Tobacco raw material treatment method

Abstract

The invention provides a tobacco raw material processing method, the method comprises first section processing and / or second section processing on tobacco raw materials, and the first section processing comprises the following steps: (1-1) at least one time of leaf moistening and redrying on the tobacco raw materials; (1-2) placing the tobacco raw materials subjected to leaf moistening and redrying in a balance environment, and carrying out balance treatment; the second working section treatment comprises the following steps: (2-1) adding a mixed material liquid into the tobacco raw material which is not treated by the first working section or the tobacco raw material treated by the first working section, wherein the mixed material liquid comprises a lining, amino acid and water; (2-2) storing the tobacco raw material added with the mixed material liquid; (2-3) baking the tobacco raw material treated in the step (2-2); and (2-4) placing the baked tobacco raw materials in an equilibrium environment, and carrying out equilibrium treatment. The treated tobacco raw materials are obvious in tobacco aroma characteristic style in the heating process, offensive odor, irritation and strength are reduced, and comfort is obviously improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of tobacco technology, and in particular, to a method for processing tobacco raw materials. Background Art

[0002] Heat-not-burn cigarettes are a smoking method that heats tobacco substances through electronic devices instead of burning them. When smoking with electronic heating devices, consumers can not only feel the aroma of tobacco, but also heat the tobacco core at a lower temperature, which can significantly reduce the release of tar and undesirable substances in mainstream smoke. This smoking method is becoming more and more popular at home and abroad, and heat-not-burn cigarettes have become the mainstream direction of development in the tobacco industry.

[0003] However, since heat-not-burn cigarettes have the characteristics of "heating tobacco or tobacco extracts instead of burning tobacco", the sensory quality of heat-not-burn cigarettes when smoking is quite different from that of traditional cigarettes. For example, the aroma style characteristics of heat-not-burn cigarettes are not prominent, the stimulation of miscellaneous gases is enhanced, and the comfort is poor. Therefore, the current processing methods of tobacco raw materials still need to be improved. Summary of the invention

[0004] This application is based on the inventor's discovery and understanding of the following facts and problems:

[0005] In the related art, pretreatment of tobacco raw materials for heat-not-burn cigarettes can reduce the sour taste of smoke, reduce the stimulation of impurities, and improve comfort to a certain extent, but there is still no relevant report on the pretreatment method for highlighting the aroma style characteristics of tobacco raw materials for heat-not-burn cigarettes. This application proposes a tobacco raw material processing method that can enhance the aroma style characteristics of tobacco for heat-not-burn cigarettes, which mainly changes the relative release content of acidic, neutral and alkaline flavor components in the raw materials, balances the smoke components under heating, and has great practical significance for improving the aroma reduction degree of tobacco for heat-not-burn cigarettes and improving its sensory quality during smoking.

[0006] In view of this, in order to at least alleviate or solve at least one of the above-mentioned problems to a certain extent, in one aspect of the present application, a method for processing tobacco raw materials is proposed. In some embodiments of the present application, the method for processing tobacco raw materials includes performing a first stage processing and / or a second stage processing on the tobacco raw materials, wherein the first stage processing includes the following steps: (1-1) moistening and redrying the tobacco raw materials at least once, wherein the moistening and redrying includes: steam conditioning the tobacco raw materials; drying the tobacco raw materials after the steam conditioning treatment; (1-2) placing the tobacco raw materials after the moistening and redrying in a balanced environment for balanced treatment; the second stage processing includes the following steps: (2-1) adding a mixed liquid to the tobacco raw materials that have not been treated in the first stage or the tobacco raw materials that have been treated in the first stage, wherein the mixed liquid includes a lining, amino acids and water, wherein the lining includes one or more of sugar, cocoa powder, cocoa extract, licorice powder, licorice extract, citric acid, acetic acid, and burley tobacco lysate; (2-2) storing the tobacco raw materials added with the mixed liquid; (2-3) baking the tobacco raw materials treated in step (2-2); (2-4) placing the baked tobacco raw materials in a balanced environment for balanced treatment. The tobacco aroma characteristics of the processed tobacco raw materials are obvious during the heating process, the odor, irritation and strength are reduced, and the comfort is significantly improved.

[0007] In some embodiments of the present application, the method for processing tobacco raw materials includes performing a first stage processing and a second stage processing on the tobacco raw materials, thereby being more conducive to improving the expression effect of the characteristic aroma of tobacco.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present application, the first stage of processing includes the steps of moistening and redrying the tobacco raw material twice.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present application, in step (2-1), a mixed liquid is added to the tobacco raw material that has not been treated in the first stage, in which the mass of the lining is 3%-10% of the initial mass of the tobacco raw material, the mass of the amino acid is 1%-3% of the initial mass of the tobacco raw material, and the mass of the water is 30%-40% of the initial mass of the tobacco raw material; or, a mixed liquid is added to the tobacco raw material treated in the first stage, in which the mass of the lining is 3%-10% of the mass of the tobacco raw material treated in the first stage, the mass of the amino acid is 1%-3% of the mass of the tobacco raw material treated in the first stage, and the mass of the water is 30%-40% of the mass of the tobacco raw material treated in the first stage. The sugars in the lining can react with the amino acids during the high-temperature baking process to enhance the aroma style characteristics of the tobacco, and other substances in the lining can improve the smoking taste and reduce the irritation during the smoking process.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present application, in step (1-1), the moisture content of the tobacco raw material after the steam rehumidification treatment is 20%-24%. Thus, the ammonia nitrogen impurities can be reduced to a certain extent, and part of the free nicotine can be evaporated, thereby reducing the irritation and alkaline smell during the tobacco smoking process.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present application, the method for processing tobacco raw materials satisfies at least one of the following conditions: in step (1-1), the temperature of drying the tobacco raw materials after steam rehumidification treatment is 50°C-90°C; in step (1-1), the moisture content of the tobacco raw materials after drying treatment is 10%-12%. Drying the tobacco raw materials at the above temperature can quickly remove part of the moisture, volatile alkaline miscellaneous gas components and part of the free alkali in the raw materials, which is beneficial to reduce the ammonia nitrogen miscellaneous gas, strength and irritation of tobacco, balance the aroma components in tobacco, and enhance the expression effect of tobacco characteristic aroma. Drying the tobacco until the moisture content in the tobacco is within the above range can effectively remove the volatile alkaline miscellaneous gas and free alkali in the tobacco raw materials; the tobacco raw materials have a suitable moisture content after drying treatment, which is beneficial to the subsequent processing.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present application, the method for processing tobacco raw materials satisfies at least one of the following conditions: in step (1-2), the time of equilibrium treatment is 24h-48h, and / or, the temperature of equilibrium treatment is 22℃-25℃, and / or, the relative humidity of equilibrium treatment is 60%-65%; in step (2-4), the time of equilibrium treatment is 24h-48h, and / or, the temperature of equilibrium treatment is 22℃-25℃, and / or, the relative humidity of equilibrium treatment is 60%-65%. Carrying out equilibrium treatment under the above conditions is conducive to improving the stability of tobacco raw materials.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present application, the tobacco raw material processing method meets at least one of the following conditions: the tobacco raw material includes burley tobacco raw material; the amino acid includes one or more of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, lysine and histidine; the sugar material includes one or more of glucose, fructose, sucrose, white sugar and invert sugar; the tobacco raw material includes at least one of tobacco flakes and tobacco shreds. Adding the above amino acids can enhance the tobacco aroma style characteristics to a certain extent; both tobacco flakes and tobacco shreds can be processed by the method proposed in the present application, and the expression effect of tobacco aroma characteristics can be improved.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present application, the tobacco raw material processing method meets at least one of the following conditions: in step (2-2), the tobacco raw material added with the mixed liquid is stored at a temperature of 40°C-60°C for 4h-8h; the moisture content of the tobacco raw material after the treatment in step (2-2) is 30%-40%. Thus, the tobacco raw material can fully absorb the mixed liquid, which is conducive to further improving the expression effect of the tobacco aroma characteristics.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present application, the tobacco raw material processing method meets at least one of the following conditions: in step (2-3), the baking temperature is 90°C-150°C; in step (2-3), the moisture content of the tobacco raw material after baking is 8%-10%. Within the above temperature range, sugars and amino acids can undergo Maillard reaction, thereby enhancing the tobacco aroma style characteristics; the moisture content of the tobacco raw material after baking is appropriate, which is conducive to the subsequent balance treatment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present application will become apparent and easily understood from the description of the embodiments in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0017] Figure 1 A flow chart of a method for processing tobacco raw materials according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0018] Figure 2 A flow chart of a method for processing tobacco raw materials according to another embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0019] Figure 3 A flow chart of a method for processing tobacco raw materials according to yet another embodiment of the present application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below. The embodiments described below are exemplary and are only used to explain the present application, and should not be understood as limiting the present application.

[0021] In one aspect of the present application, the present application provides a method for processing tobacco raw materials. In some embodiments of the present application, reference is made to Figures 1 to 3 The method for processing tobacco raw materials may include performing a first stage processing and / or a second stage processing on the tobacco raw materials.

[0022] In some embodiments of the present application, reference Figure 1 and Figure 3 The first stage of processing may include the following steps:

[0023] (1-1) The tobacco raw material is moistened and redried at least once.

[0024] In some embodiments of the present application, the tobacco raw material may be subjected to one, two, three or more moistening and redrying.

[0025] In some embodiments of the present application, the leaf moistening and redrying may include the following steps:

[0026] (1-1-1) The tobacco raw materials are subjected to a steam rehumidification treatment.

[0027] In some embodiments of the present application, the tobacco raw material is subjected to steam rehumidification treatment to make the moisture content of the tobacco raw material 20%-24%. After the rehumidification treatment, the moisture content of the tobacco raw material is increased, and the flexibility is improved, which is conducive to the subsequent operation; during the steam rehumidification treatment process, some volatile impurity components and free nicotine can be evaporated, which is conducive to reducing the irritation and ammonia nitrogen impurities during the smoking process, and improving the expression effect of the characteristic aroma of tobacco.

[0028] (1-1-2) Drying the tobacco raw material after the steam rehumidification treatment.

[0029] In some embodiments of the present application, the tobacco raw material can be dried to a moisture content of 10%-12%. Thus, the drying process can further evaporate the volatile impurity components and free nicotine in the tobacco, which is beneficial to further reduce the irritation and impurity during the smoking process, thereby further improving the expression effect of the characteristic aroma of the tobacco.

[0030] In some embodiments of the present application, the tobacco raw material may include burley tobacco raw material. In some specific embodiments of the present application, the tobacco raw material may be burley tobacco raw material. When burley tobacco is heated, the alkaline aroma components in its smoke are much higher than other aroma components. The volatile alkaline impurities (mainly ammonia nitrogen smell) and part of the free nicotine in the tobacco raw material can be taken away by rehumidifying the leaves with water vapor and drying and re-baking, thereby reducing the ammonia nitrogen impurities and the strength and irritation of the burley tobacco, balancing the aroma components in the burley tobacco, and making its aroma style characteristics easier to capture.

[0031] In some embodiments of the present application, in step (1-1), the temperature of drying the tobacco raw material after steam rehumidification treatment can be 50°C-90°C, for example, the temperature of drying treatment can be 50°C, 60°C, 70°C, 80°C, 90°C, etc. Drying the raw material at the above temperature can remove some volatile alkaline impurities and free nicotine in the tobacco raw material, thereby effectively reducing the ammonia nitrogen impurities and the strength and irritation during tobacco smoking, making the tobacco aroma characteristics easier to capture. Specifically, drying the burley tobacco raw material after steam rehumidification treatment at 50°C-90°C can make the burley tobacco aroma characteristics easier to capture, which is conducive to improving the expression effect of the characteristic aroma of burley tobacco.

[0032] In the present application, in step (1-1), the temperature for drying the tobacco raw material after the steam rehumidification treatment can be 70°C-90°C. For example, the temperature for drying can be 70°C, 73°C, 75°C, 78°C, 80°C, 82°C, 85°C, 87°C, 90°C, etc. Drying the tobacco raw material at the above temperature is beneficial to shorten the drying time, and can remove some alkaline impurities and free nicotine, thereby enhancing the aroma style characteristics of the tobacco.

[0033] In some embodiments of the present application, the first stage of treatment may include the step of moistening and re-baking the tobacco raw material twice. Through the two moistening and re-baking, more volatile alkaline impurities and free alkali can be removed, thereby further reducing the ammonia nitrogen impurities and the strength and irritation of the tobacco, making it easier to capture the characteristic aroma of the tobacco.

[0034] In some embodiments of the present application, the tobacco raw material may include at least one of tobacco strips and tobacco shreds, and tobacco strips refer to tobacco raw materials that have been destemmed and redried. The method proposed in the present application can be used to process tobacco strips and / or tobacco shreds to enhance the expression effect of tobacco characteristic aroma. In some embodiments of the present application, the tobacco raw material may be tobacco strips or tobacco shreds. In other embodiments of the present application, the tobacco raw material may be a mixture of tobacco strips and tobacco shreds.

[0035] (1-2) Balancing the tobacco raw materials after leaf moistening and redrying.

[0036] In this step, the tobacco raw material after leaf moistening and redrying is placed in a balanced environment for 24h-48h (for example, 24h, 30h, 36h, 40h, 48h, etc.), wherein the temperature in the balanced environment may be 22°C-25°C, and the relative humidity may be 60%-65%, for example, the temperature may be 22°C, 23°C, 24°C, 25°C, etc., and the relative humidity may be 60%, 61%, 62%, 63%, 64%, 65%, etc. Placing the tobacco raw material at the above temperature and relative humidity for 24h-48h can keep the moisture content in the tobacco uniform and appropriate, so that the quality of the tobacco is relatively stable.

[0037] In some embodiments of the present application, reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 The second stage of processing may include the following steps:

[0038] (2-1) Adding the mixed liquid to the tobacco raw material.

[0039] In this step, the mixed liquid is added to the tobacco raw material that has not been processed in the first stage or the tobacco raw material that has been processed in the first stage.

[0040] In some embodiments of the present application, the mixed liquid may include lining, amino acid and water, wherein the lining may include one or more of sugar, cocoa powder, cocoa extract, licorice powder, licorice extract, citric acid, acetic acid, burley tobacco lysate, etc., and the sugar may include one or more of glucose, fructose, sucrose, white sugar, invert sugar, etc. Adding the mixed liquid may enhance the expression effect of the characteristic aroma of tobacco.

[0041] In some specific embodiments of the present application, adding the above-mentioned mixed liquid to the burley tobacco raw material can enhance the expression effect of the characteristic aroma of the burley tobacco. For example, sugars and amino acids can undergo Maillard reaction in the subsequent high-temperature heating process, thereby enhancing the aroma style characteristics of the burley tobacco; cocoa powder or cocoa extract can enhance the nutty aroma of the burley tobacco; licorice or licorice extract can improve the taste of the burley tobacco and reduce the irritation; citric acid, acetic acid, etc. can neutralize the alkaline aroma of the burley tobacco in the heated state, thereby reducing the excessive alkaline aroma in the burley tobacco in the heated state, making the characteristic aroma of the burley tobacco easier to capture.

[0042] In some embodiments of the present application, the amino acids in the mixed liquid may include one or more of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, lysine and histidine. In some specific embodiments of the present application, the amino acids in the mixed liquid may be aspartic acid, glutamic acid, lysine or histidine; in other specific embodiments, the amino acids in the mixed liquid may also be a mixture of two or more of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, lysine and histidine. The above amino acids can enhance the aroma characteristics of tobacco and improve the sensory quality of tobacco during smoking.

[0043] In some embodiments of the present application, reference Figure 2 In step (2-1), a mixed liquid is added to the tobacco raw material that has not been processed in the first stage. In the mixed liquid, the mass of the lining can be 3%-10% of the initial mass of the tobacco raw material, the mass of the amino acid can be 1%-3% of the initial mass of the tobacco raw material, and the mass of water can be 30%-40% of the initial mass of the tobacco raw material. For example, in the mixed liquid, the mass of the lining can be 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10% and the like of the initial mass of the tobacco raw material, the mass of the amino acid can be 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, 3% and the like of the initial mass of the tobacco raw material, and the mass of the water can be 30%, 32%, 35%, 37%, 40% and the like of the initial mass of the tobacco raw material.

[0044] In other embodiments of the present application, reference Figure 3In step (2-1), a mixed liquid is added to the tobacco raw material after the first stage of treatment, wherein the mass of the lining material in the mixed liquid can be 3%-10% (e.g., 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, etc.) of the mass of the tobacco raw material after the first stage of treatment, the mass of the amino acid can be 1%-3% (e.g., 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, 3%, etc.) of the mass of the tobacco raw material after the first stage of treatment, and the mass of the water can be 30%-40% (e.g., 30%, 32%, 35%, 37%, 40%, etc.) of the mass of the tobacco raw material after the first stage of treatment. Thus, the lining material, amino acid and water in the mixed liquid all have suitable mass, and after the mixed liquid is added to the tobacco raw material, the mixed liquid can be fully absorbed, and in the subsequent baking process, some components in the lining material can undergo Maillard reaction with amino acid, thereby enhancing the aroma style characteristics of tobacco.

[0045] (2-2) The tobacco raw material added to the mixed liquid is stored.

[0046] In some embodiments of the present application, after the mixed liquid is added, the burley tobacco raw material can be stored in an environment with a temperature of 40°C-60°C for 4h-8h. For example, the burley tobacco raw material can be stored in an environment of 40°C, 45°C, 50°C, 55°C or 60°C for 4h, 5h, 6h, 7h or 8h. This can promote the absorption of the mixed liquid by tobacco, thereby improving the utilization rate of the mixed liquid.

[0047] In some embodiments of the present application, in step (2-2), the tobacco raw material added with the mixed liquid is stored in an environment with a temperature of 50°C-60°C for 6h-8h. For example, the tobacco raw material can be placed in an environment of 50°C, 52°C, 55°C, 57°C or 60°C and stored for 6h, 6.5h, 7h, 7.5h or 8h. This allows the tobacco to more fully absorb the mixed liquid, thereby further improving the utilization rate of the mixed liquid, which is beneficial to further enhance the aroma style characteristics of the tobacco.

[0048] In some embodiments of the present application, the moisture content of the tobacco raw material after treatment in step (2-2) can be 30%-40%, for example, the moisture content can be 30%, 32%, 35%, 37%, 40%, etc. During the baking process, the tobacco raw material will lose some moisture. The moisture content in the tobacco raw material before the baking process is within the above range, which can promote the Maillard reaction during the baking process. Moreover, after the baking process, the tobacco raw material still has a certain content of moisture.

[0049] (2-3) Perform baking treatment.

[0050] The tobacco raw material treated in step (2-2) is baked, wherein the baking temperature can be 90°C-150°C, for example, the baking temperature can be 90°C, 100°C, 110°C, 120°C, 130°C, 140°C, 150°C, etc. In some embodiments of the present application, the moisture content of the tobacco raw material after baking can be 8%-10%. High-temperature baking can cause sugars and amino acids to produce Maillard reaction, increase tobacco characteristic aroma substances, thereby enhancing the expression effect of tobacco aroma style characteristics, and improve the reduction degree of tobacco to its traditional tobacco aroma under heating. For burley tobacco raw materials, after adding the mixed liquid and storing the mixture, baking treatment is carried out at a temperature of 90°C-150°C, sugars and amino acids produce Maillard reaction, which can increase burley tobacco characteristic aroma substances, thereby enhancing the expression effect of burley tobacco aroma characteristic style.

[0051] In some embodiments of the present application, in step (2-3), the baking temperature can be 110°C-130°C, for example, the baking temperature can be 110°C, 115°C, 120°C, 125°C, 130°C, etc. The above temperature range is more conducive to the Maillard reaction between sugars and amino acids, further increasing the content of tobacco characteristic aroma substances, thereby helping to enhance the expression effect of tobacco aroma style characteristics.

[0052] (2-4) The baked tobacco raw material is subjected to balancing treatment.

[0053] The cured tobacco raw material is placed in a balanced environment for 24h-48h (for example, 24h, 30h, 36h, 40h, 48h, etc.), in which the temperature can be 22°C-25°C and the relative humidity can be 60%-65%, for example, the temperature can be 22°C, 23°C, 24°C, 25°C, etc., and the relative humidity can be 60%, 61%, 62%, 63%, 64%, 65%, etc. Placing the tobacco raw material at the above temperature and relative humidity for 24h-48h can keep the moisture in the tobacco uniform and the moisture content appropriate, so that the quality of the tobacco is relatively stable.

[0054] In some specific embodiments of the present application, reference is made to Figure 1 , the tobacco raw materials can be processed only in the first stage to enhance the aroma style characteristics of the tobacco during the smoking process.

[0055] In other specific embodiments of the present application, refer to Figure 2 , only the tobacco raw materials can be processed in the second stage.

[0056] In some other specific embodiments of the present application, refer to Figure 3 , the tobacco raw materials can be processed in the first stage and the second stage, so as to further highlight the aroma style characteristics of the tobacco during the smoking process.

[0057] The present application will be described below by specific examples, and it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the following specific examples are only for illustrative purposes, and do not limit the scope of the present application in any way. In addition, in the following examples, unless otherwise specified, the materials and equipment used are all commercially available. If in the following examples, specific processing conditions and processing methods are not clearly described, then conditions and methods known in the art can be used to process.

[0058] Example 1

[0059] Only the first stage of processing is performed on the burley tobacco raw material. Specifically, the burley tobacco raw material is subjected to a leaf moistening and redrying process, which includes the following steps in sequence:

[0060] 1) subjecting the burley tobacco raw material to water vapor conditioning, wherein the moisture content of the burley tobacco raw material after conditioning is 22%-24%;

[0061] 2) drying the raw material after moisture regain at a temperature of 90° C., and the moisture content of the burley tobacco raw material after drying is 10%-12%;

[0062] 3) The dried raw material is placed in a balanced environment for 24 hours (equilibrium conditions: temperature is 22° C., relative humidity is 60%) to obtain a pretreated tobacco raw material.

[0063] Example 2

[0064] Only the first stage of processing is performed on the burley tobacco raw material. Specifically, the burley tobacco raw material is moistened and redried twice, which includes the following steps in sequence:

[0065] 1) subjecting the burley tobacco raw material to water vapor conditioning, wherein the moisture content of the burley tobacco raw material after conditioning is 22%-24%;

[0066] 2) drying the raw material after moisture regain at a temperature of 90° C., and the moisture content of the burley tobacco raw material after drying is 10%-12%;

[0067] 3) subjecting the dried burley tobacco raw material in step 2) to water vapor conditioning, wherein the moisture content of the burley tobacco raw material after conditioning is 20%-22%;

[0068] 4) drying the raw material after the moisture regain in step 3) at a temperature of 70° C., and the moisture content of the burley tobacco raw material after drying is 10%-12%;

[0069] 5) The raw material dried in step 4) is placed in a balanced environment for 24 hours (equilibrium conditions: temperature is 22° C., relative humidity is 60%) to obtain a pretreated tobacco raw material.

[0070] Example 3

[0071] Only the burley tobacco raw material is subjected to the second stage treatment, which includes the following steps in sequence:

[0072] 1) preparing a mixed liquid, the mixed liquid comprising lining, amino acid and water, wherein the mass of the lining (including fructose syrup, cocoa extract, citric acid, licorice extract, etc.) is 3% of the initial mass of the burley tobacco raw material, the mass of the amino acid (lysine) is 1.5% of the initial mass of the burley tobacco raw material, and the mass of the water is 40% of the initial mass of the burley tobacco raw material;

[0073] 2) Spray the prepared mixed liquid evenly on the burley tobacco raw materials and store the leaves at 55°C for 6 hours;

[0074] 3) high-temperature baking of the burley tobacco raw material after leaf storage in step 2), the baking conditions being: baking at 130° C. for 2 min, baking at 120° C. for 2 min, and baking at 110° C. for 2 min, and the moisture content of the raw material after baking being 8%-10%;

[0075] 4) The baked raw material is placed in a balanced environment for 48 hours (equilibrium conditions: temperature is 22° C., relative humidity is 60%) to obtain a pretreated tobacco raw material.

[0076] Example 4

[0077] The burley tobacco raw material is subjected to a first stage treatment (including two times of leaf moistening and redrying) and a second stage treatment, which sequentially includes the following steps:

[0078] 1) subjecting the burley tobacco raw material to water vapor conditioning, wherein the moisture content of the burley tobacco raw material after conditioning is 22%-24%;

[0079] 2) drying the raw material after moisture regain at a temperature of 90° C., and the moisture content of the burley tobacco raw material after drying is 10%-12%;

[0080] 3) subjecting the dried burley tobacco raw material in step 2) to water vapor conditioning, wherein the moisture content of the burley tobacco raw material after conditioning is 20%-22%;

[0081] 4) drying the raw material after the moisture regain in step 3) at a temperature of 70° C., and the moisture content of the burley tobacco raw material after drying is 10%-12%;

[0082] 5) placing the raw material dried in step 4) in a balanced environment for 24 hours (equilibrium conditions: temperature of 22° C., relative humidity of 60%);

[0083] 6) preparing a mixed liquid according to the mass of the burley tobacco raw material after balancing in step 5), the mixed liquid comprising lining, amino acid and water, wherein the mass of the lining (including fructose syrup, cocoa extract, citric acid, licorice extract, etc.) in the mixed liquid is 3% of the mass of the burley tobacco raw material after balancing in step 5), the mass of the amino acid (lysine) is 1.5% of the mass of the burley tobacco raw material after balancing in step 5), and the mass of water is 40% of the mass of the burley tobacco raw material after balancing in step 5);

[0084] 7) Spray the prepared mixed liquid evenly on the burley tobacco raw materials and store the leaves at 55°C for 6 hours;

[0085] 8) high-temperature baking of the burley tobacco raw material after leaf storage in step 7), the baking conditions being: baking at 130° C. for 2 min, baking at 120° C. for 2 min, and baking at 110° C. for 2 min, the moisture content of the burley tobacco raw material after baking being 8%-10%;

[0086] 9) The baked raw material is placed in a balanced environment for 48 hours (equilibrium conditions: temperature is 22° C., relative humidity is 60%) to obtain a pretreated tobacco raw material.

[0087] Example 5

[0088] The difference from Example 4 is that in Example 5, the fructose syrup in Example 4 is replaced by invert sugar, and the 1.5% lysine in Example 4 is replaced by 1% aspartic acid + 0.5% glutamic acid, and the remaining steps and parameters are the same as those in Example 4.

[0089] Application effect evaluation:

[0090] After adding smoke generating agents (such as propylene glycol, glycerol, etc.) to the pretreated tobacco raw materials prepared by the methods of Examples 1-5 and untreated burley tobacco raw materials (control samples) in the same proportion, sensory quality evaluation was performed using a heat-not-burn device. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1 below:

[0091] Table 1 Sensory quality evaluation results of pretreated tobacco raw materials and untreated burley tobacco raw materials in various examples

[0092]

[0093] In Table 1, the sensory evaluation is compared:

[0094] High smoke concentration > relatively high smoke concentration > slightly higher smoke concentration > low smoke concentration;

[0095] Moderate strength > moderate strength > slightly stronger strength > stronger strength > strong strength;

[0096] Good clumping ability > Good clumping ability > Fair clumping ability > Poor clumping ability;

[0097] Fine smoke > Relatively fine smoke > Slightly fine smoke > Rough smoke;

[0098] Good aroma > Good aroma > Slightly better aroma > Poor aroma;

[0099] The aroma is sufficient > the aroma is relatively sufficient > the aroma is acceptable > the aroma is bland;

[0100] Light impurities > Light impurities > Slightly light impurities > Heavy impurities;

[0101] The aroma characteristics of burley tobacco are good and significantly improved > The aroma characteristics of burley tobacco are good and significantly improved > The aroma characteristics of burley tobacco are good and significantly improved > The aroma characteristics of burley tobacco are slightly better and improved > The aroma characteristics of burley tobacco are fair and slightly improved > The aroma characteristics of burley tobacco are weak;

[0102] No stimulation > Little stimulation > Slight stimulation > Slight stimulation > High stimulation;

[0103] Clean aftertaste in mouth > Clean aftertaste in mouth > Fair aftertaste in mouth > Slightly worse aftertaste in mouth > Strong alkaline taste in mouth, worse aftertaste;

[0104] Good comfort > Good comfort > Fair comfort > Slightly poor comfort > Poor comfort.

[0105] As can be seen from Table 1, compared with the untreated burley tobacco raw material, the sensory quality of the burley tobacco raw materials treated in Examples 1-5 during the smoking process is improved to a certain extent. Among them, compared with Examples 1-2 that only performed the first stage treatment and Example 3 that only performed the second stage treatment, Examples 4 and 5 both performed the first stage treatment and the second stage treatment on the burley tobacco raw material, and the sensory quality improvement effect was more significant. The reason why the aroma characteristics and taste characteristics in Examples 4 and 5 are slightly different is mainly due to the different types of amino acids used. The lysine in Example 4 can increase the aroma characteristics of burley tobacco, which is sweet and non-irritating, while the aspartic acid and glutamic acid in Example 5 have a stronger effect on increasing the aroma characteristics of burley tobacco, but have a salty taste and a certain irritation.

[0106] After the burley tobacco raw materials have been treated with moistening and re-roasting or high-temperature baking with added materials, in the state of heating and non-combustion, the sensory evaluation shows that the impurities, irritation and strength are reduced, the comfort is significantly improved, the smoke clarity is improved, and the expression of the characteristic aroma of burley tobacco is enhanced. After the burley tobacco raw materials have been treated with moistening and re-roasting and high-temperature baking with added materials, in the state of heating and non-combustion, the sensory evaluation shows that the comfort is good, the aroma concentration is high, the strength is moderate, the cocoa and nut aromas are prominent, and the characteristic style of burley tobacco aroma is obvious.

[0107] In general, the method proposed in this application for treating tobacco raw materials has the following beneficial effects: by rehumidifying the leaves with water vapor and drying and re-baking, the volatile alkaline impurities (mainly ammonia nitrogen smell) and part of the free nicotine in the tobacco raw materials can be taken away, reducing the ammonia nitrogen impurities, strength and irritation of tobacco, balancing the composition of aroma components in tobacco, and making its aroma style characteristics easier to capture. Adding lining and amino acids to the tobacco raw materials for storage, and then producing the Maillard reaction through high-temperature baking, the content of characteristic aroma substances in tobacco is increased, the expression effect of tobacco aroma style characteristics is enhanced, and the degree of reduction of tobacco to its traditional tobacco fragrance under heating is improved. The process section required for this process flow is relatively simple, the process equipment is mature, and it is suitable for large-scale production and application, which has practical significance for the production and development of heat-not-burn cigarette products.

[0108] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "another embodiment", "yet another embodiment", "some embodiments", "other embodiments", etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment are included in at least one embodiment of the present application. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.

[0109] Although the embodiments of the present application have been shown and described above, it can be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and cannot be understood as limitations on the present application. Ordinary technicians in this field can change, modify, replace and modify the above embodiments within the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A method for processing tobacco raw materials, characterized in that: The method comprises performing a first stage processing and / or a second stage processing on the tobacco raw material, The first stage of processing includes the following steps: (1-1) moistening and redrying the tobacco raw material at least once, wherein the moistening and redrying comprises: Perform steam rehumidification treatment on tobacco raw materials; Drying the tobacco raw material after steam rehumidification treatment; (1-2) placing the tobacco raw materials after leaf moistening and redrying in a balanced environment for balanced treatment; The second stage of processing includes the following steps: (2-1) adding a mixed liquid to tobacco raw materials that have not been treated in the first stage or tobacco raw materials that have been treated in the first stage, wherein the mixed liquid comprises a base material, an amino acid and water, wherein the base material comprises one or more of sugar, cocoa powder, cocoa extract, licorice powder, licorice extract, citric acid, acetic acid and burley tobacco pyrolysate; (2-2) storing the tobacco raw material added to the mixed liquid; (2-3) baking the tobacco raw material treated in step (2-2); (2-4) The baked tobacco raw material is placed in a balanced environment for equilibrium treatment.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The method comprises performing a first stage processing and a second stage processing on the tobacco raw material.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first stage of processing includes the steps of moistening and re-baking the tobacco raw material twice.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that In step (2-1), a mixed liquid is added to the tobacco raw material that has not been processed in the first stage, wherein the mass of the lining material in the mixed liquid is 3%-10% of the initial mass of the tobacco raw material, the mass of the amino acid is 1%-3% of the initial mass of the tobacco raw material, and the mass of water is 30%-40% of the initial mass of the tobacco raw material; Alternatively, a mixed liquid is added to the tobacco raw material after the first stage of treatment, in which the mass of the lining material is 3%-10% of the mass of the tobacco raw material after the first stage of treatment, the mass of the amino acid is 1%-3% of the mass of the tobacco raw material after the first stage of treatment, and the mass of water is 30%-40% of the mass of the tobacco raw material after the first stage of treatment.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that In step (1-1), the moisture content of the tobacco raw material after the steam rehumidification treatment is 20%-24%.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that At least one of the following conditions is met: In step (1-1), the temperature of drying the tobacco raw material after steam rehumidification treatment is 50° C.-90° C.; In step (1-1), the moisture content of the tobacco raw material after drying is 10%-12%.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that At least one of the following conditions is met: In step (1-2), the equilibration time is 24h-48h, and / or the equilibration temperature is 22°C-25°C, and / or the equilibration relative humidity is 60%-65%; In step (2-4), the equilibration treatment time is 24h-48h, and / or the equilibration treatment temperature is 22°C-25°C, and / or the equilibration treatment relative humidity is 60%-65%.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that At least one of the following conditions is met: The tobacco raw material comprises burley tobacco raw material; The amino acids include one or more of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, lysine and histidine; The sugar material includes one or more of glucose, fructose, sucrose, white sugar, and invert sugar; The tobacco raw material includes at least one of tobacco flakes and tobacco shreds.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: At least one of the following conditions is met: In step (2-2), the tobacco raw material added with the mixed liquid is stored in an environment with a temperature of 40° C. to 60° C. for 4 h to 8 h; The moisture content of the tobacco raw material after being treated in step (2-2) is 30%-40%.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that At least one of the following conditions is met: In step (2-3), the baking temperature is 90°C-150°C; In step (2-3), the moisture content of the tobacco raw material after baking is 8%-10%.

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