Heating cigarette containing cigarette aroma-increasing dry beads with aroma slow-release function and preparation method of heating cigarette

Abstract

The invention discloses a heating cigarette containing cigarette aroma enhancement dry beads with an aroma slow-release function and a preparation method of the heating cigarette. The heating cigarette comprises a filter tip section, a cooling section, a supporting section and a cigarette core section. The cigarette aroma enhancement dry bead with the function of slowly releasing aroma is positioned on the filter tip section; the cigarette aroma enhancement dry bead with the aroma slow-release function comprises a dry bead inner core and a slow-release film layer wrapping the outer surface of the dry bead inner core. The dry bead core comprises a porous carrier and an aroma enhancing substance adsorbed in the porous carrier, and the mass ratio of the porous carrier to the aroma enhancing substance is 1: (0.2-1.5); the porous carrier is a plant material, and the particle size of the dry bead core is 2-4mm; the sustained-release film layer is of a net structure, and the thickness of the sustained-release film layer is 10-100 nm. The reticular slow-release film layer is formed on the surface of the dry bead, so that the release rate of aroma-enhancing substances in the dry bead is effectively delayed, the aroma retention time of the cigarette aroma-enhancing dry bead is prolonged, meanwhile, the mechanical strength and the stability of the dry bead are improved, and the method is suitable for large-scale industrial production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of cigarette additives technology, specifically to a heated cigarette containing cigarette flavoring beads with a slow-release aroma function and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] In the current cigarette industry, as consumers' demands for cigarette quality and taste continue to rise, flavoring technology has become one of the key factors in enhancing the competitiveness of cigarette products. To meet the increasingly diverse taste preferences of consumers, tobacco companies have invested heavily in the research and innovation of flavoring technologies. Cigarette flavoring beads (also known as solid flavoring beads), as a new type of cigarette flavoring carrier, are gradually being widely used in the cigarette industry due to their advantages such as stable flavoring capacity and ease of use.

[0003] Currently, most commercially available cigarette flavoring beads are made by directly granulating flavorings after adsorbing them onto a single carrier (such as β-cyclodextrin or gum arabic). While this achieves basic flavor enhancement, it has significant technical drawbacks: First, the aroma release rate is rapid: due to the lack of a protective structure on the surface of the beads, the flavorings are easily affected by ambient temperature and humidity, causing rapid evaporation during storage and use. This results in a short aroma retention time; typically, the aroma intensity decreases by more than 50% after 1-2 months of storage, failing to meet the requirements for long-term cigarette storage. Second, the mechanical strength is poor: the existing beads have a loose structure, making them prone to breakage during subsequent screening, packaging, and mixing with tobacco, producing powdery impurities that affect the appearance quality and smoking experience of the cigarettes. Third, the stability is insufficient: some flavorings (such as menthol) have poor compatibility with the carrier, easily leading to stratification and precipitation, resulting in decreased aroma uniformity of the beads and consequently affecting the consistency of the cigarette aroma. To address these issues, researchers in related fields have made attempts. For example, patent CN112315678A discloses a composite carrier cigarette flavoring bead that uses a combination of β-cyclodextrin and maltodextrin as a carrier. Although it increases the flavor loading to a certain extent, it does not involve the design of a sustained-release aroma structure, and the problem of rapid aroma release remains unsolved.

[0004] Therefore, developing a cigarette flavoring dry bead that can effectively achieve slow aroma release while also possessing high mechanical strength and stability, and its preparation method, has become an urgent technical need to be addressed in the current field of cigarette additives.

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

[0006] In view of the technical defects of existing cigarette flavoring dry beads, such as rapid aroma release, poor mechanical strength, and insufficient stability, the purpose of this invention is to provide a cigarette flavoring dry bead with a slow-release aroma function and its preparation method. By constructing a slow-release film layer with a mesh structure on the surface of the dry bead, the flavor is slowly released, the aroma retention time is extended, and the mechanical strength and stability of the dry bead are improved.

[0007] This invention relates to cigarette flavoring dry beads comprising a dry bead core and a slow-release membrane coating the outer surface of the dry bead core. The dry bead core comprises a porous carrier and flavoring substances adsorbed within the porous carrier, with a mass ratio of porous carrier to flavoring substances of 1:0.2-1.5. The porous carrier is a plant material, and the particle size of the dry bead core is 2-4 mm. The slow-release membrane has a mesh structure and a thickness of 10-100 nm. The preparation method includes five steps: preparation of porous carrier powder, preparation of the dry bead core, adsorption of flavoring substances, preparation of slow-release membrane solution, and coating with the slow-release membrane. This invention effectively slows down the release rate of flavoring substances within the dry bead by forming a mesh-like slow-release membrane on the surface of the dry bead, prolonging the aroma retention time of the cigarette flavoring dry beads, while simultaneously improving the mechanical strength and stability of the dry beads, making it suitable for large-scale industrial production.

[0008] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0009] The first aspect of the present invention provides a heated cigarette comprising cigarette flavoring beads with a slow-release aroma function, the heated cigarette comprising a filter section, a cooling section, a support section, and a core section;

[0010] The cigarette flavoring beads with slow-release aroma function are located in the filter section;

[0011] The cigarette flavoring dry beads with slow-release aroma function include a core of dry beads and a slow-release film layer covering the outer surface of the core of dry beads;

[0012] The core of the dry beads includes a porous carrier and flavoring substances adsorbed within the porous carrier, with the ratio of porous carrier to flavoring substances being 1:0.2-1.5 by mass.

[0013] The porous carrier comprises plant material and activated carbon powder, and the particle size of the dry bead core is 2-4 mm;

[0014] The sustained-release membrane has a mesh structure and a thickness of 10-100 nm.

[0015] Preferably, the particle size of the flavoring beads is 0.8-2mm.

[0016] Preferably, the flavoring substances include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following cigarette flavorings: menthol, blueberry flavoring, and orange flavoring;

[0017] The natural plant materials include one or more of the following: kudzu root, strawberry, blueberry, pineapple, lemon, orange, mango, orange peel, lemongrass, thyme, moringa, vanilla, peppermint, orange blossom, eucalyptus leaves, lemongrass, tree moss, rose, lily, osmanthus, lavender, coffee, cocoa, black tea, and licorice.

[0018] The sustained-release membrane layer comprises a film-forming polymer material and a solvent. The film-forming polymer material includes one or more of the following: ethyl cellulose, shellac, carnauba wax, carboxymethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, chitosan, and sodium alginate. The solvent is an alcohol, including anhydrous ethanol, with a concentration of 0.1-0.5%.

[0019] Preferably, the porous carrier has a porosity ≥ 60% and a specific surface area ≥ 100 m². 2 / g.

[0020] Film-forming polymers (taking ethyl cellulose as an example) dissolve in ethanol to form a homogeneous solution. When sprayed onto the particle surface, the ethanol evaporates rapidly, causing the ethyl cellulose molecular chains to entangle and solidify, ultimately forming a continuous network film on the particle surface. Specifically, ethyl cellulose, as a film-forming polymer, is dispersed and dissolved in ethanol to form a homogeneous and transparent polymer solution. The key to this step is that ethanol can disrupt the intermolecular forces of ethyl cellulose, allowing it to disperse uniformly. After the solution is sprayed onto the particle surface, the ethanol, due to its high volatility, escapes rapidly. As the solvent decreases, the concentration of ethyl cellulose molecules on the particle surface gradually increases, causing them to move closer together. As the solvent continues to evaporate, the molecular chains, losing solvent support, become entangled through interactions such as van der Waals forces, gradually transforming from a liquid to a solid state, ultimately forming a continuous network film that tightly adheres to the particle surface. Furthermore, there is an optimal concentration range for the ethyl cellulose film solution; only within this range can a network-like sustained-release film with good sustained-release effect, mechanical strength, and stability be formed. Concentrations that are too high or too low will lead to a decline in film performance.

[0021] Preferably, the aroma-enhancing beads with slow-release aroma function are located in the cellulose acetate tow filter rod of the cigarette; the number of aroma-enhancing beads in each cigarette is 1-5.

[0022] In this technical solution, the heated cigarette includes a filter section, a cooling section, a support section, and a core section. The filter section is either a regular cellulose acetate tow filter or a composite filter with a cavity (flavoring bead placement area). Preferably, the filter structure is the latter, meaning the filter section includes a cellulose acetate tow body and a flavoring bead placement area within the cellulose acetate tow body. A visible annular window is provided on the filter section corresponding to the flavoring bead placement area, and flavoring beads are placed within the flavoring bead placement area. The visible window has an annular structure, meaning that the circumference of the cigarette corresponding to the cavity position is transparent and visible. The method for forming the visible annular window is as follows: two sections of cellulose acetate are wrapped with transparent forming paper, wherein the middle part of these two sections of cellulose acetate is hollow, and the hollow area is the flavoring bead placement area. Then, a window attaching paper is placed on the outside, with patterns printed only at both ends of the attaching paper, while the middle position corresponding to the filter rod window remains transparent. The visible ring-shaped window design allows consumers to clearly see the location of the flavoring bead while smoking and accurately break it, allowing the flavoring and fragrance within the bead to infuse into the filter fiber. This increases the humidity of the smoke, improves filter retention, enhances the aroma effect, and enriches the flavor profile. The visible ring-shaped window has a circular structure, meaning that the entire circumference of the cigarette corresponding to the cavity is transparent and visible.

[0023] The second aspect of the present invention provides a method for preparing a heated cigarette containing a cigarette flavoring bead with a slow-release aroma function as described in the first aspect of the present invention. The method involves first preparing the cigarette flavoring bead with the slow-release aroma function, and then adding the cigarette flavoring bead with the slow-release aroma function to a filter section to form a heated cigarette.

[0024] The preparation method of the cigarette flavoring dry beads with slow-release aroma function includes the following steps:

[0025] S1: Preparation of porous carrier powder: Take plant material, wash and cut it into pieces, place it in a vacuum freeze dryer, freeze dry it to obtain porous plant freeze-dried blocks; put the freeze-dried blocks into an ultra-fine pulverizer, grind them into powder, and sieve them to obtain porous carrier powder;

[0026] S2: Adsorption of flavoring substances: The porous carrier powder obtained in step S1 is mixed with activated carbon powder in a certain proportion, and then the flavoring substance solution is added to the mixed powder. After stirring, the mixture is left to stand at room temperature for a certain period of time until a moist material is formed.

[0027] S3, Preparation of the dry bead core: The wet material clump obtained in step S2 is stirred and granulated in a wet mixing granulator to form wet granules; the wet granules are placed in a dryer and dried until the moisture content is ≤3%, and then granulated and sieved to obtain the dry bead core;

[0028] S4: Preparation of sustained-release membrane solution: Add the main material of the sustained-release membrane layer to the solvent, stir to dissolve, and obtain the sustained-release membrane solution;

[0029] S5: Slow-release film coating: The dry bead core prepared in step S3 is added to a fluidized bed coating machine, and the slow-release film liquid prepared in step S4 is sprayed onto the surface of the dry bead core at a certain rate for coating treatment until a slow-release film layer is formed on the surface of the dry bead core; then the dry bead core coated with the slow-release film layer is placed in a vacuum drying oven to dry, complete the curing of the slow-release film layer and the formation of the network structure, and obtain cigarette aroma-enhancing dry beads with slow-release aroma function.

[0030] Preferably, in step S1, fresh or dried plant material is selected, washed, and cut into small pieces of 0.5-1 cm. The pieces are placed in a vacuum freeze dryer and pre-frozen for 2-4 hours at -40°C to -50°C and a vacuum degree ≤10 Pa. Then, the temperature is raised to -10°C to 0°C for sublimation drying for 8-12 hours, and then raised to 25-35°C for desorption drying for 4-6 hours to obtain porous plant freeze-dried blocks. The freeze-dried blocks are then put into an ultra-micro pulverizer, ground under inert gas protection, and sieved to obtain porous carrier powder.

[0031] Preferably, in step S2, the activated carbon powder accounts for 5%-20% of the total mass of the porous carrier powder and the activated carbon powder;

[0032] After stirring for 5-10 minutes, let stand at room temperature for 30-60 minutes until a moist material is formed.

[0033] Preferably, in step S3, the wet material agglomerate obtained in step S2 is stirred and granulated in a wet mixing granulator at a speed of 150-250 r / min and a cutting blade speed of 1000-1500 r / min to form wet granules; the wet granules are placed in a dryer and dried to a moisture content of ≤3% at an inlet air temperature of 40-50℃ and an outlet air temperature of 25-30℃, and then granulated and sieved to obtain the dry bead core with a particle size of 2-4 mm;

[0034] If it is difficult to granulate, add 1%-5% of the total mass of the moistened material to the microcrystalline cellulose, mix and make 2-4mm granules.

[0035] Preferably, in step S4, the main material of the sustained-release membrane layer is added to the solvent and stirred and dissolved for 10-20 minutes at 50-60°C and 300-400 r / min to obtain a sustained-release membrane solution with a mass concentration of 0.1-0.5%.

[0036] Preferably, in step S5, the dry bead core prepared in step S3 is added to a fluidized bed coating machine, with the inlet air temperature set to 40-50℃, the outlet air temperature to 25-30℃, and the atomization pressure to 0.2-0.3MPa. The slow-release film liquid prepared in step S4 is sprayed onto the surface of the dry bead core at a rate of 5-8mL / min for coating treatment until a slow-release film layer is formed on the surface of the dry bead core. The dry bead core coated with the slow-release film layer is then air-dried at a temperature of 25-30℃ for 5-15min to complete the curing of the slow-release film layer, thereby obtaining cigarette aroma-enhancing dry beads with slow-release aroma function.

[0037] In a more preferred embodiment, food coloring, such as methylene blue, tartrazine, sunset yellow, carmine, brilliant blue, allura red, etc., can be added to the slow-release film liquid of the present invention. This results in a slow-release film layer forming on the surface of the flavor-enhancing dried beads after treatment with the slow-release film liquid, which imparts a specific color to the flavor-enhancing dried beads. This color is different from the inherent color of the plant material in the core of the flavor-enhancing dried beads and is more eye-catching, making it easier for consumers to notice. Furthermore, the transparent packaging further reminds consumers to crush the flavor-enhancing dried beads before use.

[0038] In this technical solution, the flavoring beads are added in two ways depending on the filter tip type: one is that the flavoring beads can be directly dispersed into the cellulose acetate tow (suitable for ordinary cellulose acetate tow filters); the other is that a separate cavity is set in the filter rod for filling the flavoring beads (suitable for composite filters with a cavity (flavoring bead placement area)). Regardless of the addition method, the flavoring beads are added at the front end (closest to the tobacco end) and middle of the filter rod, not at the rear end (lip end). The addition location and method can be adjusted depending on whether the filter rod is three-sectioned or two-sectioned. If the filter rod is two-sectioned, the addition location is at the front end; if the filter rod is three-sectioned, the addition location is in the middle. Furthermore, the filter rod uses transparent tipping paper and transparent forming paper in at least part, allowing consumers to visually see the flavoring beads and indicating that flavoring beads have been added for crushing. If the flavoring beads are directly dispersed into the cellulose acetate tow, the dispersion area uses transparent forming paper and tipping paper. If the flavor enhancer beads are filled into a cavity in the filter rod, then the corresponding part of that cavity should be covered with transparent forming paper and tipping paper. Alternatively, the method of adding the flavor enhancer beads can be disregarded, and the entire filter rod section can be covered with transparent forming paper and tipping paper.

[0039] The tobacco material suitable for heating cigarettes in this invention is preferably shredded tobacco or core material.

[0040] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following significant advantages:

[0041] 1. The mesh-like slow-release film layer of this invention can enhance the stability of cigarette flavoring beads. This invention uses freeze-dried and ground porous plant material as a carrier, forming a mesh-like slow-release film layer on the surface of the beads. On one hand, the porous structure of the plant-based carrier can "encapsulate" the flavoring substances within the pores, forming a physical barrier; on the other hand, the surface slow-release film layer has good isolation properties, further isolating the particles from contact with the external environment and preventing the loss of flavoring substances due to volatilization and oxidation. Experimental verification shows that flavoring beads with a mesh-like slow-release film layer can effectively delay the volatilization of flavoring substances and significantly improve the stability of the beads. The mesh-like slow-release film layer can limit the free diffusion of flavor molecules through physical barrier effects, thereby reducing the loss of flavoring substances during storage. In contrast, the flavoring substances in Comparative Example 1 (cigarette flavoring beads with a discontinuous slow-release film layer) are directly exposed to the environment, resulting in rapid evaporation and poor stability; the slow-release film layer in Comparative Example 2 (cigarette flavoring beads with a fully encapsulated slow-release film layer) has no mesh structure, and its ability to bind flavoring substances is not as good as that in Example 1, resulting in a relatively low flavor retention rate.

[0042] 2. The mesh-like slow-release membrane layer of this invention can significantly improve the aroma release performance of cigarette flavoring beads. Because the flavoring substances are located within the pores of the porous plant material carrier, and the surface of the dry beads has a mesh-like slow-release membrane layer, the flavoring substances in the dry beads can be slowly released during inhalation, ensuring consistent quality before and after smoking. Sensory evaluation shows...

[0043] During smoking, the cigarette flavoring beads of Example 1 can continuously and stably release flavor substances, keeping the smoke consistently rich in aroma, and the aroma is long-lasting, providing consumers with a more pleasant smoking experience. In contrast, the flavor substances in Comparative Example 1 (cigarette flavoring beads with a discontinuous slow-release film layer) are released rapidly at the beginning of smoking, resulting in a high initial aroma concentration that quickly becomes weak and lacks persistence. Comparative Example 2 (cigarette flavoring beads with a fully encapsulated slow-release film layer) does not adequately control the release of flavor substances, resulting in less persistent and concentrated aroma compared to Example 1, and a relatively lower taste comfort.

[0044] 3. The mesh-like slow-release film layer of this invention can effectively improve the mechanical strength of cigarette flavoring beads. The slow-release film layer is tightly bonded to the core of the bead, forming a "core-film layer" composite structure, which significantly improves the compressive strength and abrasion resistance of the beads. Tests show that the mesh-like slow-release film layer of this invention can evenly disperse external forces. When the beads are subjected to mechanical action, the mesh structure can effectively buffer and absorb energy, preventing stress concentration that could lead to bead breakage. In contrast, the core particles of Comparative Example 1 (cigarette flavoring beads with a discontinuous slow-release film layer) directly bear external forces and are easily broken; the slow-release film layer of Comparative Example 2 (cigarette flavoring beads with a fully encapsulated slow-release film layer) has a weaker ability to disperse external forces, resulting in a relatively higher breakage rate.

[0045] 4. This invention features cigarette flavoring beads with a slow-release aroma function, exhibiting high loading efficiency of flavoring substances. Using freeze-dried and ground porous plant materials and activated carbon powder as carriers, the freeze-drying process maximizes the preservation of the original porous structure of the plants, resulting in high porosity and a large specific surface area. This allows for efficient adsorption of flavoring substances through physical adsorption and capillary action, achieving a flavoring substance loading capacity of 5-30 times the carrier mass. This effectively increases the flavoring substance content per unit of flavoring bead, achieving the goal of adding a high content of flavoring substances with a small amount of flavoring beads.

[0046] 5. The sustained-release membrane solution of this invention has an optimal concentration range. Only within this range can a network-like sustained-release membrane with good sustained-release effect, mechanical strength, and stability be formed. Too high or too low a concentration will lead to a decline in membrane performance. Specifically, when the concentration of the sustained-release membrane solution is too low, the number of molecular chains in the solution is small, and the spacing between the molecular chains after evaporation is too large, making it impossible to achieve sufficient and continuous entanglement. Therefore, a complete and continuous film cannot be formed, resulting in breakage and incompleteness. The resulting cigarette flavoring beads with sustained-release aroma function have poor sustained-release effect, cannot effectively control the release of substances, and have low mechanical strength and insufficient stability. Conversely, when the concentration of the sustained-release membrane solution is too high, the molecular chains in the solution are too dense. During evaporation, the molecular chains do not have time to arrange themselves in an orderly manner to form a network, but instead directly and tightly stack, resulting in a dense, non-networked membrane structure with excessively dense molecular chain stacking. The sustained-release effect of the cigarette flavoring dry beads obtained at this time is still not good. This may be because the film layer is too dense, making it difficult for the flavoring substances inside to be released through the dense film layer. The mechanical strength and stability are also not good. This may be because the sustained-release film layer is too dense, resulting in insufficient flexibility, which leads to cracking and volatilization of flavoring substances.

[0047] 6. The sustained-release membrane layer of this invention has a mesh structure. Compared with a single, non-mesh sustained-release membrane layer, the mesh structure has the following three advantages: First, although the mesh structure exists, it can still effectively lock the aroma components inside the dry beads, reducing loss. Second, the mesh structure is thinner, ensuring a larger core (larger porous carrier) for the same size dry beads, thus accommodating more aroma components. Third, the mesh structure is easier to break, allowing for a more complete release of the aroma.

[0048] 7. The core of the carrier of this invention is made of plant material. After freeze-drying, it not only retains the advantages of the plant itself, but also has high safety when used in cigarettes.

[0049] 8. Simple process and easy industrialization: The preparation method of this invention uses conventional equipment such as granulators and fluidized bed coating machines. The process parameters are easy to control, and no toxic or harmful waste is generated during the production process, making it suitable for large-scale industrial production. Furthermore, all raw materials are food-grade or cigarette-grade, ensuring high safety and meeting the quality requirements of cigarette products. Attached Figure Description

[0050] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the cigarette structure of the present invention.

[0051] The names of the reference numerals in the attached figures are: 1-Filter section, 2-Cooling section, 3-Support section, 4-Tobacco core section, 11-Fiber acetate bundle body, 12-Flavor-enhancing bead placement area, 13-Flavor-enhancing dry beads. Detailed Implementation

[0052] The present invention will be further described below through embodiments, but is not limited to these embodiments. Experimental methods not specifically described in the embodiments generally use conventional conditions and conditions described in manuals, or conditions recommended by the manufacturer. The general equipment, materials, reagents, etc., used are all commercially available unless otherwise specified.

[0053] like Figure 1 In this embodiment, the heated cigarette structure includes a filter section 1, a cooling section 2, a support section 3, and a core section 4. The filter section 1 includes a cellulose acetate tow body 11 and a flavoring bead placement area 12 located within the cellulose acetate tow body 11. A visible annular window is provided on the filter section corresponding to the flavoring bead placement area 12, and a flavoring dry bead 13 is placed in the flavoring bead placement area 12. Each cigarette contains one flavoring dry bead. The core diameter of the dry bead is 3mm.

[0054] Comparative Example 1, Comparative Example 2, and Example 1 all involve the preparation of samples.

[0055] Example 1 (Cigarette Flavor Enhancer Beads with a Mesh Slow-Release Film Layer)

[0056] Cigarette flavoring beads with slow-release aroma function include a core bead and a slow-release film layer covering the outer surface of the core bead;

[0057] The core of the dry beads includes a porous carrier and flavoring substances adsorbed within the porous carrier, with the ratio of porous carrier to flavoring substances being 1:1 by mass.

[0058] The porous carrier comprises plant material and activated carbon powder, and the particle size of the dry bead core is 3 mm;

[0059] The sustained-release membrane has a mesh structure and a thickness of 20 nm.

[0060] The flavoring agent includes menthol;

[0061] The natural plant materials include a combination of kudzu root and strawberry;

[0062] The sustained-release membrane layer comprises a film-forming polymer material and a solvent. The film-forming polymer material includes ethyl cellulose, and the solvent is an alcohol, including anhydrous ethanol at a concentration of 0.5%.

[0063] The porous carrier has a porosity ≥60% and a specific surface area ≥100 m². 2 / g.

[0064] The preparation method of the cigarette flavoring beads with slow-release aroma function includes the following steps:

[0065] S1: Preparation of porous carrier powder: Take plant material, wash and cut it into pieces, place it in a vacuum freeze dryer, freeze dry it to obtain porous plant freeze-dried blocks; put the freeze-dried blocks into an ultra-fine pulverizer, grind them into powder, and sieve them to obtain porous carrier powder;

[0066] S2: Adsorption of flavoring substances: The porous carrier powder obtained in step S1 is mixed with activated carbon powder in a certain proportion, and then the flavoring substance solution is added to the mixed powder. After stirring, the mixture is left to stand at room temperature for a certain period of time until a moist material is formed.

[0067] S3, Preparation of the dry bead core: The wet material clump obtained in step S2 is stirred and granulated in a wet mixing granulator to form wet granules; the wet granules are placed in a dryer and dried until the moisture content is ≤3%, and then granulated and sieved to obtain the dry bead core;

[0068] S4: Preparation of sustained-release membrane solution: Add the main material of the sustained-release membrane layer to the solvent, stir to dissolve, and obtain the sustained-release membrane solution;

[0069] S5: Slow-release film coating: The dry bead core prepared in step S3 is added to a fluidized bed coating machine, and the slow-release film liquid prepared in step S4 is sprayed onto the surface of the dry bead core at a certain rate for coating treatment until a slow-release film layer is formed on the surface of the dry bead core; then the dry bead core coated with the slow-release film layer is placed in a vacuum drying oven to dry, complete the curing of the slow-release film layer and the formation of the network structure, and obtain cigarette aroma-enhancing dry beads with slow-release aroma function.

[0070] In step S1, fresh or dried plant materials are selected, washed, and cut into 1cm pieces. They are placed in a vacuum freeze dryer and pre-frozen for 3 hours at -40℃ to -50℃ and a vacuum degree ≤10Pa. Then, the temperature is raised to -10℃ to 0℃ for sublimation drying for 10 hours, and then raised to 30℃ for desorption drying for 5 hours to obtain porous plant freeze-dried blocks. The freeze-dried blocks are then put into an ultra-micro pulverizer, ground under inert gas protection, and sieved to obtain porous carrier powder.

[0071] In step S2, activated carbon powder accounts for 10% of the total mass of porous carrier powder and activated carbon powder; after stirring for 10 minutes, it is left to stand at room temperature for 40 minutes to form a moist material.

[0072] In step S3, the wet material clump obtained in step S2 is stirred and granulated in a wet mixing granulator at a speed of 200 r / min and a cutting blade speed of 1000 r / min to form wet granules; the wet granules are placed in a dryer and dried to a moisture content of ≤3% at an inlet air temperature of 45℃ and an outlet air temperature of 25℃, and then granulated and sieved to obtain the dry bead core.

[0073] In step S4, the main material of the sustained-release membrane layer is added to the solvent and stirred and dissolved for 10 minutes at 55°C and 350 r / min to obtain a sustained-release membrane solution with a mass concentration of 0.15%.

[0074] In step S5, the dry bead core prepared in step S3 is added to a fluidized bed coating machine. The inlet air temperature is set to 45℃, the outlet air temperature to 25℃, and the atomization pressure to 0.2MPa. The slow-release film liquid prepared in step S4 is sprayed onto the surface of the dry bead core at a rate of 5mL / min for coating treatment until a slow-release film layer is formed on the surface of the dry bead core. The dry bead core coated with the slow-release film layer is air-dried at a temperature of 25℃ for 10min to complete the curing of the slow-release film layer, thus obtaining cigarette aroma-enhancing dry beads with slow-release aroma function.

[0075] Comparative Example 1 (Cigarette Flavor Enhancer Beads with Discontinuous Slow-Release Film Layer)

[0076] This is essentially the same as Example 1, except that the concentration of the sustained-release membrane liquid in step S4 is 0.05%. This comparative example yields cigarette flavoring beads with a discontinuous sustained-release membrane layer.

[0077] Comparative Example 2 (Cigarette Flavor Enhancer Beads with Fully Encapsulated Slow-Release Film)

[0078] This is essentially the same as Example 1, except that the concentration of the sustained-release membrane solution in step S4 is 0.6%. This comparative example yields cigarette flavoring beads with a fully coated sustained-release membrane layer.

[0079] Examples 2-4 are performance tests.

[0080] Example 2: Stability Test

[0081] Five groups of 10g each were taken from each type of cigarette flavoring dry beads (Example 1, Comparative Example 1, and Comparative Example 2). The samples were placed in a constant temperature and humidity chamber at (22±1)℃ and (60±3)% relative humidity. After 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days of storage, the content of aroma substances in the dry beads was determined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and the aroma retention rate was calculated. Aroma retention rate (%) = (Aroma substance content in the dry beads after a certain storage time / Aroma substance content in the initial dry beads) × 100%. The stability of the flavoring dry beads was evaluated by comparing the aroma retention rates at different time points. The aroma retention rate data of the three types of cigarette flavoring dry beads at different storage times are shown in Table 1.

[0082] Table 1. Aroma retention rate data of three types of cigarette flavoring beads at different storage times.

[0083]

[0084] According to the data above, the aroma retention rate of the cigarette flavoring beads in Example 1 was consistently significantly higher than that of Comparative Example 1 and Comparative Example 2 throughout the entire storage period. After 28 days of storage, the aroma retention rate of Example 1 remained at 82%, while that of Comparative Example 1 was only 45.5%, and that of Comparative Example 2 was 75%. This fully demonstrates that the flavoring beads with a mesh-like slow-release film layer can effectively delay the volatilization of aroma substances and significantly improve the stability of the beads. The mesh-like slow-release film layer can limit the free diffusion of aroma molecules through physical barrier effects, thereby reducing the loss of aroma substances during storage. In contrast, the aroma substances in Comparative Example 1 (cigarette flavoring beads with a discontinuous slow-release film layer) are directly exposed to the environment, resulting in a fast volatilization rate and poor stability; the slow-release film layer in Comparative Example 2 (cigarette flavoring beads with a fully encapsulated slow-release film layer) lacks a mesh structure and is relatively thick, making it relatively brittle and prone to cracking. Therefore, its ability to bind aroma substances is not as good as that of Example 1, resulting in a relatively low aroma retention rate.

[0085] Example 3: Sustained-release effect test

[0086] The flavoring capsules from Examples 1, 1, and 2 were added to blank heated cigarette filters of the same brand and model in the same proportions, with 30 heated cigarettes prepared for each type. A panel of 10 professionally trained sensory evaluators with extensive experience in sensory evaluation of heated cigarettes, capable of accurately perceiving and describing the aroma, taste, and other characteristics of the cigarettes, was formed. The sensory evaluators conducted smoking evaluations of the heated cigarettes with different flavoring capsules according to Q / YNZY.J07.022-2015, "Novel Sensory Evaluation Method for Cigarettes," which specifies the setting of sensory evaluation indicators, evaluation procedures, and scoring rules. The evaluation indicators include six aspects: smoke volume, aroma, strength, harmony, irritation, and taste. The scoring values ​​for these six quality indicators are as follows: smoke volume 0-10 points, aroma 0-30 points, strength 0-10 points, harmony 0-10 points, irritation 0-15 points, and taste 0-25 points. The total score for the six indicators is 100 points. Higher scores for smoke volume, aroma, strength, harmony, and taste indicate a stronger sensation of that indicator during inhalation, while higher scores for irritation indicate a less pronounced sensation. A higher total score for all six indicators indicates a better inhalation experience for the aerosol-generating product. The total score ranges from 0 to 100 points; a higher total score indicates a better overall smoking experience and superior comprehensive quality. During the evaluation, evaluators smoked the cigarettes in a well-ventilated, odor-free environment, with a 15-minute interval between each cigarette to avoid sensory fatigue affecting the evaluation results. The sensory evaluation panel conducted smoking evaluations of heated cigarettes with different flavoring beads, and the overall scores obtained are shown in Table 2 below.

[0087] Table 2 Evaluation results of heated cigarettes with different flavoring dry beads (based on Q / YNZY.J07.022-2015)

[0088]

[0089] The sensory evaluation results show that Example 1 performed excellently in terms of aroma, irritation, and taste, with a significantly higher overall score than Comparative Example 1 and Comparative Example 2. During smoking, the cigarette flavoring beads of Example 1 continuously and stably released flavor substances, maintaining a rich and lasting aroma, providing consumers with a more pleasant smoking experience. Comparative Example 1 (cigarette flavoring beads with a discontinuous slow-release film) released flavor substances rapidly at the beginning of smoking, resulting in a high initial aroma concentration that quickly faded and lacked persistence. Comparative Example 2 (cigarette flavoring beads with a fully encapsulated slow-release film) had a thicker slow-release film, which did not control the release of flavor substances as effectively, resulting in a lower aroma score and a relatively lower taste comfort compared to Example 1.

[0090] Example 4: Mechanical Strength Test

[0091] Fifty tobacco flavoring beads from each of Example 1, Comparative Example 1, and Comparative Example 2 were taken. A drum testing machine with a drum diameter of 30 cm and a rotation speed of 50 r / min was used. The beads were placed in the drum and rotated for 10 minutes. After rotation, the beads were removed, and the breakage was checked to calculate the breakage rate. Breakage rate (%) = (Number of broken beads / Total number of beads) × 100%. The mechanical strength was evaluated by comparing the breakage rates of different types of beads. The breakage rate data for the three types of tobacco flavoring beads after rotation testing in the drum testing machine are shown in Table 3.

[0092] Table 3 Breakage rate of three types of cigarette flavoring beads

[0093]

[0094] The results showed that Example 1 had the lowest breakage rate at only 4%, while Comparative Example 1 had the highest breakage rate at 18%, and Comparative Example 2 had a breakage rate of 6%. This indicates that flavor-enhancing dry beads with a mesh-like slow-release film layer have stronger mechanical strength and are less prone to breakage during actual production and use. The mesh-like slow-release film layer can evenly disperse external forces. When the dry beads are subjected to mechanical action, the mesh structure can effectively buffer and absorb energy, preventing stress concentration that could lead to breakage. In contrast, the core particles of Comparative Example 1 (cigarette flavor-enhancing dry beads with a discontinuous slow-release film layer) directly bear external forces and are easily broken; the slow-release film layer of Comparative Example 2 (cigarette flavor-enhancing dry beads with a fully encapsulated slow-release film layer) is relatively thick and brittle, and its ability to disperse external forces is weaker, making it more prone to cracking, thus resulting in a relatively higher breakage rate.

[0095] The above experiments demonstrate that the cigarette flavoring beads with a mesh-like sustained-release film layer (Example 1) exhibit significant advantages over Comparative Example 1 (cigarette flavoring beads with a discontinuous sustained-release film layer) and Comparative Example 2 (cigarette flavoring beads with a fully encapsulated sustained-release film layer) in key performance aspects such as stability, sustained-release effect, and mechanical strength. The mesh-like sustained-release film layer effectively improves the stability of the beads, maintaining a high aroma retention rate for a long time; it regulates the release of aroma substances, enhancing the smoking experience; and it strengthens mechanical strength, reducing the risk of breakage.

[0096] The present invention has been described above by way of example. It should be noted that any simple modifications, alterations or other equivalent substitutions that can be made by those skilled in the art without creative effort without departing from the core of the present invention fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A heated cigarette comprising tobacco flavoring beads with a slow-release aroma function, characterized in that, The heated cigarette includes a filter section, a cooling section, a support section, and a core section; The cigarette flavoring beads with slow-release aroma function are located in the filter section; The cigarette flavoring dry beads with slow-release aroma function include a core of dry beads and a slow-release film layer covering the outer surface of the core of dry beads; The core of the dry beads includes a porous carrier and flavoring substances adsorbed within the porous carrier, with the ratio of porous carrier to flavoring substances being 1:0.2-1.5 by mass. The porous carrier comprises plant material and activated carbon powder, and the particle size of the dry bead core is 2-4 mm; The sustained-release membrane has a mesh structure and a thickness of 10-100 nm.

2. The heated cigarette containing cigarette flavoring beads with a slow-release aroma function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flavoring substances include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following cigarette flavorings: menthol, blueberry flavoring, and orange flavoring; The natural plant materials include one or more of the following: kudzu root, strawberry, blueberry, pineapple, lemon, orange, mango, orange peel, lemongrass, thyme, moringa, vanilla, peppermint, orange blossom, eucalyptus leaves, lemongrass, tree moss, rose, lily, osmanthus, lavender, coffee, cocoa, black tea, and licorice. The sustained-release membrane layer comprises a film-forming polymer material and a solvent. The film-forming polymer material includes one or more of the following: ethyl cellulose, shellac, carnauba wax, carboxymethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, chitosan, and sodium alginate. The solvent is an alcohol, including anhydrous ethanol, with a concentration of 0.1-0.5%.

3. The heated cigarette containing cigarette flavoring beads with a slow-release aroma function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The porous carrier has a porosity ≥60% and a specific surface area ≥100 m². 2 / g.

4. The heated cigarette containing cigarette flavoring beads with a slow-release aroma function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The filter section is a cellulose acetate tow filter rod, and the aroma-enhancing beads with slow-release aroma function are located in the cellulose acetate tow filter rod of the cigarette; the number of aroma-enhancing beads in each cigarette is 1-5.

5. A method for preparing a heated cigarette comprising cigarette flavoring beads with a slow-release aroma function as described in any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, First, prepare the cigarette flavoring beads with the slow-release aroma function, and then add the cigarette flavoring beads with the slow-release aroma function to the filter section to make heated cigarettes; The preparation method of the cigarette flavoring dry beads with slow-release aroma function includes the following steps: S1: Preparation of porous carrier powder: Take plant material, wash and cut it into pieces, place it in a vacuum freeze dryer, freeze dry it to obtain porous plant freeze-dried blocks; put the freeze-dried blocks into an ultra-fine pulverizer, grind them into powder, and sieve them to obtain porous carrier powder; S2: Adsorption of flavoring substances: The porous carrier powder obtained in step S1 is mixed with activated carbon powder in a certain proportion, and then the flavoring substance solution is added to the mixed powder. After stirring, the mixture is left to stand at room temperature for a certain period of time until a moist material is formed. S3, Preparation of the dry bead core: The wet material clump obtained in step S2 is stirred and granulated in a wet mixing granulator to form wet granules; the wet granules are placed in a dryer and dried until the moisture content is ≤3%, and then granulated and sieved to obtain the dry bead core; S4: Preparation of sustained-release membrane solution: Add the main material of the sustained-release membrane layer to the solvent, stir to dissolve, and obtain the sustained-release membrane solution; S5: Slow-release film coating: The dry bead core prepared in step S3 is added to a fluidized bed coating machine, and the slow-release film liquid prepared in step S4 is sprayed onto the surface of the dry bead core at a certain rate for coating treatment until a slow-release film layer is formed on the surface of the dry bead core; then the dry bead core coated with the slow-release film layer is placed in a vacuum drying oven to dry, complete the curing of the slow-release film layer and the formation of the network structure, and obtain cigarette aroma-enhancing dry beads with slow-release aroma function.

6. The preparation method according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step S1, select fresh or dried plant materials, wash them, cut them into small pieces of 0.5-1cm, place them in a vacuum freeze dryer, pre-freeze them at -40℃ to -50℃ and vacuum degree ≤10Pa for 2-4 hours, then raise the temperature to -10℃ to 0℃ for sublimation drying for 8-12 hours, and then raise the temperature to 25-35℃ for desorption drying for 4-6 hours to obtain porous plant freeze-dried blocks; put the freeze-dried blocks into an ultra-micro pulverizer, grind them under inert gas protection, and sieve them to obtain porous carrier powder.

7. The preparation method according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step S2, activated carbon powder accounts for 5%-20% of the total mass of porous carrier powder and activated carbon powder; After stirring for 5-10 minutes, let stand at room temperature for 30-60 minutes until a moist material is formed.

8. The preparation method according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step S3, the wet material agglomerate obtained in step S2 is stirred and granulated in a wet mixing granulator at a speed of 150-250 r / min and a cutting blade speed of 1000-1500 r / min to form wet granules; the wet granules are placed in a dryer and dried to a moisture content of ≤3% at an inlet air temperature of 40-50℃ and an outlet air temperature of 25-30℃, and then granulated and sieved to obtain the dry bead core with a particle size of 2-4 mm; If it is difficult to granulate, add 1%-5% of microcrystalline cellulose by weight of the moistened material mass, mix and make 2-4mm granules.

9. The preparation method according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step S4, the main material of the sustained-release membrane layer is added to the solvent and stirred and dissolved for 10-20 minutes at 50-60℃ and 300-400 r / min to obtain a sustained-release membrane solution with a mass concentration of 0.1-0.5%.

10. The preparation method according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step S5, the dry bead core prepared in step S3 is added to a fluidized bed coating machine. The inlet air temperature is set to 40-50℃, the outlet air temperature to 25-30℃, and the atomization pressure to 0.2-0.3MPa. The slow-release film liquid prepared in step S4 is sprayed onto the surface of the dry bead core at a rate of 5-8mL / min for coating treatment until a slow-release film layer is formed on the surface of the dry bead core. The dry bead core coated with the slow-release film layer is air-dried at a temperature of 25-30℃ for 5-15min to complete the curing of the slow-release film layer and obtain cigarette aroma-enhancing dry beads with slow-release aroma function.

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