Tobacco compositions and preparation of tobacco compositions

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for obtaining an infused tobacco composition, the method comprising the step of infusing a starting tobacco composition with volatile components formed by heating a volatile component source, thereby retaining at least some of the volatile components in the starting tobacco composition. The present invention also relates to an infused tobacco composition, as well as an aerosol delivery system comprising the infused tobacco composition, and components for use in the aerosol delivery system.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an infused tobacco composition and a method for obtaining an infused tobacco composition.

[0002] Smoking articles, such as cigarettes, cigars, etc., burn tobacco to produce tobacco smoke during use. Alternatives to these types of articles release compounds without combustion to form an inhalable medium.

[0003] Examples of such aerosol-generating products are so-called non-combustion heating products, also known as tobacco heating products or tobacco heating devices, which release compounds by heating but not burning a solid substrate to form an inhalable aerosol. Another example of such an aerosol-generating product is the so-called e-cigarette device, which typically vaporizes a liquid substrate to form an inhalable aerosol, where the liquid substrate may or may not contain nicotine. Hybrid devices are also known. Hybrid devices contain a liquid that is vaporized by heating to produce an inhalable vapor and / or aerosol. The liquid may contain flavorings and / or aerosol-generating substances, such as glycerol, and in some cases nicotine. The vapor and / or aerosol can pass through the substrate material in the device and entrain one or more components of the substrate material (such as tobacco), producing an inhalable aerosol. Alternatively, the substrate material in the device can be heated independently to generate further aerosol. Overview

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for obtaining an infused tobacco composition, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a starting tobacco composition; (b) providing a source of a volatile component; (c) heating a source of volatile components to obtain volatile components; and (d) infusing the starting tobacco composition with volatile components, thereby retaining at least some of the volatile components in the starting tobacco composition, to obtain an infused tobacco composition. Including, the starting tobacco composition is a treated tobacco composition, and the treatment has adversely affected the sensory and / or organoleptic qualities of the tobacco composition; or The injected tobacco material is processed, and the processing adversely affects the sensory and / or organoleptic qualities of the tobacco composition. The method is provided,

[0005] In some embodiments, the treated tobacco material is a pH treated tobacco composition.

[0006] In some embodiments, the starting tobacco composition is a pH treated tobacco composition comprising tobacco that has been treated to have a greater pH than untreated tobacco, and thus the infused tobacco composition obtained in (d) is a pH treated infused tobacco composition, or the infused tobacco composition of (d) is treated to increase the pH of the infused tobacco composition, thereby obtaining a pH treated infused tobacco composition.

[0007] In some embodiments, in (c), the volatile component source is heated to 40-90°C.

[0008] In some embodiments, the starting tobacco composition is a pH treated tobacco composition, and the step of providing the starting tobacco composition comprises extruding a mixture comprising tobacco, a base, and a humectant.

[0009] In some embodiments, the starting tobacco composition is reconstituted tobacco.

[0010] In some embodiments, the starting tobacco material is in granular form.

[0011] In some embodiments, the source of volatile components contains nicotine.

[0012] In some embodiments, the infused tobacco composition has a higher nicotine content than the starting tobacco composition.

[0013] In some embodiments, the nicotine content of the infused tobacco composition is from about 2% to about 5.5% by dry weight.

[0014] In some embodiments, the nicotine content of the starting tobacco composition is between 0.1% and 3% by dry weight.

[0015] In some embodiments, the source of volatile components comprises tobacco, hi some embodiments, the tobacco comprises cut tobacco, ground tobacco, leaves, or tobacco leaf extracts.

[0016] In some embodiments, the source of volatile components comprises botanical matter, hi some embodiments, the botanical matter comprises clove, cinnamon, coffee, menthol, anise, lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, or combinations thereof.

[0017] In some embodiments, the source of volatile components comprises tobacco and / or one or more botanical substances.

[0018] In some embodiments, treating either the starting tobacco composition or the infused tobacco composition to increase the pH comprises the addition of a base.

[0019] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an infused tobacco composition obtainable from the method of the first aspect.

[0020] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an aerosol delivery system comprising an infused tobacco composition obtained or obtainable from the method of the first aspect.

[0021] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a component for use in an aerosol delivery system comprising an injected tobacco composition obtained or obtainable from the method of the first aspect.

[0022] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates an exemplary apparatus for implementing an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 illustrates another exemplary apparatus for implementing an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 4 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method according to an aspect of the present invention. [Figure 4] 5 is a flow chart illustrating another exemplary method according to an aspect of the present invention. Detailed Description

[0024] Nicotine and other flavor compounds are responsible for the tobacco flavor in tobacco. However, flavor compounds in tobacco are volatile and may be lost during the tobacco manufacturing and / or processing process. Some may also be lost during storage or transportation.

[0025] Some tobacco compositions may include pH-treated tobacco, such as base-treated tobacco. When preparing base-treated tobacco, nicotine salts present in untreated tobacco react with a base, which provides nicotine in the "free base" form of nicotine, thereby increasing the volatility of nicotine. As a result, nicotine volatilizes more easily when base-treated tobacco is heated. However, the inventors have found that treated tobacco, such as pH-treated tobacco, may have undesirable flavors and off-notes. Furthermore, the increased volatility of free base nicotine may result in more nicotine being lost during storage or transportation of the tobacco composition. Other types of tobacco treatments may also adversely affect the flavor of the tobacco.

[0026] In some embodiments, the infused tobacco compositions may have improved sensory qualities. In some embodiments, the infused tobacco compositions may have increased nicotine content.

[0027] The base treatment of tobacco may include the addition of a base in solution or solid form. In embodiments in which tobacco is treated with a solution of a base, it may be necessary to include one or more drying steps. These drying steps reduce the moisture content to achieve a tobacco composition with a desired moisture content, but the drying steps can also remove aroma compounds. The drying steps also serve to remove ammonia generated during the base treatment, but may not remove all of the ammonia. Ammonia has an undesirable taste and odor, and without wishing to be bound by theory, the inventors believe that the presence of ammonia may contribute to the undesirable flavor and / or organoleptic qualities of pH-treated tobacco.

[0028] Surprisingly, the inventors have found that by infusing a tobacco composition with a volatile component, it is possible to obtain a tobacco composition having superior taste, sensory and organoleptic properties, which is particularly useful for improving the taste, sensory and organoleptic properties of tobacco compositions that have been processed, where the processing has adversely affected the sensory and / or organoleptic qualities of the tobacco composition, such as pH-treated tobacco compositions.

[0029] Thus, in some embodiments described herein, methods are provided in which attributes such as the sensory and / or organoleptic qualities of a pH-treated tobacco composition are improved. The in-use sensory performance of a pH-treated infused tobacco composition prepared according to some methods described herein can result in a superior tobacco product.

[0030] As used herein, the term "tobacco composition" refers to any material that includes tobacco or a tobacco derivative. The term "tobacco composition" may include one or more of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. Tobacco materials may include one or more of ground tobacco, tobacco fiber, cut tobacco, extruded tobacco, tobacco stems, reconstituted tobacco, agglomerated tobacco, spheronized tobacco, and / or tobacco extracts.

[0031] The tobacco in the tobacco composition may be any suitable tobacco, such as single grade or blend, cut rag or whole leaf, including Virginia and / or Burley and / or Oriental. Tobacco may be provided as particulate "fines" or dust, expanded tobacco, snus, stems, expanded stems, and other processed stem materials such as cut rolled stems. The tobacco may be ground tobacco or reconstituted tobacco material. Reconstituted tobacco material may include tobacco fiber and may be formed by casting, a long-rod papermaking type technique with the reverse addition of tobacco extract, or by extrusion.

[0032] As used herein, the term "pH treated tobacco composition" refers to any tobacco composition that includes tobacco that has been treated to have a different pH than untreated tobacco. Preferably, the pH treated tobacco composition has a higher pH than untreated tobacco (i.e., the pH treated tobacco is more basic than untreated tobacco). In one embodiment, the pH treated tobacco composition may include an infused tobacco composition that has a higher pH than untreated tobacco.

[0033] As used herein, the term "infused tobacco composition" refers to any tobacco composition infused with a volatile component to impart sensory and / or organoleptic qualities to the tobacco composition. In one embodiment, the infused tobacco composition may include a pH-treated tobacco composition infused with a volatile component, where the tobacco composition has been treated to increase the pH of the tobacco composition.

[0034] As used herein, the term "pH-treated infused tobacco composition" refers to any tobacco composition that has been treated to increase the pH of the tobacco composition and infused with a volatile component according to the methods disclosed herein. The tobacco composition may be infused and pH-treated in any order. For example, in one embodiment, the pH-treated infused tobacco composition may include tobacco that has been treated to have a pH greater than untreated tobacco and then infused with a volatile component. In another embodiment, the pH-treated infused tobacco composition may include tobacco that has been infused with a volatile component and then treated to have a pH greater than untreated tobacco.

[0035] Tobacco pH Treatment Treating tobacco or a tobacco composition with a base increases the pH of the tobacco. The unadjusted pH of the cured tobacco material prior to base treatment is dependent on the tobacco type, but is typically slightly acidic, ranging from 3 to 6.5.

[0036] In what follows, the pH treatment process is described with respect to "tobacco", however, it should be noted that the same process may be carried out on any tobacco composition as defined herein.

[0037] In one embodiment, the process of treating tobacco to increase the pH of the tobacco includes applying a base to the tobacco being treated, for example, by spraying a solution of the base onto the tobacco. The mixture of tobacco and base solution is then agitated, for example, by mixing the mixture, to increase contact between the base and the tobacco. In some cases, the steps of applying the base and agitating the mixture can be repeated.

[0038] The base may comprise any suitable base, for example, the base may be selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide and sodium phosphate.

[0039] In some embodiments, the base is in the form of a solution. The volume and concentration of the base solution may be selected depending on the type of tobacco being treated. In some embodiments, a sodium hydroxide solution having a concentration in the range of about 3.0 to about 9.0 mol / L is used.

[0040] In another embodiment, the process of treating tobacco to increase the pH of the tobacco may include applying a solid form of a base to the tobacco to be treated and then combining the base and tobacco with a humectant. In some embodiments, solid particles of a base, such as sodium carbonate, are mixed with the tobacco, and then water and / or other humectants, such as glycerol, are added to this dry mixture before or while the mixture is extruded.

[0041] The inventors have determined that applying a base to tobacco can produce ammonia, which has an undesirable taste / odor. Thus, in some cases, the pH treatment can include a step of removing ammonia, for example, by gently heating and / or drying the mixture. In other cases, an ammonia removal step is not included. In some cases, the removal of ammonia includes heating and drying the tobacco composition after applying the base to produce a pH-treated tobacco having a desired moisture content, for example, about 20% or less on a dry weight basis.

[0042] The process may also include treating the tobacco either before or after applying the solution of base to obtain a desired particle size, for example by grinding the tobacco composition and then optionally selecting particles having a size within the desired particle size range (i.e., by sieving).

[0043] Treating tobacco to raise the pH, typically to about 7.5-10.5, and optionally to about 8-9.5, results in higher availability of nicotine. This is due to the conversion of at least a portion of the nicotine salt (sometimes referred to herein as "bound nicotine") to a basic form of nicotine (sometimes referred to herein as "free base nicotine" or simply "free nicotine"). This makes the nicotine more volatile and therefore more easily released from the tobacco. Thus, a smoking device containing pH-treated tobacco heated to a given temperature can deliver a higher dose of nicotine to a user compared to a device containing only untreated tobacco when heated to the same temperature.

[0044] The pH treatment of the tobacco can be carried out at any stage of the process of manufacturing and / or treating the tobacco, and in some instances, applying the solution of base to the tobacco can occur during another step, such as during conditioning of the tobacco.

[0045] In some embodiments, the pH treated tobacco composition has a pH of 7 or greater, 7.5 or greater, 8 or greater, or 9 or greater. In some embodiments, the treated tobacco material has a pH of 12 or less, 11.5 or less, 11 or less, 10.5 or less, or 10 or less. In some embodiments, the treated tobacco material has a pH of about 7, about 8, or about 9.

[0046] An example of a standard method used to measure the pH of a tobacco composition is CORESTA Recommended Method No. 69 (CRM-69).

[0047] Typically, the nicotine content of a pH treated tobacco composition may be 1-5%, 2-3%, or about 3% by dry weight. However, nicotine and other flavor volatile compounds may be lost during storage or transportation, resulting in a lower concentration of nicotine when delivered to the user.

[0048] Starting tobacco material The method for obtaining an infused tobacco composition includes the steps of providing a starting tobacco composition. The starting tobacco composition may include tobacco as described herein. Optionally, the starting tobacco composition is pH treated. Suitably, the starting tobacco composition may include additives that are conventionally added during tobacco manufacturing or processing processes, including, but not limited to, flavorants, aerosol forming agents, binders, humectants, bases, etc.

[0049] As used herein, the terms "flavor" and "flavoring agent" refer to materials that can be used, where local regulations permit, to create a desired taste or odor in an adult consumer product, including extracts (e.g., licorice, hydrangea, magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, menthol, peppermint, aniseed, cinnamon, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berry, peach, apple, Drambuie, bourbon, Scotch, whiskey, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang, linseed ... They may contain other additives such as ylang, sage, fennel, pepper, ginger, anise, coriander, coffee, or mint oil from any species of the genus Mentha), flavor enhancers, bitter receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and / or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath fresheners. They may be imitation, synthetic, or natural ingredients, or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, such as oil, liquid, or powder.

[0050] The tobacco in the starting tobacco composition may be any suitable tobacco, such as single grade or blend, cut rag or whole leaf, including Virginia and / or Burley and / or Oriental. The tobacco may be tobacco particle "fines" or dust, expanded tobacco, stems, expanded stems, and other processed stem materials such as cut rolled stems. The tobacco may be ground tobacco or reconstituted tobacco material. The reconstituted tobacco material may include tobacco fiber and may be formed by casting, a long-rod papermaking type technique with the reverse addition of tobacco extract, or by extrusion. In some embodiments, the starting tobacco composition is provided in a granular form.

[0051] The starting tobacco composition of the present method may be a tobacco composition comprising tobacco at any stage of the manufacturing process for producing a tobacco product, for example, prior to grinding or extrusion of the tobacco composition. In some cases, the starting tobacco composition has been ground but not extruded. In other cases, the starting tobacco composition has been both ground and extruded. The starting tobacco composition may or may not be pretreated according to known practices such as curing, curing, conditioning, etc. In some embodiments, the starting tobacco composition is untreated.

[0052] In some embodiments, the starting tobacco composition does not contain pH treated tobacco. In such cases, the nicotine content of the starting tobacco composition may depend on the type of tobacco, and may typically be from about 0.1 to about 6%, from about 2 to about 5%, or about 4% by dry weight.

[0053] In other embodiments, the starting tobacco composition comprises tobacco that has been treated to have a pH greater than untreated tobacco, and may be performed according to the pH treatment processes described herein. In some embodiments, the starting tobacco composition has a pH of 7 or greater, 7.5 or greater, 8 or greater, 8.5 or greater, or 9 or greater. In some embodiments, the starting tobacco composition has a pH of less than 12, less than 11.5, less than 11, less than 10.5, or less than 10. In some embodiments, the starting tobacco composition has a pH of 8-9.5, 8.5-9, about 8, or about 9.

[0054] In some embodiments, the starting tobacco composition, which includes tobacco that has been treated to have a pH greater than that of untreated tobacco, has a nicotine content of 0-5%, 1-4%, 2-3%, less than 5%, less than 4%, less than 3%, or about 3% by dry weight.

[0055] Source of volatile components The method of obtaining an infused tobacco composition further comprises the step of providing a volatile component source. As used herein, the term "volatile component source" refers to a substance having a volatile component that, when provided to a tobacco composition, can impart a property, such as a taste, a sensation, an organoleptic property, or a combination thereof, to the starting tobacco composition. Volatility is the tendency of a substance to vaporize, and the volatility of a substance is directly related to the vapor pressure of the substance. The term "volatilization" is also intended to include the sublimation of a component from a volatile component source.

[0056] In some embodiments, the volatile component source comprises a botanical material. In some embodiments, the volatile component source consists of a botanical material. The botanical material may be heated to and / or maintained at a temperature in the range of 40-150° C. to release the volatile components of the botanical material. Any botanical material having volatile components that may improve the aroma and / or flavor of the infused tobacco composition may be used. Examples of suitable botanical materials include, without limitation, clove, cinnamon, coffee, menthol, anise, lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, or any combination thereof. The botanical material may be provided as a solid, liquid, pressurized liquid, or gaseous extract.

[0057] In some embodiments, the volatile component source may include tobacco. The tobacco may be any suitable tobacco described herein. In some embodiments, the volatile component source consists of tobacco.

[0058] In some embodiments, the volatile component source may include nicotine. In certain examples, the volatile component containing nicotine includes tobacco. In other examples, the volatile component containing nicotine may include a nicotine solution, such as a tobacco extract.

[0059] In some embodiments, the volatile component source comprises tobacco and one or more botanical substances. In some embodiments, the volatile component source consists of tobacco and one or more botanical substances. The volatile component source may or may not contain nicotine.

[0060] Process for infusing tobacco compositions 1 and 2 are schematic diagrams of exemplary apparatus 100, 200 suitable for practicing aspects of the present invention, comprising a heating chamber 110 and a cooling chamber 120, with the cooling chamber 120 fluidly connected to the heating chamber 110 via a conduit 130.

[0061] 3 and 4 are flow diagrams illustrating exemplary methods 300 and 400 for obtaining a pH treated infused tobacco composition.

[0062] 3, a method 300 for obtaining a pH-treated infused tobacco composition includes step 301 of providing a pH-treated starting tobacco composition, the starting tobacco composition comprising tobacco that has been treated to have a greater pH than untreated tobacco. Method 300 further includes step 302 of providing a volatile component source corresponding to the volatile component sources described above. Method 300 further includes step 303 of heating the volatile component source, and step 304 of infusing the pH-treated starting tobacco composition to obtain a pH-treated infused tobacco composition.

[0063] In Figure 4, a method 400 for obtaining a pH-treated infused tobacco composition includes a step 401 of providing a starting tobacco composition and a step 402 of providing a source of volatile components, where the source of volatile components corresponds to the sources of volatile components described above. The method 400 further includes a step 403 of heating the source of volatile components, and a step 404 of infusing the starting tobacco composition with the volatile components, thereby obtaining an infused tobacco composition. The method 400 further includes a step 405 of treating the infused tobacco composition to increase the pH of the infused tobacco composition, thereby obtaining a pH-treated infused tobacco composition.

[0064] The process of infusing the starting tobacco composition with volatile components can be carried out at any stage of the process of manufacturing and / or treating the tobacco composition. The infusion process may occur, for example, before or after the tobacco is cured. In the examples described herein, the infusion process may occur either before or after a pH treatment step of the tobacco composition.

[0065] The method of obtaining a pH-treated infused tobacco composition includes the step 303, 403 of heating a volatile component source to obtain volatile components. The temperature to which the volatile component source is heated can be selected depending on the composition of the volatile component source. For example, the volatile component source can be heated to a temperature within 30°C, within 20°C, within 10°C, or within 5°C of the boiling temperature of a desired volatile component to be delivered to the starting tobacco composition. When the volatile component source is heated to a particular temperature, volatile components in the volatile component source that have a boiling temperature near or below the particular temperature become substantially volatilized.

[0066] In some embodiments, the volatile component source may be heated to a temperature at which the volatile component volatilizes and is released from the volatile component source. In some embodiments, the volatile component source may be heated to 30-150°C, 35-140°C, 40-130°C, 40-120°C, 40-110°C, 40-100°C, or 40-90°C. Preferably, the volatile component source is heated to 40°C-90°C. If the temperature is too low, there may not be enough heat to vaporize the desired volatile component. Conversely, if the temperature is too high, undesirable combustion or charring of the volatile component (or other materials) may occur.

[0067] In some embodiments, the temperature of the volatile component source may vary over time, for example, the method may include heating the plant material to a first temperature to release a first volatile component for a period of time, and then to a second temperature higher than the first temperature for a period of time to release a second volatile component, the second volatile component having a higher boiling point than the first volatile component. Additionally, multiple steps of heating the volatile component to multiple temperatures multiple times may allow the components to be volatilized separately. In addition to varying the temperature of the volatile component source, the humidity, flow rate, pressure, duration of the process, and agitation level of the volatile component source during heating may also be varied depending on the volatile component source. In some embodiments, the volatile component source may be heated for a period of 1-4 hours, or 2-4 hours. In further embodiments, multiple batches of the volatile component source are applied to a single batch of the starting tobacco composition. The multiple batches may include different volatile materials. For example, the first batch may be tobacco and the second batch may be cloves.

[0068] During heating, the source of the volatile components may be held, for example, in the heating chamber 110. A heater increases the temperature of the heating chamber 110. The heater may be powered in any suitable manner. In some cases, the heating chamber 110 may be electrically heated. In other embodiments, the heating chamber 110 may be steam heated. Heat may be applied to the contents of the heating chamber 110 using any device suitable for heating, including, but not limited to, a heat jacket, a heat mat, a heating mantle, and the like. The heat applied to the heating chamber 110 is desirably sufficient to prevent condensation of the volatile components within the heating chamber 110.

[0069] In some cases, in addition to heating, the pressure in the heating chamber 110 may be reduced to a pressure less than atmospheric pressure to promote vaporization of volatile components at temperatures much lower than their boiling points at atmospheric pressure, thereby allowing components that are susceptible to degradation at high temperatures to volatilize without adverse effects.

[0070] After heating the volatile component source to obtain the volatile components, the method for obtaining a pH-treated infused tobacco composition includes steps 304, 404 of infusing the volatile components into the starting tobacco composition, thereby causing the starting tobacco composition to retain at least some of the volatile components, to obtain the infused tobacco composition.

[0071] As used herein, the term "infusion" refers to the process of providing an ingredient or flavor to a composition, thereby obtaining an infused composition in which at least a portion of the ingredient is retained in the infused composition.

[0072] An apparatus for carrying out the method can allow the volatile components to be provided to the starting tobacco composition in a number of ways. In some embodiments, the volatile components may traverse the conduit 130 such that the volatile components move from the heating chamber 110 to the cooling chamber 120. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the conduit 130 may be arranged with the heating chamber 110 and the cooling chamber 120 such that the volatile components are transported towards the cooling chamber 120 through the conduit 130 by heat from the heating chamber 110, for example, the conduit 130 and the cooling chamber 120 are arranged above the heating chamber 110 such that the thermal energy of the volatile components causes the movement of the volatile components in the direction of the cooling chamber 120. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the conduit 130 is a pipe, and thus the heating chamber 110 and the cooling chamber 120 may be arranged in different configurations. Although FIGS. 1 and 2 show the conduit 130 in two configurations, these are merely for illustrative purposes, and other configurations may be envisioned so long as the conduit 130 fluidly couples the heating chamber 110 to the cooling chamber 120.

[0073] In some embodiments, the conduit 130 may also include a means for transporting the volatile components along the conduit 130, including, but not limited to, a fan, a pump, a vacuum system, or combinations thereof. In other embodiments, the conduit 130 may be a gas permeable interface between the heating chamber 110 and the cooling chamber 120, such as a gas permeable membrane.

[0074] The starting tobacco composition is located in the cooling chamber 120. Upon transferring the volatile components to the cooling chamber 120, the temperature of the cooling chamber 120 causes the volatile components to contact the starting tobacco composition and, optionally, condense on the tobacco composition. In some embodiments, providing the pH-treated tobacco with the volatile components may be performed under increased pressure to further promote condensation, i.e., the cooling chamber 120 may be held at a pressure higher than the pressure of the heating chamber 110. In some embodiments, the cooling chamber may be held at a pressure above atmospheric pressure. As the volatile components condense, the starting tobacco composition becomes infused with the volatile components, thus retaining at least a portion of the volatile components in the starting tobacco composition, thereby providing an infused tobacco composition. In this manner, when the volatile components are retained within the starting tobacco composition, the infused tobacco composition produced includes the condensed volatile components and has some of the properties of the volatile components imparted thereto, e.g., taste, sensory or organoleptic properties.

[0075] If the starting tobacco composition includes tobacco that has been treated to have a pH greater than that of untreated tobacco, the infused tobacco composition is a pH-treated infused tobacco composition. Alternatively, if the starting tobacco composition does not include tobacco that has been treated to have a pH greater than that of untreated tobacco, the infused tobacco composition does not include pH-treated tobacco, but is subsequently treated to increase the pH to obtain a pH-treated infused tobacco composition.

[0076] Suitably, the temperature of the cooling chamber 120 may be selected depending on the nature of the volatile component provided to the cooling chamber 120. Preferably, the temperature of the cooling chamber 120 is lower (at the desired pressure) than the boiling temperature of the desired volatile component in the volatile component source. In some embodiments, the temperature of the cooling chamber 120 may be -10°C to 60°C, -5°C to 50°C, 0°C to 40°C, 0°C to 30°C, or about 25°C, or about 20°C. The method may also include cooling means, including, for example, a water cooling system such as a cooling fan or a condenser, to prevent the temperature of the cooling chamber 120 from increasing above a predetermined value. In some embodiments, one or more thermostats may be used to monitor and / or control both the temperatures of the heating chamber 110 and the cooling chamber 120, and the heating means or the cooling means may be selectively applied to maintain the respective target temperatures.

[0077] In some embodiments, stirring of the starting tobacco composition may be performed during injection of the starting tobacco composition to allow the starting tobacco composition to be homogeneously coated with the volatile components. Thus, the cooling chamber 120 may also include a mixer, such as, for example, a rotary mixer. In some embodiments, the cooling chamber itself is rotated via a motor to tumble the starting tobacco composition.

[0078] In obtaining the infused tobacco composition, if the starting tobacco composition used was not a pH treated tobacco composition comprising tobacco that has been treated to have a greater pH than untreated tobacco, the infused tobacco composition may then be treated using the methods described herein to increase the pH of the infused tobacco composition to obtain a pH treated infused tobacco composition.

[0079] During the tobacco manufacturing and / or processing process, aroma compounds that contribute to the flavor of tobacco and volatile compounds, including nicotine, may be lost, resulting in a tobacco composition with reduced or low levels of aroma compounds and / or nicotine. When a tobacco composition undergoes a pH treatment process, the chemical composition and sensory quality of the tobacco may be affected by a lack of aroma compounds and the presence of ammonia, which may impart an undesirable taste / odor to the tobacco composition. Furthermore, after pH treatment of tobacco, the nicotine, which becomes more volatile as free nicotine, may be lost during processing and / or storage of the pH-treated tobacco composition, resulting in a lower overall nicotine content when delivered to the user.

[0080] In some embodiments described herein, the volatile component source may include a nicotine-containing component (such as tobacco). In such cases, the methods described herein may also increase the nicotine content of the tobacco composition. That is, the volatile component provided to the starting tobacco composition may include nicotine. As a result, the infused tobacco composition has a higher nicotine content than the starting tobacco composition. Thus, the tobacco composition prepared according to the present methods may offset the reduction in nicotine content that occurs during processing and / or storage of the tobacco composition such that the nicotine content delivered to the user is within a desired range. In some embodiments, the nicotine content of the tobacco composition may be increased by an amount of 1-4%, 2-3% by dry weight. In some embodiments, the nicotine content of the pH-treated infused tobacco composition is 3-7%, 4-6%, or about 5% by dry weight.

[0081] pH Treated Infused Tobacco Compositions As noted above, in some embodiments, the nicotine content of the pH-treated infused tobacco composition is from about 2% to about 5.5%, or from about 2.5 to about 5%, or from about 3 to about 4% by dry weight. In some embodiments, the nicotine content of the pH-treated infused tobacco composition is from about 0.1 to about 3% higher, optionally from about 0.5 to about 2.5% higher, or from about 1 to about 2% higher than the nicotine content of the pH-treated tobacco composition before infusion.

[0082] In some embodiments, the pH-treated infused tobacco composition has a moisture content of about 40% or less, about 30% or less, or about 20% or less, based on the dry weight of the composition. In some embodiments, the moisture content is the moisture content of the tobacco composition as determined, for example, by gas chromatography. In other embodiments, the moisture content refers to oven volatiles measured as the mass loss when a sample is dried for 3 hours ± 0.5 minutes in a forced air oven at a temperature controlled at 110°C ± 1°C. In such embodiments, the moisture content of the pH-treated infused tobacco composition may have a moisture content of up to about 50% (on a dry weight basis). In some embodiments, the pH-treated infused tobacco composition has a moisture content of less than 15%, less than 14%, less than 13%, less than 12%, less than 11%, or less than 10% by dry weight. The moisture content described herein is such that the pH-treated infused tobacco composition is suitable for use in an aerosol generating device, such as a non-combustion heating device.

[0083] In some embodiments, the pH treated infused tobacco composition is used to deliver an inhalable nicotine dose of at least 0.01 mg, at least 0.015 mg, at least 0.02 mg, at least 0.025 mg, or at least 0.03 mg per gram of tobacco based on Coresta recommended method CRM-81, "Routine analytical machine for e-cigarette aerosol generation and collection - definitions and standard conditions" (June 2015).

[0084] In some embodiments, the pH treated infused tobacco compositions described herein may have improved taste / flavor during use as compared to a pH treated tobacco composition that is not infused.

[0085] device The pH-treated infused tobacco compositions described herein may be incorporated into a device. In some embodiments, the device is an aerosol delivery system, such as an aerosol generating device or a non-combustion heating device. In other embodiments, the device is an aerosol delivery system, such as an e-cigarette or a hybrid aerosol generating device.

[0086] In one embodiment, the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is an e-cigarette, also known as a vaping device or electronic nicotine delivery system (END), although it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosolizable material is not a requirement.

[0087] In one embodiment, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is a tobacco heating system, also known as a non-combustion heating system.

[0088] In one embodiment, the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is a hybrid system that uses a combination of aerosolizable materials, one or more of which may be heated, to generate the aerosol. Each of the aerosolizable materials may be, for example, in the form of a solid, liquid, or gel, and may or may not contain nicotine. In one embodiment, the hybrid system includes a liquid or gel aerosolizable material and a solid aerosolizable material. The solid aerosolizable material may include, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.

[0089] Typically, a non-flammable aerosol delivery system may include a non-flammable aerosol delivery device and an article for use with the non-flammable aerosol delivery system, however, it is envisioned that an article that itself includes a means for powering the aerosol generating components will itself form a non-flammable aerosol delivery system.

[0090] In one embodiment, the non-combustible aerosol delivery device may include a power source and a controller. The power source may be an electrical power source or a heat generating power source. In one embodiment, the heat generating power source includes a carbon substrate that may be energized to deliver power in the form of heat to an aerosolizable material or a heat transfer material in proximity to the heat generating power source. In one embodiment, a power source, such as a heat generating power source, is provided to the article to form the non-combustible aerosol delivery.

[0091] In one embodiment, an article for use with a non-flammable aerosol delivery device may include an aerosolizable material.

[0092] The various embodiments described herein are presented only to aid in the understanding and teaching of the claimed features. These embodiments are provided only as a representative sample of embodiments and are not exhaustive and / or exclusive. The advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures and / or other aspects described herein are not to be considered limitations on the scope of the invention as defined by the claims or limitations on the equivalents of the claims, and it is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed. Various embodiments of the invention may suitably include, consist of, or consist essentially of any suitable combination of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those specifically described herein. Moreover, the present disclosure may include other inventions not currently claimed but which may be claimed in the future.

Claims

1. 1. A method for obtaining an infused tobacco composition, comprising: (a) providing a starting tobacco composition; (b) providing a source of a volatile component; (c) heating the volatile component source to obtain a volatile component; and (d) infusing said volatile components into said starting tobacco composition, thereby retaining at least some of the volatile components in said starting tobacco composition to obtain said infused tobacco composition. Including, the starting tobacco composition is a treated tobacco composition, and the treatment has adversely affected the sensory and / or organoleptic qualities of the starting tobacco composition; or The infused tobacco composition is processed, and the processing adversely affects the sensory and / or organoleptic qualities of the infused tobacco composition. A method, which is either

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treated tobacco composition is a pH treated tobacco composition.

3. the starting tobacco composition is a pH-treated tobacco composition comprising tobacco that has been treated to have a pH greater than that of untreated tobacco, and thus the infused tobacco composition obtained in (d) is a pH-treated infused tobacco composition; or or (d) treating the infused tobacco composition to increase the pH of the infused tobacco composition, thereby obtaining a pH-treated infused tobacco composition. The method according to claim 2, wherein

4. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein in (c), the source of volatile components is heated to 40 to 90°C.

5. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein when the starting tobacco composition is a pH treated tobacco composition, the step of providing the starting tobacco composition comprises extruding a mixture comprising tobacco, a base and a humectant.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the starting tobacco composition is reconstituted tobacco.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the starting tobacco composition is in granular form.

8. The method of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the source of volatile components contains nicotine.

9. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the infused tobacco composition has a higher nicotine content than the starting tobacco composition.

10. 10. The method of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the infused tobacco composition has a nicotine content of from about 2% to about 5.5% by dry weight.

11. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the nicotine content of the starting tobacco composition is from 0.1% to 3% by dry weight.

12. The method of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the source of volatile components comprises tobacco.

13. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the tobacco comprises cut tobacco, ground tobacco, leaves, or tobacco leaf extract.

14. The method of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the source of volatile components comprises botanical matter.

15. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the botanical material comprises clove, cinnamon, coffee, menthol, anise, lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, or combinations thereof.

16. The method of any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the source of volatile components comprises tobacco and / or one or more botanical substances.

17. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein treating either the starting tobacco composition or the infused tobacco composition to increase the pH comprises adding a base.

18. An infused tobacco composition comprising a starting tobacco composition infused with volatile components from a volatile component source, comprising: the starting tobacco composition is a treated tobacco composition, the treatment having adversely affected the sensory and / or organoleptic qualities of the starting tobacco composition, and the infused tobacco composition has improved sensory and / or organoleptic qualities compared to the starting tobacco composition; or or An infused tobacco composition, wherein the infused tobacco composition has been treated, the treatment adversely affecting the sensory and / or organoleptic qualities of the infused tobacco composition.

19. 20. An aerosol delivery system comprising the injected tobacco composition of claim 18.

20. 20. A component for use in an aerosol delivery system comprising the injected tobacco composition of claim 18.

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