Tobacco shreds and method of preparing same

Abstract

The application relates to cut tobacco and a preparation method thereof. The method comprises the following steps: pre-drying cut stem to obtain pre-dried stem; mixing the pre-dried stem with cut leaf to obtain mixed cut tobacco; and sequentially performing temperature and humidity increasing treatment and drying treatment on the mixed cut tobacco to prepare cut tobacco; the moisture content of the pre-dried stem is 17%-21%; the moisture content of the cut leaf is 20%-23%, and the moisture content of the pre-dried stem is lower than that of the cut leaf. The preparation method of the cut tobacco can significantly improve the mixing uniformity and physical index stability of the cut tobacco, reduce process processing and crushing, and effectively improve the sensory quality of the cut tobacco during smoking.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of tobacco processing technology, and in particular to tobacco shreds and their preparation methods. Background Technology

[0002] In the cigarette manufacturing process, tobacco leaves and stems are the core raw materials that make up cigarettes. The processing quality and blending effect of the two directly affect the smoking quality, physical properties, and production cost of the finished cigarettes. Currently, the tobacco industry generally adopts the traditional process of processing tobacco leaves and stems separately. That is, tobacco leaves are processed separately through processes such as rehydration, cutting, and drying, while stems are processed separately through processes such as washing, cooking, pressing, cutting, and drying. After both materials have been dried, the dried tobacco leaves are used as a base and the finished stems and leaves are blended according to a preset formula ratio to obtain the blended tobacco used for making cigarettes.

[0003] As the cigarette industry's need to reduce harm and tar, as well as lower costs and increase efficiency, becomes increasingly urgent, the proportion of stems used in cigarette formulations is gradually increasing, highlighting the drawbacks of traditional processing techniques. Subsequent blending stages struggle to achieve uniform mixing of leaves and stems, leading to stem aggregation and uneven distribution, resulting in poor combustion stability, inconsistent flavor, and compromised product quality uniformity.

[0004] Therefore, traditional technologies still need improvement. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a tobacco shred and its preparation method that can significantly improve the uniformity of tobacco shred mixing and the stability of physical properties, reduce breakage during processing, and effectively improve the sensory quality of tobacco shreds when smoked.

[0006] Specifically, this is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0007] This application provides a method for preparing tobacco shreds, comprising the following steps:

[0008] The cut stem shreds are pre-dried to obtain pre-dried stem shreds;

[0009] The pre-dried stems are mixed with the chopped leaves to obtain mixed tobacco; and

[0010] The mixed tobacco shreds are subjected to heating and humidification treatments and drying treatments in sequence to prepare tobacco shreds;

[0011] The moisture content of the pre-dried stems is 17%~21%; the moisture content of the cut leaf filaments is 20%~23%, and the moisture content of the pre-dried stems is lower than that of the cut leaf filaments.

[0012] In some embodiments, the pre-drying treatment is performed at a temperature of 70°C to 100°C for a time of 3 to 6 minutes.

[0013] In some embodiments, the temperature of the heating and humidification treatment is 70°C to 90°C, the time is 2 min to 4 min, and the moisture content of the mixed tobacco after the heating and humidification treatment is 20% to 30%.

[0014] In some embodiments, the drying process is carried out at a temperature of 130°C to 150°C for 3 to 6 minutes, and the moisture content of the mixed tobacco after drying is 12% to 14%.

[0015] In some embodiments, based on the total mass of the mixed tobacco, the pre-dried stems account for 10% to 20% of the mass, and the cut tobacco accounts for 80% to 90% of the mass.

[0016] In some embodiments, the method for preparing the cut leaf filaments includes the following steps:

[0017] The tobacco leaves to be processed are sequentially shredded and processed with additives to obtain shredded leaves.

[0018] In some embodiments, the width of the cut leaf filaments is 0.7 mm to 1.5 mm.

[0019] In some embodiments, the method for preparing the cut stem filaments includes the following steps:

[0020] The tobacco stems to be processed are sequentially shredded and then processed with added ingredients to obtain shredded stems.

[0021] In some embodiments, the thickness of the cut stem filaments is 0.10 mm to 0.18 mm;

[0022] And / or, the moisture content of the cut stem filaments is 23%~32%.

[0023] This application also provides a type of tobacco shreds, which are prepared using the method described above.

[0024] In the above-mentioned method for preparing tobacco shreds, the cut stems are first pre-dried to reduce their moisture content. Then, the pre-dried stems are mixed with the cut leaves. By controlling the specific moisture content of the pre-dried stems and the cut leaves, the mixing barrier of "stems clumping and leaves dispersing" caused by differences in physical properties is avoided, allowing the stems to be evenly dispersed within the leaves. This significantly improves the uniformity of the mixed tobacco shreds and prevents uneven stem distribution during subsequent processing and cigarette rolling. Further, subsequent heating and humidification treatments and drying processes are performed. The heating and humidification treatment, based on the uniform mixing of leaves and stems, adds appropriate moisture and increases the temperature, further balancing the moisture distribution of the leaves and stems. Simultaneously, it softens the mixed tobacco fibers, reducing breakage during subsequent drying. This significantly improves the uniformity of the tobacco mixture and the stability of its physical properties, reduces breakage during processing, and effectively improves the sensory quality of the tobacco for smoking.

[0025] In addition, after the pre-drying process achieves uniform mixing of stems and leaves, subsequent heating, humidification and drying can be uniformly controlled for the homogenized mixed tobacco, eliminating the need to adjust the process parameters for leaves and stems separately, thus simplifying the processing flow. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application and to more completely understand this application and its beneficial effects, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a curve showing the drying rate of flue-cured tobacco shreds and stems at 90℃ in Example 1. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The following detailed description, in conjunction with specific embodiments, illustrates a method for preparing tobacco shreds according to this application. This application can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of this application.

[0029] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein in the specification of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application.

[0030] As used herein, the terms “and / or,” “or / and,” and “and / or” may include any one of two or more of the related listed items, as well as any and all combinations of the related listed items, including any two related listed items, any more related listed items, or a combination of all the related listed items.

[0031] The weights of the relevant components mentioned in the embodiments of this application can refer not only to the specific content of each component, but also to the proportional relationship between the weights of the components. Therefore, any scaling up or down of the content of the relevant components according to the embodiments of this application is within the scope disclosed in the embodiments of this application. Specifically, the weights mentioned in the embodiments of this application can be well-known units of mass in the chemical industry, such as μg, mg, g, and kg.

[0032] In this application, numerical intervals (i.e., numerical ranges) are involved. Unless otherwise specified, the selected numerical distributions within the aforementioned numerical intervals are considered continuous and include the two endpoints (i.e., the minimum and maximum values) of the numerical range, as well as every value between these two endpoints. Unless otherwise specified, when a numerical interval refers only to integers within that interval, it includes the two endpoint integers of the numerical range, as well as every integer between the two endpoints. In this document, this is equivalent to directly listing every integer. For example, if t is an integer selected from 1 to 10, it means that t is any integer selected from the group of integers consisting of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Furthermore, when multiple ranges are provided to describe features or characteristics, these ranges can be merged. In other words, unless otherwise specified, the ranges disclosed herein should be understood to include any and all subranges to which they are included.

[0033] Unless otherwise specified, the temperature parameters in this application are permitted to be either constant-temperature treatment or variations within a certain temperature range. It should be understood that the constant-temperature treatment allows temperature fluctuations within the precision range of the instrument control, such as ±5℃, ±4℃, ±3℃, ±2℃, or ±1℃.

[0034] Traditional techniques require two separate drying machines and auxiliary systems for leaf and stem tobacco, resulting in a lengthy process, high equipment investment and energy consumption, and a high rate of tobacco breakage during the two drying processes, leading to raw material waste. Furthermore, separately dried stem tobacco, due to its dense structure and difficulty in moisture control, is prone to over- or under-drying, resulting in poor sensory quality, strong irritation, and a poor aftertaste, thus hindering the improvement of the quality of the finished cigarette.

[0035] Based on this, one embodiment of this application provides a method for preparing tobacco shreds, including steps S100 to S300.

[0036] Step S100: Pre-dry the cut stems to obtain pre-dried stems.

[0037] Step S200: Mix the pre-dried stems with the cut leaves to obtain mixed tobacco.

[0038] Step S300: The above-mentioned mixed tobacco shreds are subjected to heating and humidification treatment and drying treatment in sequence to prepare tobacco shreds;

[0039] The moisture content of the pre-dried stems is 17% to 21%; the moisture content of the cut leaf filaments is 20% to 23%, and the moisture content of the pre-dried stems is lower than that of the cut leaf filaments.

[0040] In the above-mentioned method for preparing tobacco shreds, the cut stems are first pre-dried to reduce their moisture content. Then, the pre-dried stems are mixed with the cut leaves. By controlling the specific moisture content of the pre-dried stems and the cut leaves, the mixing barrier of "stems clumping and leaves dispersing" caused by differences in physical properties is avoided, allowing the stems to be evenly dispersed in the leaves. This significantly improves the uniformity of the mixed tobacco shreds and avoids uneven stem distribution during subsequent processing and cigarette rolling. Subsequent heating and humidification treatments and drying are then performed. Furthermore, the heating and humidification treatment of the mixed tobacco shreds, based on the uniform mixing of leaves and stems, adds appropriate moisture and increases the temperature, further balancing the moisture distribution of the leaves and stems, while softening the tobacco fibers and reducing breakage during subsequent drying. This significantly improves the uniformity of the tobacco mixture and the stability of its physical properties, reduces breakage during processing, and effectively improves the sensory quality of the tobacco for smoking.

[0041] It should be noted that the moisture content of the pre-dried stems ranges from 17% to 21%, specifically the minimum and maximum values ​​within this range, as well as every value between these values. Specific examples include, but are not limited to, the point values ​​in the embodiments and the following point values: 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, or 21%; or any range consisting of any two of these values; for example, 17% to 20%.

[0042] The moisture content of the cut leaf filaments is in the range of "20%~23%", which includes the minimum and maximum values ​​within this range, as well as every value between these values. Specific examples include, but are not limited to, the point values ​​in the embodiments and the following point values: 20%, 20.5%, 21%, 21.5%, 22%, 22.5%, or 23%; or any range consisting of any two of these values; for example, 20%~22%.

[0043] It is understood that the drying equipment used in the above pre-drying process can be a thin plate drying equipment or an airflow drying equipment commonly used in the field. Based on the different moisture regain requirements and drying characteristics of leaf shreds and stem shreds, in order to adapt to the same processing intensity of leaf and stem shreds mixed and dried, the cut stem shreds are pre-dried so that some moisture is removed from the stem shreds in advance, thereby improving the homogenization level of cigarette processing.

[0044] In some embodiments, the temperature of the pre-drying treatment is 70℃~100℃, for example, 70℃, 72℃, 74℃, 76℃, 78℃, 80℃, 82℃, 84℃, 86℃, 88℃, 90℃, 92℃, 94℃, 96℃, 98℃, or 100℃, and the time is 3min~6min, for example, 3min, 4min, 5min, or 6min. In some examples, any two of these point values ​​can be used as endpoints within a range, and the same applies below.

[0045] In some embodiments, the temperature for the above-mentioned heating and humidification treatment is 70℃~90℃, the time is 2min~4min, and the moisture content of the mixed tobacco after the heating and humidification treatment is 20%~30%. For example, the temperature can be 70℃, 71℃, 72℃, 73℃, 74℃, 75℃, 76℃, 77℃, 78℃, 79℃, 80℃, 81℃, 82℃, 83℃, 84℃, 85℃, 86℃, 87℃, 88℃, 89℃, or 90℃, and the moisture content can be 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, 24%, 25%, 26%, 27%, 28%, 29%, or 30%. In some examples, any two of these point values ​​can be used as endpoints within a range, and the same applies below.

[0046] Understandably, the aforementioned heating and humidification treatments allow moisture to fully penetrate the interfiber spaces of the tobacco stems, softening the cell walls and improving the overall flexibility of the tobacco. This reduces tobacco breakage and loss during subsequent drying due to thermal stress and mechanical forces (such as the turning action of the rollers). Simultaneously, the softer tobacco is heated more evenly during drying, reducing the likelihood of localized scorching or structural damage, thus ensuring the stability of the finished tobacco's filler content and breakage resistance.

[0047] Furthermore, during the heating and humidification process, the blended tobacco is in a warm and humid environment, which enhances molecular activity and creates conditions for component migration between the leaves and stems. Aroma components in the leaves (such as volatile oils and polyphenols) can better penetrate into the stem matrix, compensating for the stems' lack of aroma. Simultaneously, the cellulose and hemicellulose in the stems are less prone to pyrolysis under mild heating and humidification conditions, avoiding the production of irritating off-flavors. Compared to the direct drying process without heating and humidification, the blended tobacco processed in this step exhibits stronger aroma harmony after subsequent drying, significantly reduces the irritation of the stems, and greatly improves the smoking comfort of the finished cigarette.

[0048] In some embodiments, the drying temperature is 130°C to 150°C, for example, 130°C, 131°C, 132°C, 133°C, 134°C, 135°C, 136°C, 137°C, 138°C, 139°C, 140°C, 141°C, 142°C, 143°C, 144°C, 145°C, 146°C, 147°C, 148°C, 149°C, or 150°C, and the time is 3 min to 6 min, for example, 3 min, 4 min, 5 min, or 6 min. The moisture content of the mixed tobacco after drying is 12% to 14%. As an example, the moisture content can be 12%, 12.5%, 13%, 13.5%, or 14%.

[0049] In some embodiments, based on the total mass of the above-mentioned mixed tobacco shreds, the mass percentage of the above-mentioned pre-dried stem shreds is 10% to 20%. For example, the mass percentage can be 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, or 20%. The mass percentage of the above-mentioned cut tobacco shreds is 80% to 90%, for example, it can be 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, or 90%.

[0050] In some embodiments, the method for preparing the cut leaf filaments includes the following steps:

[0051] The tobacco leaves to be processed are sequentially shredded and processed with additives to obtain shredded leaves.

[0052] In some embodiments, the width of the cut leaf filaments is 0.7mm to 1.5mm. For example, the width can be 0.7mm, 0.8mm, 0.9mm, 1.0mm, 1.1mm, 1.2mm, 1.3mm, 1.4mm or 1.5mm.

[0053] In some embodiments, the method for preparing the cut stem fibers includes the following steps:

[0054] The tobacco stems to be processed are sequentially shredded and then processed with added ingredients to obtain shredded stems.

[0055] In some embodiments, the thickness of the cut stem is 0.10mm to 0.18mm. For example, the thickness can be 0.10mm, 0.11mm, 0.12mm, 0.13mm, 0.14mm, 0.15mm, 0.16mm, 0.17mm or 0.18mm.

[0056] In some embodiments, the moisture content of the material before shredding the above-mentioned stems is 28% to 38%. For example, the moisture content can be 28%, 29%, 30%, 31%, 32%, 33%, 34%, 35%, 36%, 37%, or 38%.

[0057] In some embodiments, the outlet material temperature of the above-mentioned stalk feeding treatment is 40°C to 70°C. As an example, the temperature can be...

[0058] In some embodiments, the overall feeding accuracy in the above-described stem feeding process is ≤1.0%.

[0059] In some of these embodiments, the coefficient of variation of the instantaneous feeding ratio is ≤1.0%.

[0060] In some embodiments, the moisture content of the cut stem filaments is 23% to 32%. For example, the moisture content can be 23%, 24%, 25%, 26%, 27%, 28%, 29%, 30%, 31%, or 32%.

[0061] After the pre-drying process achieves uniform mixing of leaves and stems, subsequent heating, humidification, and drying can be uniformly controlled for the homogenized mixed tobacco shreds, eliminating the need to adjust the process parameters for leaves and stems separately, thus simplifying the processing flow.

[0062] Another embodiment of this application provides a tobacco shred, which is prepared using the above-described method for preparing tobacco shreds.

[0063] The aforementioned tobacco shreds, through the establishment of an integrated process of mixing and drying leaf and stem shreds, allow the mixing of leaf and stem shred components to be moved from the blending process to before the drying process. This simplifies the tobacco processing flow, saves energy and reduces consumption for enterprises, and, by leveraging the key step of mixing and drying, significantly improves the uniformity of tobacco shred mixing and the stability of physical indicators, reduces breakage during processing, effectively improves the sensory quality of stem shreds, enhances the smoking quality of finished cigarettes, and thus comprehensively promotes the improvement of product quality.

[0064] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer and more concise, the following specific embodiments are used for illustration, but this application is by no means limited to these embodiments. The embodiments described below are merely preferred embodiments of this application and can be used to describe this application, but should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. It should be noted that any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

[0065] To better illustrate this application, the following description, in conjunction with specific embodiments, further explains its content. The following are specific embodiments.

[0066] Example 1

[0067] 1. Study on the moisture diffusion characteristics of leaf and stem fibers during drying

[0068] Due to the differences in the tissue structure and internal components of tobacco leaves and stems, the drying characteristics of leaf fibers and stem fibers vary greatly. In order to achieve integrated drying of leaf fibers and stem fibers under the same drying intensity, this application has conducted research on the moisture diffusion characteristics of leaf fibers and stem fibers during drying.

[0069] The specific experimental steps are as follows: 1) Material balance: Place the leaf filaments and stem filaments in a constant temperature and humidity chamber (e.g., temperature 22±1℃, relative humidity 60±2%) for more than 48 hours to balance them so that their initial moisture content is uniform and record the initial moisture content (measured by oven method at 105℃).

[0070] 2) Sample quantification: For each experiment, weigh a certain mass (e.g., 10.0 g) of the equilibrated sample to ensure that the sample forms a uniform monolayer in the container, minimizing the influence of the internal moisture gradient on diffusion. (Quickly place the pretreated sample into a drying device that has reached the set conditions.)

[0071] 3) Real-time weighing: Take out the sample quickly at fixed time intervals (such as every 30 seconds or 1 minute in the early stage, and the interval can be appropriately extended in the later stage), record its mass change, and then immediately put it back to continue drying.

[0072] 4) Drying endpoint: Continue drying until the sample mass is essentially constant (i.e., the equilibrium moisture content is reached). Repeated tests: Each test condition should be repeated at least 3 times to ensure data reliability.

[0073] The results are as follows Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 The drying rate curves of flue-cured tobacco shreds and stems at 90℃ are shown. Under the same drying conditions, the leaf shreds and stems lose water faster and have a higher effective water diffusion coefficient than the leaf shreds because the leaf shreds have a more complex internal pore structure and contain more hydrophilic substances.

[0074] 2. Preparation of stems

[0075] (1) Pretreatment of tobacco stems: By adjusting the pretreatment intensity parameters such as the temperature of the washing and soaking water, the frequency of the circulating mesh belt, the proportion of process water added, the proportion of process steam added, and the moisture balance time after pretreatment of tobacco stems, the moisture content of the material before cutting the stems is reduced while meeting the requirements for cutting the stems into shreds.

[0076] (2) Cutting the stems: After the tobacco stems are washed, soaked, and rehydrated, they are cut into shreds with a width of 1.4 mm and a thickness of 0.18 mm using a shredding and forming equipment.

[0077] (3) Feeding of stems: Under the control of a constant current electronic scale, the stems obtained in step (2) are fed into the stem feeding equipment at a certain flow rate (specifically 1000 kg / h). The flow rate of the liquid is matched with the flow rate of the material at a certain ratio (specifically 2.0%) and the stems are fed through the liquid application system. The processing time of the feeding process is 3 min, the processing temperature is 50℃, the temperature control method is cylinder wall heating, and the moisture content of the stems after feeding is 31%.

[0078] (4) Pre-drying of stems: Based on the different moisture regain requirements and drying characteristics of leaf and stem fibers, in order to adapt to the same processing intensity of leaf and stem fiber mixed drying, the stem fibers after feeding are pre-dried to remove some moisture. An airflow drying equipment is selected to obtain pre-dried stem fibers with a moisture content of 19%.

[0079] 3. Preparation of leaf filaments

[0080] (1) Shredding: After the tobacco sheets are discharged from the storage tank, they are cut into leaf shreds with a width of (1.0) mm and a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm by a shredding forming equipment.

[0081] (2) Leaf feeding: Under the control of constant flow electronic scale, the cut leaf shreds are transported to the leaf shred feeding equipment at a certain flow rate (specifically 6000 kg / h). The liquid flow rate matches the material flow rate at a certain ratio (specifically 3.0%) and the leaf shreds are fed through the liquid application system. The moisture content is 20%.

[0082] 4. Preparation of tobacco shreds

[0083] (1) Heating and humidifying the mixed tobacco: The pre-dried stems were mixed with the cut leaves in a certain proportion using a mixing scale. The proportions of leaves and stems in the mixed tobacco were 82% and 18%, respectively. The tobacco was expanded by the humidification unit of the drum-type equipment. The temperature and time of the heating and humidification treatment were 85°C and 3 min. The moisture content of the mixed tobacco after the heating and humidification treatment was 23%.

[0084] (2) Mixed tobacco: After the heating and humidification are completed, the mixed tobacco is conveyed to the drying equipment by vibration conveyor. The drying equipment can be a drum drying equipment. During the vibration conveying and drying process, the leaves and stems are dehydrated and mixed. The drying temperature is 140℃ and the time is 5min. The moisture content of the mixed tobacco after drying is 13%.

[0085] Example 2

[0086] The preparation method of tobacco shreds in Example 2 is basically the same as that in Example 1. The difference is that the moisture content of the pre-dried tobacco shreds in step 2 is different. Specifically, the moisture content of the pre-dried tobacco shreds is 17%.

[0087] Other conditions and parameters are the same as in Example 1.

[0088] Example 3

[0089] The preparation method of tobacco shreds in Example 3 is basically the same as that in Example 1. The difference is that the moisture content of the pre-dried tobacco shreds in the preparation process of stem shreds in step 2 is different. Specifically, the moisture content of the pre-dried tobacco shreds is 21%, while the moisture content of the leaf shreds after adding the material in the preparation process of leaf shreds in step 3 is 23%.

[0090] Other conditions and parameters are the same as in Example 1.

[0091] Comparative Example 1

[0092] The preparation method of tobacco shreds in Comparative Example 1 is basically the same as that in Example 1. The difference is that the moisture content of the pre-dried tobacco shreds in step 2 is different. Specifically, the moisture content of the pre-dried tobacco shreds is 15%.

[0093] Other conditions and parameters are the same as in Example 1.

[0094] Comparative Example 2

[0095] The tobacco shreds in Comparative Example 2 were prepared using a traditional tobacco processing technique, specifically:

[0096] 1. Preparation of leaf filaments

[0097] (1) Shredding: After the tobacco sheets are discharged from the storage tank, they are cut into leaf shreds with a width of (1.0) mm by a shredding and forming equipment.

[0098] (2) Leaf feeding: Under the control of a constant flow electronic scale, the cut leaf shreds are transported to the leaf feeding equipment at a certain flow rate. The liquid flow rate matches the material flow rate at a certain ratio (specifically 3.0%) and the leaf shreds are fed through the liquid application system.

[0099] (3) Temperature and humidity treatment of leaf filaments: The leaf filaments after the above-mentioned feeding are expanded by passing through a humidification and humidity treatment device.

[0100] (4) Leaf drying: The above-mentioned leaf fibers are dried by roller thin plate drying.

[0101] 2. Preparation of stems

[0102] (1) Pretreatment of tobacco stems: By adjusting the pretreatment intensity parameters such as the temperature of the washing and soaking water, the frequency of the circulating mesh belt, the proportion of process water added, the proportion of process steam added, and the moisture balance time after pretreatment of tobacco stems, the moisture content of the material before cutting the stems is reduced while meeting the requirements for cutting the stems into shreds.

[0103] (2) Cutting the stems: After the tobacco stems are washed, soaked, and rehydrated, they are cut into 0.18mm thick shreds using a shredding and forming equipment.

[0104] (3) Feeding of stems: Under the control of a constant current electronic scale, the stems obtained in step (2) are fed into the stem feeding equipment at a certain flow rate (specifically 1000 kg / h). The flow rate of the liquid (specifically A stem liquid) matches the flow rate of the material at a certain ratio (specifically 2.0%) and the stems are fed through the liquid application system. The processing time of the feeding process is 3 min, the processing temperature is 50℃, the temperature control method is cylinder wall heating, and the moisture content of the stems after feeding is 32%.

[0105] (4) Drying of stems: The stems after feeding are dried using a drum dryer to obtain dried stems with a moisture content of 13.0%.

[0106] 3. Preparation of tobacco shreds

[0107] In the blending process, tobacco shreds are prepared by using a proportioning scale to ensure that the proportions of leaf shreds and stem shreds in the tobacco shred formula are 89.89% and 10.11%, respectively.

[0108] Comparative Example 3

[0109] The preparation methods of tobacco shreds in Comparative Example 3 and Comparative Example 2 using traditional tobacco processing techniques are basically the same. The difference lies in the proportion of leaf shreds and stem shreds in the mixed tobacco shreds. Specifically, the proportions of leaf shreds and stem shreds in the mixed tobacco shreds are 79.80% and 20.20%, respectively.

[0110] Other conditions and parameters are the same as in Comparative Example 2.

[0111] test:

[0112] 1. The tobacco shreds prepared in each embodiment and comparative example were tested for the uniformity of stem mixing, specifically according to YC / T 426—2012 "Determination of Tobacco Mixing Uniformity".

[0113] 2. The moisture content and moisture content fluctuation during the preparation process of tobacco shreds in each embodiment and comparative example were tested, specifically according to GB / T 22838.8—2009 "Determination of physical properties of cigarettes and filter rods - Part 8: Moisture content".

[0114] 3. The range of tobacco filling values ​​of the tobacco shreds prepared in each embodiment and comparative example was tested, specifically according to YC / T 152—2001 "Determination of tobacco filling value of cigarette shreds".

[0115] 4. The sensory quality of the tobacco prepared in each embodiment and comparative example was evaluated. The sensory quality evaluation standard referred to the national standard YC / T 138—199 "Sensory Evaluation Methods for Tobacco and Tobacco Products".

[0116] The test results are shown in Table 1.

[0117] Table 1

[0118]

[0119] As shown in Table 1, compared with the comparative example, the tobacco shreds prepared by the technical solution of this application have better mixing uniformity, smaller moisture content fluctuations, and better sensory quality when smoked. Examples 1-3 show the effect of using a mixed drying process, and all four indicators are better than those using a traditional drying process, which serves as good evidence of the technical effect.

[0120] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0121] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for preparing tobacco shreds, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The cut stem shreds are pre-dried to obtain pre-dried stem shreds; The pre-dried stems are mixed with the chopped leaves to obtain mixed tobacco; and The mixed tobacco shreds are subjected to heating and humidification treatments and drying treatments in sequence to prepare tobacco shreds; The moisture content of the pre-dried stems is 17%~21%; the moisture content of the cut leaf filaments is 20%~23%, and the moisture content of the pre-dried stems is lower than that of the cut leaf filaments.

2. The method for preparing tobacco shreds as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The pre-drying treatment is performed at a temperature of 70℃~100℃ for a time of 3min~6min.

3. The method for preparing tobacco shreds as described in any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that, The temperature for the heating and humidification treatment is 70℃~90℃, and the time is 2min~4min. After the heating and humidification treatment, the moisture content of the mixed tobacco is 20%~30%.

4. The method for preparing tobacco shreds as described in any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that, The drying process is carried out at a temperature of 130℃~150℃ for 3min~6min, and the moisture content of the mixed tobacco shreds after drying is 12%~14%.

5. The method for preparing tobacco shreds as described in any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that, Based on the total mass of the mixed tobacco, the pre-dried stems account for 10% to 20% of the mass, and the cut tobacco accounts for 80% to 90% of the mass.

6. The method for preparing tobacco shreds according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that, The method for preparing the cut leaf filaments includes the following steps: The tobacco leaves to be processed are sequentially shredded and processed with additives to obtain shredded leaves.

7. The method for preparing tobacco shreds as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The width of the cut leaf filaments is 0.7mm to 1.5mm.

8. The method for preparing tobacco shreds according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that, The method for preparing the cut stem filaments includes the following steps: The tobacco stems to be processed are sequentially shredded and then processed with added ingredients to obtain shredded stems.

9. The method for preparing tobacco shreds as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The thickness of the cut stem strands is 0.10mm~0.18mm; And / or, the moisture content of the cut stem filaments is 23%~32%.

10. A type of tobacco shreds, characterized in that, The tobacco shreds are prepared using the method described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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