5 part of anise alcohol, 0.3 part of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, 3 parts of vanillin, 0.5 part of eugenol, 0.5 part of ethyl levulinate, 2 parts of benzyl alcohol, 0.2 part of butyl-decanoic acid, and 50 parts of propylene glycol. Add 10 parts of 95% edible alcohol and stir to obtain a vanilla aroma flavor.

[0071] Step S2: 8 parts of cellulase, 20 parts of protease, 45 parts of amylase, 40 parts of pectinase and 39 parts of saccharifying enzyme are mixed by weight to obtain a macromolecular substance degrading enzyme.

[0072] Step S3: Dissolve a macromolecular substance-degrading enzyme in deionized water to obtain an enzyme solution, then add the enzyme solution to the low-quality cigar tobacco raw material and perform enzymatic hydrolysis for 10 hours to achieve over-degradation. The amount of macromolecular substance-degrading enzyme used is 15 grams per kilogram of tobacco leaves, and the amount of deionized water used is such that the moisture content of the tobacco leaves reaches 20% by weight.

[0073] Step S4: Add the above-mentioned essence evenly to the tobacco leaves after the treatment in step S2 at a rate of 0.4% by weight of the tobacco leaves, add an appropriate amount of water to make the moisture content of the tobacco leaves 30%, seal the tobacco leaves and place them in an environment with a temperature of 30.0-35.0°C and a relative humidity of 70-75% for fermentation for 6 days.

[0074] Step S5: drying the tobacco leaves obtained after fermentation in an environment with a temperature of 16-20° C. and a relative humidity of 65-70% until the moisture content of the tobacco leaves reaches 14%.

[0075] Example 5

[0076] To improve the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco, follow these steps:

[0077] Step S1: providing an essence for improving the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves, wherein the formulation is as follows in parts by weight:

[0078] Take 1.0 part of vanilla molecular distillate, 2.1 parts of fig absolute oil, 0.3 part of linalool, 0.07 part of benzaldehyde, 0.4 part of furanone, 0.7 part of furanone, 0.8 part of cinnamyl cinnamate, 0.1 part of methyl cinnamate, 0.2 part of cinnamyl alcohol, 1.2 parts of lactic acid, 0.1 part of citric acid, 0.6 part of Turkish oriental tobacco extract, 0.5 part of anise alcohol, 0.1 part of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, 2 parts of vanillin, 0.1 part of eugenol, 0.2 part of ethyl levulinate, 1.2 parts of benzyl alcohol, 0.1 part of butyl-decanoyl lactone, and 40 parts of propylene glycol. Add 10 parts of 95% edible alcohol and stir to obtain a vanilla aroma flavor.

[0079] Step S2: by weight, 5 parts of cellulase, 15 parts of protease, 15 parts of amylase, 20 parts of pectinase and 15 parts of saccharifying enzyme are mixed to obtain a macromolecular substance degrading enzyme.

[0080] Step S3: Dissolve a macromolecular substance-degrading enzyme in deionized water to obtain an enzyme solution, then add the enzyme solution to the low-quality cigar tobacco raw material and perform enzymatic hydrolysis for 12 hours to achieve over-degradation. The amount of macromolecular substance-degrading enzyme used is 4 grams per kilogram of tobacco leaves, and the amount of deionized water used is such that the moisture content of the tobacco leaves reaches 20% by weight.

[0081] Step S4: Add essence evenly to the tobacco leaves after the treatment in step S2 at a rate of 0.5% by weight of the tobacco leaves, add an appropriate amount of water to make the moisture content of the tobacco leaves 28%, seal the tobacco leaves and place them in an environment with a temperature of 30.0-35.0°C and a relative humidity of 70-75% for fermentation for 7 days.

[0082] Step S5: drying the tobacco leaves obtained after fermentation in an environment with a temperature of 16-20° C. and a relative humidity of 65-70% until the moisture content of the tobacco leaves reaches 13%.

[0083] Example 6

[0084] To improve the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco, follow these steps:

[0085] Step S1: providing an essence for improving the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves, wherein the formulation is as follows in parts by weight:

[0086] Take 1.0 part of vanilla molecular distillate, 2.1 parts of fig absolute oil, 0.3 part of linalool, 0.07 part of benzaldehyde, 0.4 part of furanone, 0.7 part of furanone, 0.8 part of cinnamyl cinnamate, 0.1 part of methyl cinnamate, 0.2 part of cinnamyl alcohol, 1.2 parts of lactic acid, 0.1 part of citric acid, 0.6 part of Turkish oriental tobacco extract, 0.5 part of anise alcohol, 0.1 part of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, 2 parts of vanillin, 0.1 part of eugenol, 0.2 part of ethyl levulinate, 1.2 parts of benzyl alcohol, 0.1 part of butyl-decanoyl lactone, and 40 parts of propylene glycol. Add 10 parts of 95% edible alcohol and stir to obtain a vanilla aroma flavor.

[0087] Step S2: 10 parts of cellulase, 35 parts of protease, 60 parts of amylase, 60 parts of pectinase and 60 parts of saccharifying enzyme are mixed by weight to obtain a macromolecular substance degrading enzyme.

[0088] Step S3: A macromolecular substance-degrading enzyme is dissolved in deionized water to obtain an enzyme solution, which is then added to the low-quality cigar tobacco raw material and subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis for 4 hours to achieve over-degradation. The amount of macromolecular substance-degrading enzyme used is 22.5 grams per kilogram of tobacco leaves, and the amount of deionized water used is such that the moisture content of the tobacco leaves reaches 20% by weight.

[0089] Step S4: Add 0.3% of the vanilla flavor to the tobacco leaves after the treatment in step S2, add an appropriate amount of water to make the moisture content of the tobacco leaves 32%, and seal the tobacco leaves and place them in an environment with a temperature of 30.0-35.0°C and a relative humidity of 70-75% for fermentation for 5 days.

[0090] Step S5: drying the tobacco leaves obtained after fermentation in an environment with a temperature of 16-20° C. and a relative humidity of 65-70% until the moisture content of the tobacco leaves reaches 15%.

[0091] Comparative Example 1

[0092] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S1, vanilla molecular distillate is not added to the flavoring. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0093] Comparative Example 2

[0094] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S1, the amount of vanilla molecular distillate in the flavoring is 2 parts. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0095] Comparative Example 3

[0096] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S1, fig absolute is not added to the flavoring. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0097] Comparative Example 4

[0098] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S1, the number of parts of fig absolute in the flavoring is 4 parts. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0099] Comparative Example 5

[0100] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S1, linalool is not added to the flavoring. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0101] Comparative Example 6

[0102] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S1, the amount of linalool in the flavoring is 1 part. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0103] Comparative Example 7

[0104] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S1, no benzaldehyde is added to the flavoring. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0105] Comparative Example 8

[0106] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S1, the amount of benzaldehyde in the flavoring is 0.2 parts. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0107] Comparative Example 9

[0108] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S1, furfural is not added to the flavoring. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0109] Comparative Example 10

[0110] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S1, the amount of furfural in the flavoring is 0.8 parts. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0111] Comparative Example 11

[0112] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S1, furanone is not added to the flavoring. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0113] Comparative Example 12

[0114] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S1, the amount of furanone in the flavoring is 1.5 parts. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0115] Comparative Example 13

[0116] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S1, cinnamic cinnamate is not added to the flavoring. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0117] Comparative Example 14

[0118] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S1, the amount of cinnamate in the flavoring is 1.5 parts. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0119] Comparative Example 15

[0120] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S1, cinnamyl alcohol is not added to the flavoring. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0121] Comparative Example 16

[0122] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S1, the proportion of cinnamyl alcohol in the flavoring is 0.5 parts. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0123] Comparative Example 17

[0124] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S1, lactic acid is not added to the flavoring. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0125] Comparative Example 18

[0126] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S1, the number of lactic acid parts in the flavoring is 3 parts. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0127] Comparative Example 19

[0128] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S1, citric acid is not added to the flavoring. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0129] Comparative Example 20

[0130] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S1, the amount of citric acid in the flavoring is 0.7 parts. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0131] Comparative Example 21

[0132] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S1, propylene glycol is not added to the flavoring. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0133] Comparative Example 22

[0134] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S1, the proportion of propylene glycol in the flavoring is 70 parts. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0135] Comparative Example 23

[0136] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S3, the enzymatic hydrolysis treatment time is adjusted to 2 hours to prevent excessive degradation of the chemical substances in the tobacco leaves. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0137] Comparative Example 24

[0138] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S3, the enzymatic hydrolysis time is adjusted to 14 hours. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0139] Comparative Example 25

[0140] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S5, the tobacco leaves are dried at a temperature of 10-15° C. The rest is the same as Example 2.

[0141] Comparative Example 26

[0142] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S5, the tobacco leaves are dried in an environment with a relative humidity of 55-60%. Other conditions are the same as Example 2.

[0143] Comparative Example 27

[0144] This comparative example improves the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco leaves. The main difference from Example 2 is that in step S5, the tobacco leaves are dried in an environment with a relative humidity of 73% ± 2%. Other aspects are the same as Example 2.

[0145] Effect evaluation

[0146] Cigar tobacco leaves obtained in Examples 1-6 and Comparative Examples 1-27 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. Three batches of samples were sampled for each evaluation, and five judges smoked and scored the samples. The scores were averaged. The results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0147] Table 1

[0148] .

[0149] Analysis of sensory evaluation results:

[0150] (1) As can be seen from the sensory quality evaluation and scoring results in Table 1, Examples 1 to 6 process low-quality cigar raw materials, which are subjected to 4 to 12 hours of enzymatic hydrolysis to over-degrade the tobacco raw materials, over-degrade the macromolecular substances in the cigar tobacco leaves, and thus fully utilize the chemical substances in the tobacco leaves; and in view of the tobacco aroma characteristics of tobacco raw materials that are not mature enough at the time of harvest, the vanilla aroma style essence provided by the present invention is added for fermentation, and the essence with specific aroma characteristics is used to cover the original green and mixed smell of the tobacco leaves, and to blend the original light aroma of the improved tobacco leaves, so that the aroma in the cigar tobacco raw materials is recreated, so that the fermented and blended cigar tobacco leaves present a multi-layered, stable taste and rich aroma experience. When the low-quality cigar raw materials treated by the present invention are smoked, the aroma volume increases, with woody, floral and milky aromas as the main aromas, and the aroma is prominent, the aroma quality is significantly improved, the smoke is smooth and delicate, the mixed smell is significantly reduced, the aftertaste is significantly improved, the astringency disappears, and the sweetness is improved. The sensory evaluation score of the low-quality cigar raw materials processed by the present invention can be as high as 85 points.

[0151] (2) Comparative Examples 1 to 22 show the effects of the treatment of the flavor components of the present invention on the quality improvement of low-quality cigar raw materials. When vanilla molecular distillate, fig absolute oil, linalool, benzaldehyde, furfural, furanone, cinnamyl cinnamate, cinnamyl alcohol, lactic acid, citric acid and propylene glycol are not added, or when too much is added, the sensory quality evaluation of the cigars after treatment is reduced to varying degrees. The reason for this is that, in the flavor, vanilla molecular distillate has aroma characteristics such as woody, floral, fruity and nutty, and fig absolute oil has sweet fruity and woody aroma characteristics. When these two are missing, the miscellaneous smell increases significantly, which is manifested as a decrease in the miscellaneous smell evaluation score, a decrease in aroma quality, and an increase in irritation. This shows that the vanilla aroma and woody aroma of the two cover up the green miscellaneous smell of the raw materials with insufficient maturity, reconcile the unpleasant sweet taste caused by excessive enzymatic hydrolysis, and bring a rich style characteristic aroma and taste to the cigar, thereby improving the aroma quality and quantity. In this flavor, the absence of linalool, benzaldehyde, furfural, and furanone results in a decreased aroma, an increased irritation, and a heavier aroma. This suggests that linalool, benzaldehyde, furfural, and furanone may promote the fusion of vanilla and fig aromas, thereby enhancing the richness and delicacy of the tobacco aroma. Cinnamyl cinnamate, cinnamyl alcohol, and citric acid components can further harmonize the flavor, further blending the flavor with the tobacco aroma, and making the tobacco aroma richer and more layered after the flavor is added. At the same time, lactic acid, citric acid, and propylene glycol play an important role in the stability of the flavor, giving the tobacco a stable, rich aroma after the flavor is added, with a long aftertaste. Therefore, in summary, not adding or adding too much of the above components will have varying degrees of impact on the sensory quality evaluation of cigars after processing.

[0152] It is further explained that by controlling the contents of vanilla molecular distillate, fig absolute oil, linalool, benzaldehyde, furfural, furanone, furfural, furanone, cinnamyl cinnamate, cinnamyl alcohol, lactic acid, citric acid and propylene glycol components, the masking effect of green and burnt smells and the harmonizing effect of sweet and greasy feeling can be maximized.

[0153] (3) Comparative analysis of Comparative Examples 23-24 and Example 2 shows that the enzymatic hydrolysis time of Comparative Example 1 was reduced to 2 hours, and the enzymatic hydrolysis was not fully carried out. Compared with Example 2, its aroma was dull, not sufficiently permeable, the aroma quality was deteriorated, the smoke granularity became heavier, the miscellaneous smell and green miscellaneous smell became significantly heavier, there was irritation, the sweetness was insufficient, the aftertaste was astringent, and the total score of the sensory evaluation decreased; the enzymatic hydrolysis time of Comparative Example 24 was extended to 14 hours, and it had a slightly burnt smell and bitterness, a low sweetness, a deteriorated aroma quality, a significantly heavier miscellaneous smell and green miscellaneous smell, a heavier irritation, a more astringent aftertaste, and the total score of the sensory evaluation decreased. The reason for this is that within a certain range of excessive enzymatic hydrolysis, the unpleasant flavor and taste produced can be ignored after the chemical substances in the tobacco leaves are fully transformed and utilized, and a certain amount of vanilla aroma style flavor is added and recreated. However, the enzymatic hydrolysis time cannot exceed 12 hours. When excessive enzymatic hydrolysis occurs, the unpleasant flavor produced by excessive enzymatic hydrolysis of large molecular substances in cigar tobacco cannot be advantageously supplemented by vanilla aroma style flavor, and ultimately the taste of the cigar tobacco leaves is weakened.

[0154] (4) From the comparative analysis of Comparative Examples 25 to 27 and Example 2, it can be seen that the drying environment after cigar fermentation was studied. Cigars are used in a state with a low moisture content. Before being used, cigar raw materials are generally dried to a low moisture content range. From the comparative analysis of Comparative Examples 25 to 27 and Example 2, it can be seen that the drying temperature of the present invention is preferably 16 to 20°C. If it is too high, the essence will be lost along with the water during the drying process, resulting in a decrease in the sensory quality of cigar smoking. If it is too low, the drying time will be too long, which is not suitable for industrial application. The relative humidity of the drying environment of the present invention is preferably 65 to 70%, which can prevent the partial loss of the regenerated aroma and effectively avoid the loss of oil in the tobacco leaves due to excessive drying of the water. This is ultimately reflected in the greatly improved sensory quality evaluation score of Example 2 compared to Comparative Examples 25 to 27. Therefore, it can be seen that the tobacco leaves fermented by the method of the present invention need to be dried in an environment with a lower temperature and a relatively high humidity to further improve the quality of cigar tobacco leaves.

[0155] 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.

[0156] 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 flavor for improving the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco, characterized by: The essence comprises the following components in parts by weight: 0.5-1.5 parts of vanilla molecular distillate, 1-3 parts of fig absolute, 0.1-0.5 parts of linalool, 0.05-0.1 parts of benzaldehyde, 0.1-0.5 parts of furfural, and 0.2-1 parts of furanone; The low-quality cigar tobacco leaves are cigar tobacco leaves that are not mature enough; The addition of the essence to low-quality cigar tobacco leaves after fermentation can make the woody, floral, fruity and milky aromas stand out; The preparation method of the vanilla molecular distillate is as follows: weigh 100 grams of vanilla raw material, add it into 50 times the mass of alcohol solution, soak it, then heat and reflux and extract it for 6 hours, cool it and filter it, and concentrate the clear liquid to 1.2 g / cm 3 Obtaining a vanilla ethanol extract; subjecting the vanilla ethanol extract to molecular distillation separation to obtain a molecular distillation light component, namely, a vanilla molecular distillate; The concentration of the alcohol solution is 70%; the molecular distillation process parameters are: scraper speed 300 r / min, distillation pressure 300 Pa, distillation temperature 60°C, and feed rate 1.5 mL / min.

2. The essence for improving the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco according to claim 1, characterized in that: The essence comprises the following components in parts by weight: 0.5-1.5 parts of vanilla molecular distillate, 1-3 parts of fig absolute oil, 0.1-0.5 parts of linalool, 0.05-0.1 parts of benzaldehyde, 0.1-0.5 parts of furanone, 0.2-1 parts of furanone, 0.5-1 parts of cinnamyl cinnamate, 0.05-0.2 parts of methyl cinnamate, 0.05-0.2 parts of cinnamyl alcohol, 0.5-2 parts of lactic acid, 0.1-0.5 parts of citric acid, 0.5-1 parts of Turkish oriental tobacco extract, 0.1-0.5 parts of anise alcohol, 0.1-0.3 parts of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, 1-3 parts of vanillin, 0.1-0.5 parts of eugenol, 0.1-0.5 parts of ethyl levulinate, 0.2-2 parts of benzyl alcohol, 0.05-0.2 parts of butyl-decanoic acid, and 30-50 parts of propylene glycol.

3. The essence for improving the quality of low-quality cigar tobacco according to claim 2, characterized in that: The essence comprises the following components in parts by weight: 1.0 part of vanilla molecular distillate, 2.1 parts of fig absolute oil, 0.3 part of linalool, 0.07 part of benzaldehyde, 0.4 part of furanone, 0.7 part of furanone, 0.8 part of cinnamic cinnamate, 0.1 part of methyl cinnamate, 0.2 part of cinnamyl alcohol, 1.2 parts of lactic acid, 0.1 part of citric acid, 0.6 part of Turkish aromatic tobacco extract, 0.5 part of anise alcohol, 0.1 part of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, 2 parts of vanillin, 0.1 part of eugenol, 0.2 part of ethyl levulinate, 1.2 parts of benzyl alcohol, 0.1 part of butyl-decanoic acid, 40 parts of propylene glycol.

4. Use of the essence according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in the fermentation of low-quality cigar tobacco raw materials.

5. The use according to claim 4, characterized in that: The fermentation method comprises the following steps: adding a macromolecular substance degrading enzyme to tobacco leaves for enzymatic hydrolysis for 4 to 12 hours, adding the essence to the tobacco leaves, sealing the tobacco leaves, and then placing the tobacco leaves in an environment with a temperature of 30.0 to 35.0° C. and a relative humidity of 70 to 75% for fermentation.

6. The use according to claim 5, characterized in that: The amount of flavor added is 0.3~0.5% of the tobacco leaf mass.

7. The use according to claim 5, characterized in that: The fermentation time is 5 to 7 days.

8. The use according to claim 5, characterized in that: During the fermentation process, the moisture content of tobacco leaves is 28~32%.

9. The use according to claim 5, characterized in that: After fermentation is completed, the tobacco leaves are dried in an environment with a temperature of 16~20℃ and a relative humidity of 65~70%.