Tobacco compositions for boosting the strength and satisfaction of a heated cigarette and uses thereof

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of tobacco composition and its application for improving the strength and satisfaction of heated cigarette, comprising: flue-cured tobacco leaf;And at least one of burley tobacco leaf, cigar tobacco leaf, sun-cured tobacco leaf;Wherein, the flue-cured tobacco leaf is selected from at least one of Yunnan Qujing flue-cured tobacco leaf, Hunan Changsha flue-cured tobacco leaf, Henan Nanyang flue-cured tobacco leaf;The burley tobacco leaf is selected from at least one of Hubei Jian shi burley tobacco leaf, Chongqing Wanzhou burley tobacco leaf;The cigar tobacco leaf is selected from at least one of Hainan east cigar tobacco leaf, Sichuan Deyang cigar tobacco leaf;The sun-cured tobacco leaf is selected from Zhejiang Tongxiang sun-cured tobacco leaf.The present application utilizes the complementarity and synergistic effect of different types of tobacco in the release of basic flavor components, so that the obtained tobacco composition can significantly improve the release amount of key basic flavor components under heating conditions, thereby effectively improving the strength and satisfaction of heated cigarette, with high batch stability and strong product consistency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tobacco production and processing technology, and in particular to tobacco compositions and their applications for enhancing the strength and satisfaction of heated cigarettes. Background Technology

[0002] Heated cigarettes release smoke by heating tobacco materials at a low temperature of 250-350℃. The strength and satisfaction of the smoke are its core sensory quality indicators, directly determining consumer acceptance. Alkaline aroma components such as pyridine, pyrazine, and methylpyridine in the smoke are the key material basis for the smoke's strength, and their release amount and composition profile are the core control targets in heated cigarette formulation design.

[0003] Currently, the industry mostly uses conventional chemical indicators such as total alkaloids and total nitrogen to indirectly assess the potential of tobacco leaves. This method has an inherent technical flaw: the total alkaloid content and the actual release of alkaline aroma components are not a simple linear relationship. Different tobacco raw materials with similar total alkaloid content may have significant differences in the release spectrum of alkaline aroma components, resulting in a large deviation between the expected potential of the formula design and the actual performance of the product, making it impossible to achieve precise control.

[0004] Furthermore, different types of tobacco exhibit significant differences in the release characteristics of alkaline aroma components, with each type of raw material possessing unique characteristics in terms of strength and flavor. However, current tobacco composition formulations for heated cigarettes are still primarily based on trial and error, or simply on a rough matching of raw materials according to the total alkaloid index. They have neither established a quantitative control method with the release of alkaline aroma components as the direct target, nor have they fully explored the complementary characteristics and synergistic effects of different tobacco types in the release of alkaline aroma components.

[0005] Due to the aforementioned technical limitations, existing heated cigarette products generally suffer from insufficient strength and lack of satisfaction, or excessive strength causing smoking discomfort. Furthermore, there are significant batch-to-batch fluctuations in sensory quality, making it difficult to consistently meet consumer demand. Therefore, overcoming the limitations of traditional formula design and developing compounding technologies based on the release of alkaline aroma components to achieve precise control over the strength and satisfaction of heated cigarettes is a pressing technical challenge in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a tobacco composition and its application that enhances the strength and satisfaction of heated cigarettes, addressing the aforementioned issues. This tobacco composition not only enhances the strength and satisfaction of heated cigarettes by precisely controlling the release of key alkaline aroma components, but also achieves control over release stability and high product consistency.

[0007] A tobacco composition for enhancing the strength and satisfaction of heated cigarettes, comprising:

[0008] Flue-cured tobacco leaves;

[0009] And at least one of burley tobacco leaves, cigar tobacco leaves, and sun-dried tobacco leaves;

[0010] The flue-cured tobacco leaves are selected from at least one of the following: flue-cured tobacco leaves from Qujing, Yunnan; flue-cured tobacco leaves from Changsha, Hunan; and flue-cured tobacco leaves from Nanyang, Henan.

[0011] The burley tobacco leaves are selected from at least one of the following: Hubei Jianshi burley tobacco leaves and Chongqing Wanzhou burley tobacco leaves.

[0012] The cigar tobacco leaves are selected from at least one of Hainan Dongfang cigar tobacco leaves and Sichuan Deyang cigar tobacco leaves;

[0013] The sun-cured tobacco leaves were selected from sun-cured tobacco leaves from Tongxiang, Zhejiang Province.

[0014] In one embodiment, when the tobacco composition is selected from the flue-cured tobacco leaves and the burley tobacco leaves, the mass ratio of the flue-cured tobacco leaves to the burley tobacco leaves is 50-90:10-50.

[0015] In one embodiment, when the tobacco composition is selected from the flue-cured tobacco leaves and the cigar tobacco leaves, the mass ratio of the flue-cured tobacco leaves to the cigar tobacco leaves is 60-85:15-40.

[0016] In one embodiment, when the tobacco composition is selected from the flue-cured tobacco leaves and the sun-cured tobacco leaves, the mass ratio of the flue-cured tobacco leaves to the sun-cured tobacco leaves is 60-90:10-40.

[0017] In one embodiment, when the tobacco composition comprises flue-cured tobacco leaves and at least two of the following: burley tobacco leaves, cigar tobacco leaves, and sun-cured tobacco leaves, the mass ratio of the flue-cured tobacco leaves, burley tobacco leaves, cigar tobacco leaves, and sun-cured tobacco leaves is 50-85:0-35:0-30:0-20, wherein the sum of the masses of the burley tobacco leaves, cigar tobacco leaves, and sun-cured tobacco leaves is 15%-50% of the mass of the tobacco composition.

[0018] In one embodiment, the tobacco composition further includes an excipient selected from at least one of glycerol, propylene glycol, sorbitol, erythritol, and xylitol.

[0019] In one embodiment, the amount of the excipient added is 5%-15% of the total mass of the tobacco composition.

[0020] In one embodiment, the release amount of alkaline aroma components of the tobacco composition satisfies at least one of the following: pyridine release amount greater than or equal to 50 μg / g, 2,3,5-trimethylpyridine release amount greater than or equal to 30 μg / g, 2,3-dimethylpyridine release amount greater than or equal to 20 μg / g, 2,6-dimethylpyrazine release amount greater than or equal to 25 μg / g, and total alkaline aroma component release amount greater than or equal to 250 μg / g.

[0021] In one embodiment, the alkaline aroma component of the tobacco composition is released at a temperature of 250-350°C.

[0022] The use of the above-mentioned tobacco composition in the preparation of heated cigarette products.

[0023] This invention selects at least one of Burley tobacco leaves, cigar tobacco leaves, and sun-cured tobacco leaves from typical production areas, along with flue-cured tobacco leaves, as raw materials. This overcomes the influence of fluctuations in the origin of raw materials and blends the above-mentioned raw materials. By utilizing the complementary and synergistic effects of different types of tobacco in the release of alkaline aroma components, it avoids the irritation or off-flavors caused by a single type of tobacco leaf. The smoke has good mellowness and harmony, and the resulting tobacco composition can significantly increase the release of key alkaline aroma components under heating conditions, thereby effectively enhancing the strength and satisfaction of heated cigarettes. At the same time, it achieves control over release stability, with high batch-to-batch stability and strong product consistency. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, it will be described in more detail below. However, it should be understood that the present invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments or examples described herein. Rather, these embodiments or examples are provided to make the disclosure of the present invention more thorough and complete.

[0025] 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 invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the specification of this invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments or examples only and is not intended to limit the invention. The optional scope of the term "and / or" as used herein includes 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 related listed items.

[0026] In this invention, numerical ranges are involved. Unless otherwise specified, the numerical ranges are considered continuous and include the minimum and maximum values ​​of the range, as well as every value between the minimum and maximum values. Furthermore, when the range refers to integers, it includes the range's description, every integer between the minimum and maximum values. Additionally, when multiple ranges are provided to describe features or characteristics, the ranges may be merged. In other words, unless otherwise specified, all ranges disclosed herein should be understood to include any and all subranges to which they are incorporated.

[0027] This invention provides a tobacco composition for enhancing the strength and satisfaction of heated cigarettes, comprising:

[0028] Flue-cured tobacco leaves;

[0029] And at least one of burley tobacco leaves, cigar tobacco leaves, and sun-dried tobacco leaves;

[0030] The flue-cured tobacco leaves are selected from at least one of the following: flue-cured tobacco leaves from Qujing, Yunnan; flue-cured tobacco leaves from Changsha, Hunan; and flue-cured tobacco leaves from Nanyang, Henan.

[0031] The burley tobacco leaves are selected from at least one of the following: Hubei Jianshi burley tobacco leaves and Chongqing Wanzhou burley tobacco leaves.

[0032] The cigar tobacco leaves are selected from at least one of Hainan Dongfang cigar tobacco leaves and Sichuan Deyang cigar tobacco leaves;

[0033] The sun-cured tobacco leaves were selected from sun-cured tobacco leaves from Tongxiang, Zhejiang Province.

[0034] This invention selects at least one of Burley tobacco leaves, cigar tobacco leaves, and sun-cured tobacco leaves to blend with flue-cured tobacco leaves. It does not pursue the total alkaloid content of the tobacco composition, but rather selects raw materials based on the "release behavior of alkaline aroma components." It is understood that the aroma release characteristics of tobacco raw materials exhibit significant varietal and regional differences. Different types of tobacco have significantly different alkaline aroma component release profiles. For example, Burley tobacco leaves are rich in pyridine and pyrazine compounds, which can impart a strong and full-bodied flavor to the smoke; cigar tobacco leaves have a rich total amount of alkaline aroma components, resulting in a full-bodied taste with a unique flavor; sun-cured tobacco leaves contribute a unique smoky aroma and strength; while flue-cured tobacco leaves have relatively mild alkaline aroma components.

[0035] Meanwhile, the light, accumulated temperature, soil, and precipitation conditions in different regions determine the enrichment characteristics of aroma compounds in tobacco leaves. Among them, the total release of alkaline aroma components in flue-cured tobacco leaves from Qujing, Yunnan is 110-141 μg / g, which is moderate, and the content of pyridine components is low. As a base raw material, it can provide a mild strength base and avoid excessive irritation. The release of 2,3,5-trimethylpyridine (5.0-6.9 μg / g) and 2,3-dimethylpyridine (4.3-6.6 μg / g) in flue-cured tobacco leaves from Changsha, Hunan is relatively high, which can contribute significantly to strength and satisfaction. The release of 2,3-dimethylpyridine (5.8-7.0 μg / g) and 2,6-dimethylpyrazine (4.5-6.0 μg / g) in flue-cured tobacco leaves from Nanyang, Henan is the highest among flue-cured tobacco leaves. It can complement the Hunan Changsha flue-cured tobacco leaves and jointly provide strength support. The total release of alkaline aroma components (554-664 μg / g) from Hubei Jianshi Burley tobacco and Chongqing Wanzhou Burley tobacco is 4-5 times that of flue-cured tobacco, the release of pyridine (25-35 μg / g) is 5-10 times that of flue-cured tobacco, and the release of 2,3,5-trimethylpyridine (15-25 μg / g) is 3-5 times that of flue-cured tobacco. Adding Burley tobacco to the tobacco composition of this invention can significantly enhance strength and is a core ingredient for enhancing satisfaction. The total release of alkaline aroma components (317-430 μg / g) from Hainan Dongfang cigar tobacco and Sichuan Deyang cigar tobacco is about 3 times that of flue-cured tobacco, and the release of pyridine (9-24 μg / g) and 2,3-dimethylpyridine (9-20 μg / g) is relatively high, contributing a full-bodied taste and unique flavor, and forming a differentiated source of strength compared to Burley tobacco. Although the total release of alkaline aroma components (144-166 μg / g) from sun-cured tobacco leaves from Tongxiang, Zhejiang Province, is lower than that of burley tobacco leaves and cigar tobacco leaves, the release levels of 2,3-dimethylpyridine (5.9-6.1 μg / g) and 2,6-dimethylpyrazine (4.4-5.7 μg / g) are relatively high among flue-cured and sun-cured tobacco leaves, contributing a unique caramel aroma and strength, and enriching the smoke's complexity. The tobacco composition of this invention is selected from raw materials from the aforementioned production areas, ensuring the stability of raw material quality and the controllability of aroma characteristics, thus locking in the aroma's fundamental components from the source.

[0036] The tobacco composition of this invention combines flue-cured tobacco leaves with at least one of burley tobacco leaves, cigar tobacco leaves, and sun-cured tobacco leaves. Utilizing the complementarity and synergistic effect of aroma components in different types of tobacco leaves, it avoids the harshness or off-flavors associated with single-type tobacco leaves. The resulting smoke has good smoothness and harmony. Under heating conditions, it significantly increases the release of alkaline aroma components, especially key alkaline aroma components such as pyridine, 2,3,5-trimethylpyridine, 2,3-dimethylpyridine, and 2,6-dimethylpyrazine, enhancing strength and satisfaction while maintaining smoke harmony. Furthermore, this invention uses tobacco leaves from specific production areas, ensuring aroma intensity while maintaining smoke harmony, and further achieving control over release stability, resulting in high batch-to-batch stability and strong product consistency.

[0037] It is understandable that the aroma release characteristics of tobacco raw materials exhibit significant particulate differences. The physiological maturity and metabolic accumulation of different parts of the tobacco leaf vary significantly. To achieve more precise screening, targeted enrichment of aroma substances, further enhance the release of key alkaline aroma components, reduce smoke impurities and irritation, and optimize taste harmony, in some embodiments, the flue-cured tobacco leaves are at least one of the following: the middle leaves of Yunnan Qujing flue-cured tobacco, the upper leaves of Hunan Changsha flue-cured tobacco, and the middle leaves of Henan Nanyang flue-cured tobacco.

[0038] To significantly improve the release efficiency of key alkaline aroma components, obtain optimal sensory scores, effectively enhance the strength and satisfaction of heated cigarettes, and achieve a higher quality tobacco composition, preferably, when the tobacco composition is selected from flue-cured tobacco leaves and burley tobacco leaves, the mass ratio of flue-cured tobacco leaves to burley tobacco leaves is 50-90:10-50; when the tobacco composition is selected from flue-cured tobacco leaves and cigar tobacco leaves, the mass ratio of flue-cured tobacco leaves to cigar tobacco leaves is 60-85:15-40; the tobacco composition is selected from flue-cured tobacco leaves. When the tobacco composition comprises the flue-cured tobacco leaves and the sun-cured tobacco leaves, the mass ratio of the flue-cured tobacco leaves to the sun-cured tobacco leaves is 60-90:10-40; when the tobacco composition comprises the flue-cured tobacco leaves and at least two of the following: the burley tobacco leaves, the cigar tobacco leaves, and the sun-cured tobacco leaves, the mass ratio of the flue-cured tobacco leaves, the burley tobacco leaves, the cigar tobacco leaves, and the sun-cured tobacco leaves is 50-85:0-35:0-30:0-20, wherein the total mass of the burley tobacco leaves, the cigar tobacco leaves, and the sun-cured tobacco leaves is 15%-50% of the mass of the tobacco composition.

[0039] In some embodiments, the tobacco composition further includes excipients selected from at least one of glycerol, propylene glycol, sorbitol, erythritol, and xylitol. The addition of polyol excipients such as glycerol, propylene glycol, and sorbitol provides excellent thermal stability, allowing them to act as smoke-generating agents during heating to promote smoke formation without undergoing high-temperature decomposition to produce harmful off-gases; simultaneously, they release alkaline aroma components without introducing off-gases or interfering with the original flavor of the tobacco.

[0040] Understandably, the amount of excipients added also affects the aroma and smoke of the tobacco composition. When the amount of excipients added is less than 5% of the total mass of the tobacco composition, the amount of smoke generated by the excipients is insufficient, the smoke is dry, and it is not conducive to the carrying of alkaline aroma components; when the amount of excipients added is more than 15% of the total mass of the tobacco composition, the excessive proportion of polyols will lead to excessively moist smoke, producing condensation, and will dilute the aroma concentration, masking the natural aroma. Preferably, the amount of excipients added is 5%-15% of the total mass of the tobacco composition.

[0041] Understandably, nitrogen-containing heterocyclic basic compounds such as pyridine, 2,3,5-trimethylpyridine, 2,3-dimethylpyridine, and 2,6-dimethylpyrazine are the core material basis contributing to the strength and satisfaction of tobacco smoke. Among them, pyridine is the core substance constituting the basic strength of smoke, and its release directly determines the basic intensity of physiological stimulation; 2,3,5-trimethylpyridine is a key characteristic component that enhances the satisfaction of smoke. Compared with the sharp stimulation of pyridine, the strength it brings is more mellow and lasting, and it is the core substance that determines the satisfaction experience after smoking; 2,3-dimethylpyridine is an important component that enriches the layers of smoke strength and enhances the fullness, and can connect the basic strength and flavor sensation, avoiding the harsh stimulation brought by pyridine alone; 2,6-dimethylpyrazine has both a strength-enhancing effect and a flavor contribution, which can give smoke a roasted and charred aroma, while neutralizing some of the irritation of pyridines and improving the harmony of smoke. Existing technologies often indirectly assess efficacy using conventional raw material indicators such as total alkaloids and total nitrogen, which fail to reflect the actual level of functional components released under heating conditions, leading to a disconnect between the expected formulation and actual sensory effects. This invention directly selects the characteristic alkaline aroma components in the tobacco smoke that actually exert their sensory effects as the control target, fundamentally solving the problem of bias caused by indirect indicators. Optionally, the release amount of alkaline aroma components in the tobacco composition must satisfy at least one of the following: pyridine release greater than or equal to 50 μg / g, 2,3,5-trimethylpyridine release greater than or equal to 30 μg / g, 2,3-dimethylpyridine release greater than or equal to 20 μg / g, 2,6-dimethylpyrazine release greater than or equal to 25 μg / g, and the total release amount of alkaline aroma components greater than or equal to 250 μg / g.

[0042] To ensure sufficient pyrolysis of the target alkaline aroma components and minimize byproducts, resulting in high smoke purity, the alkaline aroma component release temperature of the tobacco composition may optionally be 250-350°C.

[0043] The present invention also provides the application of the above-described tobacco composition in the preparation of heated cigarette products.

[0044] The tobacco composition of the present invention has a wide range of raw material sources, covering flue-cured tobacco leaves from multiple typical domestic flue-cured tobacco leaf producing areas, as well as at least one of burley tobacco leaves, cigar tobacco leaves, and sun-cured tobacco leaves. It has strong versatility, is suitable for industrial production, and can be applied to a variety of heated cigarette products, such as heated non-combustible cigarettes and low-temperature heated tobacco products.

[0045] The heated cigarette products prepared by this invention combine multiple different types of tobacco leaves, which enables the composition to significantly increase the release of key alkaline aroma components under heating conditions, thereby effectively enhancing the strength and satisfaction of heated cigarette products. At the same time, it avoids the irritation or off-flavors caused by a single type of tobacco leaf, and the smoke has good mellowness and harmony, and the product has high batch-to-batch stability.

[0046] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below through specific embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the following embodiments are only for illustrating the present invention and should not be regarded as limiting the scope of the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, specific conditions in the embodiments are performed under conventional conditions or conditions recommended by the manufacturer. Reagents or instruments used without specified manufacturers are all commercially available conventional products.

[0047] Example 1

[0048] 7g of the middle leaves of flue-cured tobacco from Qujing, Yunnan and 3g of burley tobacco from Jianshi, Hubei were pulverized to 60 mesh, mixed evenly, and 1.2g of glycerin was added as a smoking agent to obtain a tobacco composition.

[0049] The above tobacco composition was subjected to a heating release test at a temperature of 350°C for 5 minutes, and the release amount of key alkaline aroma components was analyzed by GC / MS.

[0050] The specific procedure for the GC / MS analysis experiment is as follows:

[0051] (1) Sample pretreatment and heating trapping

[0052] Weigh 0.4 g of the tobacco composition as a sample (accurate to 0.001 g), uniformly load it into a quartz tube reactor, and connect it to a heating-collection system. Introduce synthetic air (20% O2 / 80% N2) at a flow rate of 0.2 L / min. After purging for 3 minutes, initiate the temperature control program: rapidly heat the sample to 350°C within 20 seconds and maintain this temperature for 5 minutes. Collect the aerosols released during heating using a 92 mm Cambridge filter. After the heating program ends, continue purging with the carrier gas for 5 minutes, then remove the filter loaded with particulate matter for later use.

[0053] (2) Extraction of particulate matter from flue gas

[0054] The collected Cambridge filters were folded and placed in an Erlenmeyer flask. 60 mL of dichloromethane (chromatographic grade) was added, and the mixture was ultrasonically extracted at room temperature for 30 minutes. After standing or centrifugation, the total aroma component extract was obtained.

[0055] (3) Acid-base separation of aroma components

[0056] The total aroma component extract was first washed three times with 5% (w / w) hydrochloric acid solution, the upper aqueous phase was combined, the pH was adjusted to 14 with 20% (w / w) sodium hydroxide solution in an ice-water bath, and then extracted three times with dichloromethane. The organic phases were combined to obtain an alkaline aroma component extract.

[0057] (4) Concentration, volume adjustment and determination

[0058] The extract of alkaline aroma components was dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, then concentrated after adding phenethyl acetate as an internal standard. The concentrate was filtered through a 0.45 μm organic membrane and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC / MS). The release amounts of key alkaline aroma components were as follows: pyridine 52.3 μg / g, 2,3,5-trimethylpyridine 35.6 μg / g, 2,3-dimethylpyridine 22.4 μg / g, 2,6-dimethylpyrazine 28.7 μg / g, and the total release amount of alkaline aroma components was 286.5 μg / g.

[0059] Example 2

[0060] 7.5g of the upper part of Hunan Changsha flue-cured tobacco leaves and 2.5g of Hainan Dongfang cigar tobacco leaves were pulverized to 60 mesh, mixed evenly, and 1.5g of glycerin was added as a smoking agent to obtain a tobacco composition.

[0061] The above tobacco composition was subjected to a heating release test at a temperature of 350°C, and the release amount of key alkaline aroma components was analyzed by GC / MS.

[0062] The GC / MS analysis was conducted under the same conditions as in Example 1, and the release amounts of the key alkaline aroma components were as follows: pyridine release amount was 58.7 μg / g, 2,3,5-trimethylpyridine release amount was 32.4 μg / g, 2,3-dimethylpyridine release amount was 21.8 μg / g, 2,6-dimethylpyrazine release amount was 26.5 μg / g, and the total release amount of alkaline aroma components was 298.3 μg / g.

[0063] Example 3

[0064] Eightg of the middle leaves of flue-cured tobacco from Nanyang, Henan, and twog of sun-dried tobacco from Tongxiang, Zhejiang, were pulverized to 60 mesh, mixed evenly, and 1g of glycerin was added as a smoking agent to obtain a tobacco composition.

[0065] The above tobacco composition was subjected to a heating release test at a temperature of 350°C, and the release amount of key alkaline aroma components was analyzed by GC / MS.

[0066] The GC / MS analysis was conducted under the same conditions as in Example 1, and the release amounts of the key alkaline aroma components were as follows: pyridine release amount was 46.8 μg / g, 2,3,5-trimethylpyridine release amount was 26.3 μg / g, 2,3-dimethylpyridine release amount was 20.5 μg / g, 2,6-dimethylpyrazine release amount was 24.6 μg / g, and the total release amount of alkaline aroma components was 258.9 μg / g.

[0067] Example 4

[0068] Five grams of middle leaves from Qujing flue-cured tobacco in Yunnan, two grams of upper leaves from Changsha flue-cured tobacco in Hunan, one 1.5 grams of burley tobacco from Jianshi in Hubei, one gram of Dongfang cigar tobacco from Hainan, and one 0.5 grams of sun-dried tobacco from Tongxiang in Zhejiang were pulverized to 60 mesh, mixed evenly, and 1.2 grams of glycerin was added as a smoking agent to obtain a tobacco composition.

[0069] The above tobacco composition was subjected to a heating release test at a temperature of 350°C, and the release amount of key alkaline aroma components was analyzed by GC / MS.

[0070] The GC / MS analysis was conducted under the same conditions as in Example 1, and the release amounts of the key alkaline aroma components were as follows: pyridine release amount was 62.5 μg / g, 2,3,5-trimethylpyridine release amount was 41.2 μg / g, 2,3-dimethylpyridine release amount was 28.6 μg / g, 2,6-dimethylpyrazine release amount was 35.8 μg / g, and the total release amount of alkaline aroma components was 335.2 μg / g.

[0071] Comparative Example 1

[0072] The only difference between Comparative Example 1 and Example 1 is that the raw material for the tobacco composition is 10g of the middle leaves of flue-cured tobacco leaves from Qujing, Yunnan.

[0073] GC / MS analysis revealed the following release amounts of key alkaline aroma components: pyridine (18.5 μg / g), 2,3,5-trimethylpyridine (10.2 μg / g), 2,3-dimethylpyridine (6.8 μg / g), and 2,6-dimethylpyrazine (8.5 μg / g), for a total release amount of 92.6 μg / g of alkaline aroma components.

[0074] As can be seen from the comparison between Example 1 and Comparative Example 1, the addition of Hubei Jianshi Burley tobacco leaves to the tobacco composition of Example 1 significantly increased the release of alkaline aroma components compared to Comparative Example 1. Specifically, the release of pyridine increased by 182.7%, the release of 2,3-dimethylpyridine increased by 229.40%, the release of 2,3,5-trimethylpyridine increased by 249.0%, the release of 2,6-dimethylpyrazine increased by 237.6%, and the total release of alkaline aroma components increased by 209.40%. This indicates that the combination of flue-cured tobacco leaves and Burley tobacco leaves has a highly significant synergistic effect.

[0075] Comparative Example 2

[0076] The only difference between Comparative Example 2 and Example 1 is that the middle leaves of Yunnan Qujing flue-cured tobacco were 4g and the burley tobacco leaves of Hubei Jianshi were 6g.

[0077] GC / MS analysis revealed the following release amounts of key alkaline aroma components: pyridine release amount was 68.5 μg / g, 2,3,5-trimethylpyridine release amount was 48.2 μg / g, and the total release amount of alkaline aroma components was 358.6 μg / g.

[0078] As can be seen from the comparison between Example 1 and Comparative Example 1, in the tobacco composition of Example 1, the release of pyridine increased by 31.0% compared with Comparative Example 2, the release of 2,3,5-trimethylpyridine increased by 35.4% compared with Comparative Example 2, and the release of the total amount of alkaline aroma components increased by 25.2% compared with Comparative Example 2. This indicates that the compounding of flue-cured tobacco leaves and burley tobacco leaves in a specific ratio can significantly increase the release of key alkaline aroma components and has a synergistic effect.

[0079] Test case

[0080] The tobacco compositions of Examples 1-4 and Comparative Examples 1-2 were made into heated cigarettes and subjected to sensory evaluation by 10 professional smokers. The evaluation indicators included strength, satisfaction, smoothness, and harmony, with each item having a maximum score of 10 points. The results are shown in the table below.

[0081] Table 1. Sensory evaluation results of Examples 1-4 and Comparative Examples 1-2

[0082]

[0083] As shown in Table 1, the heated cigarettes made from the tobacco compositions of Examples 1-4 of this invention are significantly superior to Comparative Examples 1 and 2 in terms of strength, satisfaction, smoothness, and harmony. While maintaining a strong strength and satisfaction, the smoothness and harmony are also significantly improved. Among them, Example 4, which uses a blend of multiple types of tobacco leaves, has the highest sensory score, indicating that the synergistic blending of multiple types of tobacco leaves can further improve product quality.

[0084] Furthermore, sensory evaluation results from Example 1 and Comparative Example 2 show that the heated cigarette made from the tobacco composition of Comparative Example 2 has an excessively strong flavor, noticeable irritation, a rough smoke, and poor balance; while the heated cigarette made from the tobacco composition of Example 1 has a moderate strength, strong satisfaction, and a mellow smoke. This indicates that exceeding the proportion of Burley tobacco provided by this invention leads to increased irritation and affects taste comfort.

[0085] As shown by the GC-MS analysis and sensory evaluation results of Examples 1-4 and Comparative Examples 1-2, the present invention selects at least one of Burley tobacco leaves, cigar tobacco leaves, and sun-cured tobacco leaves from typical production areas, along with flue-cured tobacco leaves, as raw materials. This overcomes the influence of fluctuations in the origin of raw materials. The above raw materials are compounded, utilizing the complementary and synergistic effects of different types of tobacco in the release of alkaline aroma components. This avoids the irritation or off-flavors caused by a single type of tobacco leaf. The smoke has good mellowness and harmony, and the resulting tobacco composition can significantly increase the release of key alkaline aroma components under heating conditions, thereby effectively enhancing the strength and satisfaction of heated cigarettes. At the same time, it achieves control over release stability, with high batch-to-batch stability and strong product consistency.

[0086] 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.

[0087] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A tobacco composition for enhancing the strength and satisfaction of a heated cigarette, characterized by, include: Flue-cured tobacco leaves; And at least one of burley tobacco leaves, cigar tobacco leaves, and sun-dried tobacco leaves; The flue-cured tobacco leaves are selected from at least one of the following: flue-cured tobacco leaves from Qujing, Yunnan; flue-cured tobacco leaves from Changsha, Hunan; and flue-cured tobacco leaves from Nanyang, Henan. The burley tobacco leaves are selected from at least one of the following: Hubei Jianshi burley tobacco leaves and Chongqing Wanzhou burley tobacco leaves. The cigar tobacco leaves are selected from at least one of Hainan Dongfang cigar tobacco leaves and Sichuan Deyang cigar tobacco leaves; The sun-cured tobacco leaves were selected from sun-cured tobacco leaves from Tongxiang, Zhejiang Province.

2. The tobacco composition according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the tobacco composition is selected from the flue-cured tobacco leaves and the burley tobacco leaves, the mass ratio of the flue-cured tobacco leaves to the burley tobacco leaves is 50-90:10-50.

3. The tobacco composition of claim 1, wherein, When the tobacco composition is selected from the flue-cured tobacco leaves and the cigar tobacco leaves, the mass ratio of the flue-cured tobacco leaves to the cigar tobacco leaves is 60-85:15-40.

4. The tobacco composition of claim 1, wherein, When the tobacco composition is selected from the flue-cured tobacco leaves and the sun-cured tobacco leaves, the mass ratio of the flue-cured tobacco leaves to the sun-cured tobacco leaves is 60-90:10-40.

5. The tobacco composition of claim 1, wherein, When the tobacco composition comprises flue-cured tobacco leaves, and at least two of the following: burley tobacco leaves, cigar tobacco leaves, and sun-cured tobacco leaves, the mass ratio of the flue-cured tobacco leaves, burley tobacco leaves, cigar tobacco leaves, and sun-cured tobacco leaves is 50-85:0-35:0-30:0-20, wherein the sum of the masses of the burley tobacco leaves, cigar tobacco leaves, and sun-cured tobacco leaves is 15%-50% of the mass of the tobacco composition.

6. The tobacco composition of claim 1, wherein, The tobacco composition further includes excipients selected from at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbitol, erythritol, and xylitol.

7. The tobacco composition according to claim 6, characterized in that, The amount of the excipient added is 5%-15% of the total mass of the tobacco composition.

8. The tobacco composition according to claim 7, characterized in that, The release amount of alkaline aroma components of the tobacco composition shall satisfy at least one of the following: pyridine release amount greater than or equal to 50 μg / g, 2,3,5-trimethylpyridine release amount greater than or equal to 30 μg / g, 2,3-dimethylpyridine release amount greater than or equal to 20 μg / g, 2,6-dimethylpyrazine release amount greater than or equal to 25 μg / g, and total release amount of alkaline aroma components greater than or equal to 250 μg / g.

9. The tobacco composition according to claim 8, characterized in that, The alkaline aroma components of the tobacco composition are released at a temperature of 250-350°C.

10. The use of a tobacco composition as described in any one of claims 1-9 in the preparation of heated cigarette articles.

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