Composition and application thereof in inhibiting browning of flue-cured tobacco leaves

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of tobacco production, in particular to a composition and application thereof in inhibiting browning of flue-cured tobacco leaves. The composition provided by the invention consists of the vitamin C and the bamboo leaf antioxidant which are compatible, matched and synergistic, so that the oxidation resistance of the tobacco leaves can be better enhanced, active oxygen generated in the baking process can be balanced, and a plasma membrane system is prevented from premature lipid oxidation rupture, thereby effectively relieving the occurrence of browning reaction and prolonging the service life of the tobacco leaves. The tobacco color and quality are improved. Meanwhile, the components are all natural antioxidant substances, are easy to dissolve in water, low in use concentration, harmless to human and livestock, free of any residue, and green and environment-friendly. When the composition provided by the invention is used for reducing or inhibiting browning of the flue-cured tobacco, only fresh tobacco leaves need to be sprayed or soaked, additional operation is not needed, the method is simple and easy to implement, and the composition is suitable for various flue-cured tobacco varieties and can also be suitable for treatment before cigars and white tobacco are aired, and the color and the quality of the tobacco leaves are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tobacco production technology, and more specifically to compositions and their application in inhibiting browning of flue-cured tobacco leaves. Background Technology

[0002] Tobacco curing involves placing freshly harvested, mature tobacco leaves in curing barns or similar equipment. By controlling suitable temperature, humidity, wind speed, and curing time, the tobacco leaves gradually reach the quality standards required by the cigarette industry, such as yellow color, brightness, softness, ripeness, and aroma. During curing, the tobacco leaves undergo aging and high temperature and humidity stress. When the integrity of the cells is damaged, polyphenols separated in vacuoles and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in chloroplasts are released. These substances undergo oxidation reactions to produce quinones. These quinones then polymerize with other quinones, amino acids, and proteins to form melanoidins. In addition, sugars and ammonia nitrogen compounds also produce melanoidins through Maillard reactions via carbonyl-amine binding. This leads to browning of the tobacco leaves, severely reducing their appearance and internal quality. In recent years, research on the browning problem of flue-cured tobacco has focused primarily on polyphenol oxidase and the enzymatic browning reactions caused by polyphenols. Therefore, in order to improve the quality of flue-cured tobacco, the main methods used in tobacco production are to reduce or inhibit the occurrence of enzymatic browning reaction by regulating the content of polyphenols, the activity of PPO, and reducing the oxygen concentration (Yang Shuxun. Research progress on the mechanism and regulation of enzymatic browning reaction in tobacco. Crop Research, 2019, 33(3): 246-250). For example, during the curing process, temperature and humidity regulation, sealing of tobacco stacks to reduce oxygen, and spraying of inhibitors on mature tobacco leaves after harvest can be used to control the activity of PPO (Zhang Guochao, Effects of different curing temperatures and inhibitors on browning reaction and quality of flue-cured tobacco. Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 2013; Li Xiaohui et al., Effects of maturity on polyphenol content and PPO activity changes during curing of different flue-cured tobacco varieties. Shandong Agricultural Sciences, 2021, 53(4):59-65; Sun Guangwei et al., A method for curing tobacco leaves and its application. Application No.: CN202111315636.1; Sun Guangwei et al., A tobacco anti-browning agent and its application. Application No.: CN202210203791.2), thereby reducing the browning of tobacco leaves; and also by targeted editing of P The PPO gene is used to create flue-cured tobacco materials to reduce the expression level of the PPO gene in tobacco leaves, thereby inhibiting PPO activity during the curing process. This helps to accumulate polyphenols in the cured tobacco leaves and can control the degree of browning (Dai Zhuoyi et al., Effect analysis of editing the flue-cured tobacco polyphenol oxidase gene NtPPO8. Chinese Tobacco Science, 2022, 11: 73-83; Chen Mingli et al., Application of tobacco polyphenol oxidase gene NtPPO15 in inhibiting tobacco browning and improving tobacco ripening and curing resistance. Application No.: CN202411711529.4; Gong Daping et al., Application of inhibiting or knocking out tobacco polyphenol oxidase gene NtPPO12 in inhibiting tobacco browning. Application No.: CN202411748684.3). The tobacco curing process requires browning reaction to ensure the formation of aroma components, but the degree of browning must be controlled to avoid affecting the commercial grade and usability of the tobacco leaves.Currently, the methods mentioned above for inhibiting browning in tobacco leaves are either difficult to master in the curing processes of different varieties and batches of tobacco leaves, or their effects are very limited. Therefore, they have not been widely adopted in tobacco production. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a composition and its application in inhibiting browning of flue-cured tobacco leaves. The composition provided by the present invention has simple components and is simple and efficient to operate when used to inhibit browning of flue-cured tobacco leaves.

[0004] The present invention provides a composition comprising vitamin C and bamboo leaf antioxidants.

[0005] Compared with existing technologies, the composition provided by this invention contains bamboo leaf antioxidants extracted from bamboo leaves. Its main components include flavonoids, lactones, and phenolic acids, making it a novel natural antioxidant. Listed in GB2760-2014, the National Food Safety Standard for the Use of Food Additives, in 2004, it can be used as a food additive in edible oils, meat products, aquatic products, and puffed foods, but its use in tobacco is currently unreported. Vitamin C is an important antioxidant in plants, preventing enzymatic browning caused by cell membrane damage, which affects leaf yellowing. The combined use of these two components synergistically enhances the antioxidant capacity of tobacco leaves, balances reactive oxygen species generated during roasting, and prevents premature lipid oxidation and rupture of the cell membrane system. This effectively alleviates browning reactions, improves the color and quality of tobacco leaves, and achieves more precise technical results.

[0006] In some embodiments, the mass ratio of vitamin C to bamboo leaf antioxidant is (10~50):(1~10).

[0007] In some embodiments, the mass ratio of vitamin C to bamboo leaf antioxidant is (20~40):(2~8).

[0008] In some specific embodiments, the mass ratio of vitamin C to bamboo leaf antioxidants is 20:4.

[0009] Experiments show that at the above concentrations, the vitamin C and bamboo leaf antioxidants in the composition exhibit the strongest compatibility and synergistic effect, resulting in the best inhibition or mitigation of browning reaction, thus achieving more accurate technical results.

[0010] This invention provides a browning inhibitor for flue-cured tobacco leaves, prepared from a solution and the aforementioned composition.

[0011] In some embodiments, the solution is water, and the concentration of the composition is 11-60 g / L.

[0012] In some specific embodiments, the concentration of the composition is 24 g / L.

[0013] The present invention provides a method for preparing a browning inhibitor of flue-cured tobacco leaves, comprising dissolving the composition in a solution to obtain the browning inhibitor of flue-cured tobacco leaves.

[0014] The present invention provides the application of the browning inhibitor of flue-cured tobacco leaves described in the composition or the browning inhibitor of flue-cured tobacco leaves prepared by the preparation method in inhibiting browning of flue-cured tobacco leaves.

[0015] This invention provides a method for inhibiting browning of flue-cured tobacco leaves, comprising treating fresh tobacco leaves with the composition, the flue-cured tobacco leaf browning inhibitor, or the flue-cured tobacco leaf browning inhibitor prepared by the preparation method.

[0016] In some embodiments, the treatment includes spraying or soaking.

[0017] This invention is simple and easy to use. Simply spray the prepared solution on the front and back of the harvested tobacco leaves once in a mist using a sprayer, or soak the tobacco leaves in the solution for 2-3 minutes, wait for the water on the surface of the leaves to drain and air dry, and then stalk them and put them in the curing barn for curing.

[0018] Compared with existing technologies, the composition provided by this invention consists of vitamin C and bamboo leaf antioxidants. These two components are compatible, synergistic, and enhance each other's effects, thus better strengthening the antioxidant capacity of tobacco leaves, balancing reactive oxygen species generated during the curing process, and preventing premature lipid oxidation and rupture of the cell membrane system. This effectively alleviates browning reactions and improves the color and quality of tobacco leaves. Furthermore, since the components are all natural antioxidants, they are easily soluble in water, requiring low concentrations, are harmless to humans and animals, leave no residue, and are environmentally friendly. When using the composition provided by this invention to reduce or inhibit browning in flue-cured tobacco, only spraying or soaking fresh tobacco leaves is needed; no additional operations are required. The method is simple and easy to implement, suitable for various flue-cured tobacco varieties, and can also be applied to the pre-drying treatment of cigars and white tobacco to improve the color and quality of tobacco leaves. Using the browning inhibitor of this invention to treat varieties such as Da Bai Jin and Yunyan 87, the browning rate of the treated tobacco leaves was significantly reduced, and the curing quality was significantly improved, indicating that the composition provided by this invention is suitable for widespread application. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 The phenotypes of the lower tobacco leaves of Da Bai Jin and Cui Bi No. 1 after curing under different antioxidant treatments are shown in Example 1.

[0020] Figure 2 The phenotype (Figure A) and browning rate (Figure B) of the lower part of the large white vein tobacco leaves treated with browning inhibitors in different groups of flue-cured tobacco leaves in Example 2 are shown.

[0021] Figure 3The phenotypes (Figure A) and browning rates (Figure B) of Da Bai Jin and Yunyan 87 middle tobacco leaves treated with browning inhibitors in Example 3 are shown.

[0022] Figure 4 The phenotype (Figure A) and browning rate (Figure B) of the upper leaves of Dabaijin and Yunyan 87 tobacco leaves treated with the browning inhibitor in Example 4 are shown. Detailed Implementation

[0023] This invention provides a composition and its application in inhibiting browning of flue-cured tobacco leaves. Those skilled in the art can refer to this document and appropriately modify the process parameters to achieve the desired result. It should be particularly noted that all similar substitutions and modifications are obvious to those skilled in the art and are considered to be included in this invention. The methods and applications of this invention have been described through preferred embodiments. Those skilled in the art can clearly modify or appropriately change and combine the methods and applications described herein without departing from the content, spirit, and scope of this invention to realize and apply the technology of this invention.

[0024] The test materials used in this invention are all common commercial products and can be purchased on the market.

[0025] The bamboo leaf antioxidants were purchased from Shanghai Yuanye Biotechnology Co., Ltd., product number: S25661.

[0026] The present invention will be further illustrated below with reference to the embodiments.

[0027] Example 1

[0028] To prepare a 1-liter dosage, weigh out 4 grams of commercially available bamboo leaf antioxidants (0.4% concentration), 0.0615 grams of glutathione (200μM concentration), and 20 grams of vitamin C (2% concentration). Add each to 1 liter of distilled water, dissolve, and mix well. Use an equal volume of distilled water as a control. Place the solutions in a sprayer and spray evenly onto the front and back of harvested mature tobacco leaves until dripping wet. After draining the water from the leaf surface and air-drying in the shade, place the leaves in a dense curing barn for curing.

[0029] The color and grade of Da Bai Jin and Cui Bi No. 1 flue-cured tobacco leaves treated with different antioxidants were measured according to the national standard for flue-cured tobacco (GB2635-92). Compared with the control, the color of flue-cured tobacco leaves treated with bamboo leaf antioxidants, glutathione, and vitamin C was significantly improved, the browning rate was significantly reduced, and the proportion of high-grade tobacco leaves was increased. Among them, the browning area of ​​Da Bai Jin and Cui Bi No. 1 tobacco leaves treated with bamboo leaf antioxidants was significantly reduced, and the color was more golden and bright, showing the best treatment effect. Figure 1 (Tables 1 and 2).

[0030] Table 1. Browning rate (%) of tobacco leaves after curing under different antioxidant treatments

[0031]

[0032] Table 2. Effects of different antioxidant treatments on the color and grade of cured tobacco leaves.

[0033]

[0034] Example 2

[0035] Preparation of the present invention: Based on a dosage of 1 liter, 1 g, 2 g, 4 g and 8 g of commercially available bamboo leaf antioxidant (AOB) were weighed out respectively. Then, 4 portions of 20 g of vitamin C were weighed out and added to 1 liter of distilled water respectively. After dissolving and mixing, solutions containing the same concentration of vitamin C and different concentrations of bamboo leaf antioxidant were prepared. The solution was placed in a sprayer and sprayed evenly on the front and back of the harvested mature tobacco leaves until dripping water was applied. After the water on the surface of the leaves was drained and air-dried, the leaves were placed in a dense curing barn for curing. The browning rate (%) of the cured tobacco leaves was calculated according to the method of Sun Haoyue et al. (Sun Haoyue et al. Effects of different harvesting and curing methods on lipid browning of upper leaves of flue-cured tobacco. Journal of Southern Agriculture, 2022, 53(6): 1616-1624).

[0036] Effects of using this invention:

[0037] The browning inhibitors for flue-cured tobacco leaves prepared using different concentrations of bamboo leaf antioxidants and the same concentration of vitamin C, as described in this invention, were used to treat Dabaijin tobacco leaves. Compared with the control (CK, which was sprayed with the same amount of distilled water only), the browned areas of the tobacco leaves after curing were significantly reduced, and the leaves became more golden and bright. Among them, the treatment with 0.4% bamboo leaf antioxidants and vitamin C had the best effect and the lowest browning rate. Figure 2 (See Table 3). The quality of the cured tobacco leaves was significantly improved. Compared with Example 1, when the lower tobacco leaves were treated simultaneously, the treatment with 0.4% bamboo leaf antioxidant plus vitamin C was more effective than using the same concentration of bamboo leaf antioxidant and vitamin C alone.

[0038] Table 3 Browning rate of lower tobacco leaves after baking after treatment with different concentrations of bamboo leaf antioxidants

[0039]

[0040] Example 3

[0041] Preparation of this invention: For a 1-liter dosage, weigh 3 grams of commercially available bamboo leaf antioxidant (AOB) and 40 grams of vitamin C, add 1 liter of distilled water, dissolve, and mix well. Soak harvested mature tobacco leaves in the prepared solution for 2 minutes, remove, allow the water on the leaf surface to drain, air dry, and then place in a dense curing barn for curing. Calculate the browning percentage (%) of the cured tobacco leaves.

[0042] Effects of using this invention:

[0043] The leaves of Dabaijin and Yunyan 87, treated with the browning inhibitor prepared by the method of this invention, showed better and more uniform yellowing during the yellowing period compared with the control (CK, sprayed with the same amount of distilled water). Almost no browning occurred in the early stage of color fixation. After curing, the browning and ash-covered areas of the leaves were significantly reduced. The browning rate of Dabaijin leaves, which are difficult to cure and prone to browning, was reduced to a highly significant level. Figure 3 (As shown in Table 4), the curing quality of Yunyan 87 and the middle part of Dabaijin tobacco leaves has been significantly improved.

[0044] Table 4. Browning rate (%) of Da Bai Jin and Yunyan 87 middle tobacco leaves after curing under inhibitor treatment

[0045]

[0046] Example 4

[0047] Preparation of this invention: For a 1-liter dosage, weigh 5 grams of commercially available bamboo leaf antioxidant (AOB) and 30 grams of vitamin C, add 1 liter of distilled water, dissolve and mix well. Place in a sprayer and spray evenly onto the front and back of the harvested mature tobacco leaves until dripping water is achieved. After the water on the leaf surface is drained and the leaves are air-dried, place them in a dense curing barn for curing. Calculate the browning percentage (%) of the cured tobacco leaves.

[0048] Effects of using this invention:

[0049] The upper leaves of Dabaijin and Yunyan 87 tobacco leaves treated with the browning inhibitor prepared by the method of this invention showed better yellowing effect during the yellowing period and less browning in the early stage of color fixation compared with the control (CK, sprayed with the same amount of distilled water). After curing, the Yunyan 87 tobacco leaves turned golden yellow with few brown areas, while the browning and ash-covered areas of Dabaijin were also significantly reduced. Figure 4 (and Table 5).

[0050] Table 5. Browning rate (%) of the upper tobacco leaves of Dabaijin and Yunyan 87 after curing with inhibitor treatment

[0051]

[0052] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications without departing from the principle of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A composition, characterized in that, It is composed of vitamin C and bamboo leaf antioxidants.

2. The composition according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mass ratio of vitamin C to bamboo leaf antioxidant is (10~50):(1~10).

3. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The mass ratio of vitamin C to bamboo leaf antioxidants is (20~40):(2~8).

4. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The mass ratio of vitamin C to bamboo leaf antioxidants is 20:

4.

5. A browning inhibitor for flue-cured tobacco leaves, characterized in that, Prepared from a solution and the composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The tobacco leaf browning inhibitor according to claim 5, characterized in that, The solution is water, and the concentration of the composition is 11~60 g / L.

7. The method for preparing the browning inhibitor of flue-cured tobacco leaves according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, This includes obtaining the browning inhibitor of flue-cured tobacco leaves by dissolving the composition in a solution.

8. The use of the composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the browning inhibitor of flue-cured tobacco leaves according to claim 5 or 6, or the browning inhibitor of flue-cured tobacco leaves prepared by the preparation method according to claim 7 in inhibiting browning of flue-cured tobacco leaves.

9. A method for inhibiting browning of flue-cured tobacco leaves, characterized in that, This includes treating fresh tobacco leaves with the composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the flue-cured tobacco leaf browning inhibitor according to claim 5 or 6, or the flue-cured tobacco leaf browning inhibitor prepared by the preparation method according to claim 7.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The treatment includes spraying or soaking.

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