A tobacco stem reconstituted fiber filter rod and a method for preparing the same

Abstract

The application discloses a tobacco stem reconstituted fiber filter rod and a preparation method thereof, and belongs to the technical field of tobacco processing. The filter rod is formed by gathering a plurality of tobacco stem reconstituted fibers and wrapping the formed filter rod with a forming paper; the tobacco stem reconstituted fiber is a continuous fiber bundle, which is prepared by sequentially crushing, winnowing, screening, fermentation and aging, and then high-temperature extrusion forming and cooling and setting of tobacco stem raw materials. The preparation method comprises five steps of tobacco stem pretreatment, fermentation and aging, blending, fiber forming and filter forming. Preferably, the fermentation and aging is performed in the order of composite enzymolysis first and then microbial fermentation. The application uses tobacco stem waste as a main raw material and cooperates with a natural degradable adhesive to realize the overall biodegradation of the filter body, and completely solves the environmental pollution problem of waste filters; meanwhile, tobacco original flavor substances are generated through the fermentation and aging process, and no additional essence is needed, so that the cigarette smoke is more natural and comfortable; the preparation process is simple, the energy consumption is low, and the industrialized production is easy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of tobacco processing technology, specifically relating to a tobacco stem reconstituted fiber filter and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] Cigarette filters are an important component of cigarettes, primarily functioning to trap particulate matter such as tar and nicotine in cigarette smoke, reducing the harm of smoking to the human body. Currently, commercially available cigarette filters generally use cellulose acetate tow as the filter material. Cellulose acetate has good filtration performance and stable physical strength, effectively trapping harmful components in cigarette smoke, and has become the standard material for cigarette filters. However, cellulose acetate is derived from the acetylation modification of natural wood pulp. Although it claims to have some biodegradability, its degradation period in the natural environment is relatively long, especially under soil burial conditions, resulting in slow degradation. Discarded filters remain one of the major environmental pollutants faced by the tobacco industry. Furthermore, as a chemically modified material, cellulose acetate itself does not possess tobacco flavor. Current technology often requires the addition of flavorings to the filters to improve the smoking experience or impart a distinctive aroma. This method of adding flavorings suffers from problems such as short-lasting aroma, poor harmony with cigarette smoke, easy volatilization and loss, and increased costs.

[0003] On the other hand, the tobacco industry generates a large amount of tobacco stem by-products annually, accounting for approximately 25% to 30% of the weight of tobacco leaves. These stems are mostly discarded, piled up, or incinerated, resulting not only in resource waste but also environmental burden. Tobacco stems themselves are rich in natural plant fiber components such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, and also contain abundant endogenous tobacco aroma components, possessing potential advantages as a natural filter material. If they can be utilized in filter manufacturing, it would not only solve the problem of tobacco waste disposal but also yield fully biodegradable natural filter materials. Furthermore, it is expected that the inherent tobacco aroma substances in the stems could be utilized to impart a pure tobacco aroma to the filter without the addition of external flavorings.

[0004] However, existing attempts to apply tobacco stems in filter tips still have significant limitations. Currently, there are two main technical directions: One is to crush tobacco stems and use them as particulate additives, dispersing them in cellulose acetate tow to create composite filters. In this method, tobacco stems are only dispersed as auxiliary components in traditional filter materials; the main structure of the filter remains cellulose acetate, failing to fundamentally solve the environmental problem of difficult degradation. Simultaneously, the tobacco stem particles are encapsulated by cellulose acetate, limiting aroma release and hindering the full expression of the tobacco's natural aroma. The second method involves using tobacco stems to create a paper-based material, which is then slit into fine filaments and shaped into filters. While this method uses tobacco stems as the main raw material, the papermaking process is complex, involving numerous water treatment, papermaking, and drying steps, resulting in high energy consumption and significant equipment investment. Furthermore, the resulting paper-based material has a fundamentally different morphology and structure from the filter tow, and its forming and filtration performance, as well as its compatibility with existing filter forming equipment, still need improvement.

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

[0006] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the present invention aims to provide a tobacco stem reconstituted fiber filter rod and its preparation method, thereby solving the problems of existing cellulose acetate filters being difficult to degrade and requiring the addition of external flavorings. At the same time, it overcomes the defects of existing tobacco stem utilization technologies, such as the inability of the particle addition method to get rid of the cellulose acetate body and the complex and energy-intensive papermaking process, to achieve high-value utilization of tobacco stem resources and obtain a completely biodegradable, pure natural filter material with the natural aroma of tobacco.

[0007] The technical solution adopted in this invention is:

[0008] The first aspect of the present invention provides a tobacco stem reconstituted fiber filter rod, wherein the filter rod is formed by a plurality of tobacco stem reconstituted fibers gathered together and wrapped with forming paper; wherein the tobacco stem reconstituted fiber is a continuous fiber bundle, which is obtained by the tobacco stem raw material being crushed, air-separated, sieved, fermented and mellowed, blended and then extruded and cooled at high temperature.

[0009] Preferably, the diameter of the reconstituted tobacco stem fiber is 0.2~2.0mm, it is in the form of continuous filaments, and its cross-section is circular, elliptical or irregular in shape.

[0010] A second aspect of the present invention provides a method for preparing a tobacco stem reconstituted fiber filter rod as described in the first aspect, characterized by comprising the following steps:

[0011] Step (1) Pretreatment of tobacco stems: The tobacco stem raw material is crushed to 40~120 mesh, and the light pith and dust impurities are removed by air separation. Then, it is sieved to obtain tobacco stem powder with uniform particle size.

[0012] Step (2) Fermentation and aging: The tobacco stem powder is fermented and aged to degrade pectin and lignin, soften the fiber structure and generate tobacco aroma substances;

[0013] Step (3) Mixing: Mix the fermented and aged tobacco stem powder with the binder, add water and mix into a semi-fluid slurry with fluidity and plasticity;

[0014] Step (4) Fiber forming: The semi-fluid slurry is extruded through a porous spinneret at high temperature and cooled and shaped by cold air at the extrusion outlet to form continuous tobacco stem reconstituted fibers.

[0015] Step (5) Filter forming: The continuous tobacco stem reconstituted fibers are naturally gathered through the flared mouthpiece, wrapped with forming paper, and cut to the required length to obtain the filter rod.

[0016] Preferably, the fermentation and alcoholization in step (2) is carried out in the order of first compound enzymatic hydrolysis and then microbial fermentation. First, pectin and lignin are degraded by enzymatic hydrolysis, and then the fibers are further softened and the tobacco aroma is enhanced by microbial fermentation. The temperature is controlled at 30~60℃ and the relative humidity is 60%~90% throughout the process. The total treatment time is 36~96 hours, and ventilation and exhaust are carried out continuously during the process.

[0017] Preferably, the specific operation of the fermentation and alcoholization is as follows:

[0018] (1) Compound enzymatic hydrolysis stage: Add a compound enzyme preparation to the tobacco stem powder. The compound enzyme preparation is composed of pectinase and ligninase mixed in a mass ratio of 1:1~3. The amount of compound enzyme preparation added is 0.1%~0.5% of the mass of tobacco stem powder. After adding, stir evenly, control the temperature at 35~50℃ and the relative humidity at 70%~85%, and enzymatic hydrolysis for 12~24 hours. During the enzymatic hydrolysis process, ventilate and exhaust once every 6 hours for 15~20 minutes each time. The pectinase activity is ≥5000 U / g and the ligninase activity is ≥3000 U / g.

[0019] (2) Microbial fermentation stage: After enzymatic hydrolysis, a microbial agent is added to the tobacco stem powder. The microbial agent is a mixture of yeast and lactic acid bacteria at a mass ratio of 2:1. The inoculation amount of the agent is 0.3%~0.8% of the mass of the tobacco stem powder. After inoculation, the mixture is stirred evenly. The temperature is controlled at 30~45℃ and the relative humidity at 65%~90%. Fermentation lasts for 24~72 hours. During the fermentation process, the mixture is turned over and ventilated every 8 hours for 20~30 minutes each time. The viable count of the yeast is ≥10. 8 CFU / g, viable lactic acid bacteria count ≥10 8 CFU / g.

[0020] Preferably, the adhesive in step (3) is one or more of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, guar gum, konjac gum, and starch, and its addition amount is 5% to 20% of the weight of the tobacco stem powder;

[0021] Preferably, the semi-fluid slurry in step (3) has a water content of 30% to 60% and a viscosity of 500 to 5000 mPa·s.

[0022] Preferably, in step (4), the high-temperature extrusion temperature is 120~180℃, the extrusion pressure is 0.5~2.0MPa, and the diameter of the spinneret holes is 0.2~2.0mm, which is compatible with the diameter of the tobacco stem reconstituted fiber; the cooling air is blown parallel to the fiber extrusion direction, the temperature of the cooling air is 15~25℃, and the wind speed is 1~3m / s.

[0023] Preferably, the specific operation of filter tip forming in step (5) is as follows: the continuous tobacco stem reconstituted fibers after cooling and shaping are passed through the flared mouth for initial gathering to obtain a loose fiber bundle; the outlet end of the flared mouth is provided with a forming suction ribbon, the forming surface of the forming suction ribbon is gradually set along the fiber bundle conveying direction, gradually transitioning from a plane to a semicircle, and finally to a circle; the forming suction ribbon makes a cyclical movement, adsorbing the forming paper through negative pressure and driving it to move forward continuously, the forming paper and the forming suction ribbon are closely attached, and with the gradual movement of the forming suction ribbon... The shape of the fiber bundle changes gradually during the transformation process. The loose fiber bundle, after initial gathering, is continuously fed into the surface of the forming paper attached to the suction tape. The forming paper pulls the fiber bundle forward continuously under the action of the forming suction tape, while applying a stable traction force to the fiber bundle. As the suction tape gradually changes, the forming paper gradually wraps around the outer periphery of the fiber bundle. Under the action of traction force and the wrapping effect of the forming paper, the fiber bundle gathers into a cylindrical continuous filter bar along the gradually changing surface of the forming suction tape. The continuous filter bar continues to move forward under the pull of the subsequent conveying device, and is then cut into the preset length by the slitting mechanism to obtain the filter rod.

[0024] A third aspect of the present invention provides the application of a reconstituted tobacco stem fiber filter rod as described in any of the first aspects in a cigarette filter rod, the filter rod being used to replace a traditional fiber filter rod and being assembled at the end of a cigarette.

[0025] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0026] 1. This invention uses tobacco stems, a type of tobacco waste, as the main raw material, combined with naturally sourced binders to prepare reclaimed tobacco stem fiber filter rods. Tobacco stems themselves are rich in natural polymers such as cellulose and hemicellulose, and the selected binders are all biodegradable materials that can be completely decomposed by microorganisms in the natural environment. Compared with existing cellulose acetate filters, this invention's filter rods eliminate the need for chemically modified materials, achieving overall biodegradability of the filter body and completely eliminating the persistent environmental pollution risks posed by discarded filters.

[0027] 2. This invention uses tobacco stems, a byproduct of cigarette production, as the main raw material. Through fermentation and aging processes and extrusion fiber technology, low-value tobacco stems are transformed into high-value-added filter fiber materials. This not only solves the environmental burden caused by the accumulation and burning of large amounts of tobacco stems, but also opens up a new way for the resource utilization of tobacco waste, which is in line with the strategic direction of green, low-carbon, and sustainable development in the tobacco industry.

[0028] 3. This invention utilizes a fermentation and aging process to degrade pectin, lignin, and other components in tobacco stems that cause off-flavors and irritation. Simultaneously, through microbial metabolism, it effectively transforms and generates abundant endogenous aroma components from tobacco. The resulting filter rod possesses a natural, mellow, and long-lasting tobacco aroma, eliminating the need for added flavorings like traditional cellulose acetate filters. This avoids the problems associated with added flavorings, such as short-lasting aroma, poor harmony with smoke, easy volatilization loss, and increased costs, resulting in a more natural and comfortable cigarette smoke.

[0029] 4. This invention utilizes a high-temperature extrusion combined with a cold-air setting process to extrude a semi-fluid slurry of mellowed tobacco stem powder and binder through a porous spinneret, producing continuous fiber bundles with controllable diameter and diverse cross-sectional shapes. This process endows the reconstituted tobacco stem fibers with excellent strength, flexibility, and uniformity, enabling them to function as independent filter media. Subsequent use of a gradient cross-section aggregation molding technique results in filter rods with physical structures and filtration performance comparable to traditional cellulose acetate filters, completely replacing traditional fiber bundles and compatible with existing filter forming equipment without requiring large-scale modifications to the production line.

[0030] 5. Compared with existing technologies that use papermaking to prepare filter materials from tobacco stems, this invention eliminates complex water treatment processes such as pulping, papermaking, and drying, significantly shortening the process flow and reducing energy consumption. This invention achieves continuous and automated production from tobacco stems to filter rods through a dry / semi-dry process route of "pulverization-aging-blending-extrusion-molding," requiring minimal equipment investment and simple process control, thus possessing extremely high industrial application prospects and promotional value. Attached Figure Description

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0032] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the tobacco stem reconstituted fiber filter rod provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of the cross-sectional morphology of the reconstituted tobacco stem fiber provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process principle of fiber bundles being gathered by a gradually changing cross section during the filter tip forming process provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the preparation process of the tobacco stem reconstituted fiber filter rod provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure label:

[0037] 1. Reconstituted tobacco stem fiber; 2. Trumpet-shaped gathering device; 3. Gradient cross-section shaped suction ribbon; 4. Formed paper; 5. Continuous filter strip. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to embodiments, but this is not intended to limit the invention. Any modifications or improvements made based on the teachings of the present invention fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Where specific techniques or conditions are not specified in the embodiments, they shall be performed in accordance with the techniques or conditions described in the literature in the art or in accordance with the product manual.

[0039] Example 1

[0040] This embodiment provides a method for preparing a tobacco stem reconstituted fiber filter rod, including the following steps:

[0041] Step (1) Pretreatment of tobacco stems: Take dried tobacco stem raw materials and crush them to 80 mesh using a pulverizer to obtain coarse tobacco stem powder. Send the coarse tobacco stem powder into an air classifier, adjust the air volume to remove light pith and dust impurities, and collect heavier particles. Then pass the air-classified tobacco stem particles through an 80-mesh standard sieve to remove excessively fine powder, and obtain tobacco stem powder with uniform particle size for later use.

[0042] Step (2) Fermentation and aging: The tobacco stem powder obtained in step (1) is placed in a fermentation tank, and an appropriate amount of water is added to adjust the moisture content of the material to 75%. The temperature is controlled at 45℃ and the relative humidity at 80%. Fermentation and aging are carried out for 48 hours, with continuous ventilation and exhaust during the process. After fermentation, fermented and aged tobacco stem powder is obtained.

[0043] Step (3) Mixing: Take 1000g of fermented tobacco stem powder obtained in step (2), add 80g of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (the amount added is 8% of the weight of the tobacco stem powder), and mix evenly. Then slowly add deionized water while stirring until a semi-fluid slurry with fluidity and plasticity is formed. Control the water content of the slurry to be 45% and the viscosity to be 2500mPa·s (measured using a rotational viscometer at 25℃).

[0044] Step (4) Fiber Forming: The semi-fluid slurry obtained in step (3) is fed into an extrusion molding machine and extruded through a multi-hole spinneret (spinneret diameter 0.8 mm, number of holes 100) under pressure of 1.2 MPa and temperature of 150°C. At the extrusion outlet, cold air (temperature 20°C, wind speed 2 m / s) is blown parallel to the fiber extrusion direction to rapidly cool and solidify the extrudate, forming continuous tobacco stem reconstituted fibers.

[0045] Step (5) Filter tip forming: as follows Figure 3 As shown, the continuous tobacco stem reconstituted fibers obtained in step (4) are initially gathered through the trumpet-shaped gathering device 2 to obtain a loose fiber bundle. The outlet end of the trumpet-shaped device is provided with a gradient cross-section forming suction ribbon 3. The forming surface of the gradient cross-section forming suction ribbon 3 is gradually set along the fiber bundle conveying direction, gradually transitioning from a plane to a semi-circle and finally to a circle. The gradient cross-section forming suction ribbon 3 performs a cyclical motion, adsorbing the forming paper 4 through negative pressure and driving it to move forward continuously. The loose fiber bundle is continuously fed into the surface of the forming paper 4 attached to the suction ribbon. The forming paper 4 pulls the fiber bundle forward under the drive of the suction ribbon, while applying a stable traction force to the fiber bundle. Under the traction force and the wrapping effect of the forming paper, the fiber bundle is gathered into a cylindrical continuous filter strip 5 along the gradient surface of the suction ribbon. The continuous filter strip 5 continues to move forward under the pull of the subsequent conveying device, and is cut into 120mm lengths by the cutting mechanism to obtain the tobacco stem reconstituted fiber filter rod.

[0046] The reconstituted tobacco stem fiber filter rod prepared in this embodiment is as follows: Figure 1 As shown, it is made by wrapping several reconstituted tobacco stem fibers 1 with molded paper; wherein the cross-sectional shape of the reconstituted tobacco stem fiber 1 is as follows. Figure 2 As shown, the shape can be circular, elliptical, or irregular. The entire process flow is as follows: Figure 4 As shown.

[0047] The filter rod obtained in this embodiment has a draw resistance of 285 mmH2O, a hardness of 82.5%, and a circumference of 24.2 mm. All indicators meet the quality requirements for cigarette filter rods.

[0048] Example 2

[0049] This embodiment provides a method for preparing a tobacco stem reconstituted fiber filter rod. The difference from Embodiment 1 is that step (2) fermentation and alcoholization is carried out in the order of first performing compound enzymatic hydrolysis and then microbial fermentation. The specific operation is as follows:

[0050] Step (2) Fermentation and alcoholization:

[0051] (1) Compound enzymatic hydrolysis stage: Add a compound enzyme preparation to the tobacco stem powder obtained in step (1). The compound enzyme preparation is a mixture of pectinase (activity ≥ 5000 U / g) and ligninase (activity ≥ 3000 U / g) in a mass ratio of 1:2. The amount of compound enzyme preparation added is 0.3% of the mass of the tobacco stem powder. After adding, stir evenly, control the temperature at 42℃ and the relative humidity at 78%, and enzymatically hydrolyze for 18 hours. During the enzymatic hydrolysis process, ventilate and exhaust once every 6 hours for 18 minutes each time.

[0052] (2) Microbial fermentation stage: After enzymatic hydrolysis, a microbial agent is inoculated into the tobacco stem powder. The microbial agent is yeast (live count ≥ 10). 8 CFU / g) and lactic acid bacteria (live count ≥10 8 The inoculum (CFU / g) is mixed at a mass ratio of 2:1, and the inoculum amount is 0.5% of the mass of the tobacco stem powder. After inoculation, stir evenly, control the temperature at 38℃ and the relative humidity at 78%, and ferment for 48 hours. During the fermentation process, turn the mixture over and ventilate for 25 minutes every 8 hours.

[0053] The remaining steps are the same as in Example 1.

[0054] Testing revealed that the filter rod obtained in this embodiment has a draw resistance of 276 mmH2O, a hardness of 83.2%, and a circumference of 24.1 mm. Sensory evaluation results indicate that the filter rod of this embodiment has a more pronounced tobacco aroma, with a more mellow and natural fragrance.

[0055] Example 3

[0056] This embodiment provides a method for preparing a tobacco stem reconstituted fiber filter rod. The difference from Embodiment 1 is that some process parameters are adjusted to verify the feasibility of the parameter range.

[0057] Step (1) Pretreatment of tobacco stems: The tobacco stem raw material is crushed to 40 mesh and then air-separated and sieved to obtain tobacco stem powder.

[0058] Step (2) Fermentation and alcoholization: The same "enzymatic hydrolysis followed by fermentation" process as in Example 2 is adopted, but the parameters are adjusted: the temperature of the compound enzymatic hydrolysis stage is 35℃ and the relative humidity is 70%, and the enzymatic hydrolysis time is 12 hours; the temperature of the microbial fermentation stage is 30℃ and the relative humidity is 65%, and the fermentation time is 24 hours.

[0059] Step (3) Mixing: Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is selected as the binder, and the amount added is 5% of the weight of tobacco stem powder. The moisture content of the slurry is 30% and the viscosity is 500 mPa·s.

[0060] Step (4) Fiber forming: High temperature extrusion temperature 120℃, extrusion pressure 0.5MPa, spinneret diameter 0.2mm, cold air temperature 15℃, wind speed 1m / s.

[0061] Step (5) Filter tip forming: Same as in Example 1.

[0062] Testing showed that the filter rod obtained in this embodiment has a draw resistance of 312 mmH2O, a hardness of 80.1%, and a circumference of 24.3 mm. All indicators still meet the quality requirements for cigarette filter rods.

[0063] Example 4

[0064] This embodiment provides a method for preparing a tobacco stem reconstituted fiber filter rod. The difference from Embodiment 2 is that the process parameters are adjusted to the upper limit to verify the feasibility of the parameter range.

[0065] Step (1) Pretreatment of tobacco stems: The tobacco stem raw material is crushed to 120 mesh and then air-separated and sieved to obtain tobacco stem powder.

[0066] Step (2) Fermentation and alcoholization: The temperature of the compound enzymatic hydrolysis stage is 50℃ and the relative humidity is 85%, and the enzymatic hydrolysis lasts for 24 hours; the temperature of the microbial fermentation stage is 45℃ and the relative humidity is 90%, and the fermentation lasts for 72 hours.

[0067] Step (3) Mixing: Guar gum and konjac gum are selected as the adhesive and mixed in a 1:1 ratio. The total amount added is 20% of the weight of tobacco stem powder. The moisture content of the slurry is 60% and the viscosity is 5000 mPa·s.

[0068] Step (4) Fiber forming: High temperature extrusion temperature 180℃, extrusion pressure 2.0MPa, spinneret diameter 2.0mm, cold air temperature 25℃, wind speed 3m / s.

[0069] Step (5) Filter tip forming: Same as in Example 1.

[0070] The filter rod obtained in this embodiment has a suction resistance of 268 mmH2O, a hardness of 84.6%, and a circumference of 24.0 mm, all of which meet the requirements.

[0071] Test Example 1

[0072] The reconstituted tobacco stem fiber filter rods prepared in Example 2 were subjected to a soil burial degradation experiment. The filter rods were buried in moist soil at a depth of approximately 10 cm, and periodically removed for observation and weighing. The results showed that the filter rods began to show significant disintegration after 30 days of burial, with a mass loss rate of 65% after 60 days, and were almost completely degraded after 90 days. In contrast, the control cellulose acetate filter rods maintained their intact shape and showed no significant degradation under the same conditions after 90 days.

[0073] This demonstrates that the tobacco stem recycled fiber filter rod prepared by this invention has excellent biodegradability and can completely solve the environmental pollution problem of waste filters.

[0074] Test Example 2

[0075] The reconstituted tobacco stem fiber filter rods prepared in Examples 1-4, along with commercially available cellulose acetate filters as controls, were attached to cigarettes of the same specification. Following the national standard GB 5606.4-2005 "Cigarettes Part 4: Sensory Technical Requirements" and the industry standard YC / T 138-1998 "Sensory Evaluation Methods for Tobacco and Tobacco Products," a 7-member evaluation panel (including selected evaluators and experts) was formed to conduct sensory quality evaluation of the samples using a holistic cyclical evaluation method. Evaluation indicators included aroma (aroma quality, aroma quantity, and aroma aftertaste), harmony, off-flavors, irritation, and aftertaste, using a 5-point scoring system (5 being the best and 1 the worst). The evaluation result was the arithmetic mean of the scores from all evaluators.

[0076] The evaluation results showed that: the filter rod of Example 1 had a distinct tobacco aroma, a natural fragrance, and low irritation, with all indicators scoring above 4.0; the filter rod of Example 2, using a pre-enzymatic hydrolysis followed by fermentation process, had a more mellow and lasting tobacco aroma, good aroma harmony, and a delicate and comfortable smoke, with aroma characteristics and harmony scores significantly better than Example 1; the filter rods of Examples 3 and 4 also had good sensory quality, with a distinct tobacco aroma and no off-flavors, with all indicators scoring above 3.8. While commercially available cellulose acetate filters have good filtration performance, they lack the natural tobacco aroma and require added flavorings to achieve similar aroma characteristics.

[0077] The above results show that the present invention effectively degrades pectin, lignin and other components in tobacco stems that cause off-flavors and irritation through fermentation and aging processes. At the same time, it generates rich endogenous aroma components of tobacco through microbial metabolism. The resulting filter rod has a natural, mellow and lasting tobacco aroma, achieving the technical effect of obtaining excellent sensory quality without the need for external flavoring.

[0078] Finally, it should be noted that the above preferred embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application and are not intended to limit it. Although this application has been described in detail through the above preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that various changes can be made to it in form and detail without departing from the scope defined by the claims of this application; the dimensions described in the drawings and embodiments are not related to the specific physical object and are not used to limit the protection scope of this application. The physical dimensions can be selected and changed according to actual needs.

Claims

1. A tobacco stem reconstituted fiber filter rod, characterized in that, The filter tip is formed by gathering several reconstituted tobacco stem fibers and wrapping them with forming paper; the reconstituted tobacco stem fibers are continuous fiber bundles, which are made by crushing, air classifying, screening, fermenting and aging, and blending tobacco stem raw materials in sequence, and then extruding and cooling them to set them.

2. The tobacco stem reconstituted fiber filter rod according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diameter of the reconstituted tobacco stem fiber is 0.2~2.0mm, and it is in the form of continuous filaments. Its cross-section is circular, elliptical or irregular in shape.

3. A method for preparing a tobacco stem reconstituted fiber filter rod as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step (1) Pretreatment of tobacco stems: The tobacco stem raw material is crushed to 40~120 mesh, and the light pith and dust impurities are removed by air separation. Then, it is sieved to obtain tobacco stem powder with uniform particle size. Step (2) Fermentation and aging: The tobacco stem powder is fermented and aged to degrade pectin and lignin, soften the fiber structure and generate tobacco aroma substances; Step (3) Mixing: Mix the fermented and aged tobacco stem powder with the binder, add water and mix into a semi-fluid slurry with fluidity and plasticity; Step (4) Fiber forming: The semi-fluid slurry is extruded through a porous spinneret at high temperature and cooled and shaped by cold air at the extrusion outlet to form continuous tobacco stem reconstituted fibers. Step (5) Filter forming: The continuous tobacco stem reconstituted fibers are naturally gathered through the flared mouthpiece, wrapped with forming paper, and cut to the required length to obtain the filter rod.

4. The preparation method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The fermentation and alcoholization described in step (2) is carried out in the order of first compound enzymatic hydrolysis and then microbial fermentation. First, pectin and lignin are degraded by enzymatic hydrolysis, and then the fibers are further softened and the tobacco aroma is enhanced by microbial fermentation. The temperature is controlled at 30~60℃ and the relative humidity is 60%~90% throughout the process. The total treatment time is 36~96 hours, and ventilation and exhaust are carried out continuously during the process.

5. The preparation method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The specific operation of the fermentation and alcoholization is as follows: (1) Compound enzymatic hydrolysis stage: Add a compound enzyme preparation to the tobacco stem powder. The compound enzyme preparation is composed of pectinase and ligninase mixed in a mass ratio of 1:1~3. The amount of compound enzyme preparation added is 0.1%~0.5% of the mass of tobacco stem powder. After adding, stir evenly, control the temperature at 35~50℃ and the relative humidity at 70%~85%, and enzymatic hydrolysis for 12~24 hours. During the enzymatic hydrolysis process, ventilate and exhaust once every 6 hours for 15~20 minutes each time. The pectinase activity is ≥5000 U / g and the ligninase activity is ≥3000 U / g. (2) Microbial fermentation stage: After enzymatic hydrolysis, a microbial agent is added to the tobacco stem powder. The microbial agent is a mixture of yeast and lactic acid bacteria at a mass ratio of 2:

1. The inoculation amount of the agent is 0.3%~0.8% of the mass of the tobacco stem powder. After inoculation, the mixture is stirred evenly. The temperature is controlled at 30~45℃ and the relative humidity at 65%~90%. Fermentation lasts for 24~72 hours. During the fermentation process, the mixture is turned over and ventilated every 8 hours for 20~30 minutes each time. The viable count of the yeast is ≥10. 8 CFU / g, viable lactic acid bacteria count ≥10 8 CFU / g.

6. The preparation method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The adhesive mentioned in step (3) is one or more of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, guar gum, konjac gum, and starch, and its addition amount is 5% to 20% of the weight of tobacco stem powder.

7. The preparation method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The semi-fluid slurry in step (3) has a water content of 30% to 60% and a viscosity of 500 to 5000 mPa·s.

8. The preparation method according to claim 4, characterized in that, In step (4), the high-temperature extrusion temperature is 120~180℃, the extrusion pressure is 0.5~2.0MPa, and the diameter of the spinneret holes is 0.2~2.0mm, which is compatible with the diameter of the tobacco stem reconstituted fiber; the cooling air is blown parallel to the fiber extrusion direction, the temperature of the air is 15~25℃, and the wind speed is 1~3m / s.

9. The preparation method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The specific operation of filter tip forming in step (5) is as follows: the continuous tobacco stem reconstituted fibers after cooling and shaping are passed through the flared mouth for initial gathering to obtain a loose fiber bundle; the outlet end of the flared mouth is provided with a forming suction ribbon, the forming surface of the forming suction ribbon is gradually set along the fiber bundle conveying direction, gradually transitioning from a plane to a semicircle, and finally to a circle; the forming suction ribbon makes a cyclical movement, adsorbing the forming paper through negative pressure and driving it to move forward continuously, the forming paper and the forming suction ribbon are closely attached, and follow the gradual change of the forming suction ribbon surface Simultaneously, a gradual shape change occurs; the initially gathered loose fiber bundles are continuously fed into the surface of the forming paper attached to the suction ribbon. The forming paper pulls the fiber bundles forward continuously under the action of the forming suction ribbon, while applying a stable traction force to the fiber bundles. As the suction ribbon gradually changes shape, the forming paper gradually wraps around the outer periphery of the fiber bundles, causing the fiber bundles to gather into a cylindrical continuous filter bar under the action of traction force and the wrapping effect of the forming paper. The continuous filter bar continues to move forward under the pull of the subsequent conveying device, and is then cut into the preset length by the slitting mechanism to obtain the filter rod.

10. The application of a reconstituted tobacco stem fiber filter rod as described in any one of claims 1-2 in a cigarette filter, wherein the filter rod is used to replace a traditional fiber filter and is assembled at the end of a cigarette.

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