Tobacco-flavored white snus

Abstract

The present invention relates to a white snus having a pouch material, preferably a sachet material, which is not moistened during the manufacturing process, and which comprises a filler material, a nicotine source and a flavoring, wherein the flavoring is a sachet material having a size (sD) of 30 μm or less attached to an inert carrier. 50 The present invention further relates to a white snus comprising tobacco particles having a size (sD) of 30 μm or less attached to a carrier. 50 A method for producing white snus comprising the steps of providing tobacco particles having a laser diffraction (laser diffraction), providing additional flavorings, and optionally providing additional ingredients, and mechanically mixing the ingredients. The carrier is inert to the surrounding environment and the carrier itself remains chemically unchanged when in contact with other ingredients of the snus, and the nicotine source is tobacco-free.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a white snus containing a filler, a nicotine source, and a flavor. The flavor contains tobacco particles having a size (sD 50 laser diffraction) of 30 μm or less adhered to an inert carrier. Further, a method for manufacturing a white snus is described, including steps of preparing a filler, preparing a nicotine source, preparing tobacco particles having a size (sD 50 laser diffraction) of 30 μm or less adhered to an inert carrier, preparing a further flavor, optionally preparing further components, and mechanically mixing the components.

Background Art

[0002] Snus is a smokeless tobacco product that is typically consumed by being placed between the lips and the gums inside the lips for a long time. (Brown) Snus typically contains a tobacco composition in a pouch. In many cases, the tobacco composition is pre-packaged in small tea-bag-like pouches as a moist powder. Snus is often lightly flavored with flavors of bergamot, citrus, juniper berry, herbs and / or flowers for food, as described in US Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 0055494A1. In contrast to sniff tobacco, snus tobacco is usually not fermented. In its traditional form, the pouch material is moistened during the manufacturing process. This gives the pouch a brownish appearance.

[0003] Because brownish pouches are often considered unsanitary, so-called white snus has become popular. White snus typically has a milder flavor and a slightly slower release. The main difference from conventional forms is that the pouch material is not moistened during the manufacturing process. The pouch remains dry, and discoloration due to the diffusion of colorants through the pouch material is delayed. Furthermore, even if the tobacco composition inside the pouch has the same moisture content, the nicotine and flavor pass through the pouch material more slowly. In addition, nicotine pouches that do not contain tobacco leaves are also considered white snus. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0004] However, due to the moisture content of the tobacco composition, discoloration of the pouch material often occurs during storage. Therefore, the subject of this invention is to provide white snus that does not appear unsanitary after long-term storage. Preferably, even discoloration of the user's teeth due to the color of the tobacco components can be reduced or even avoided.

[0005] Furthermore, there is a need for a method of manufacturing white snus. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] It has been found that these problems can be overcome by the white snus described in claim 1 and the method described in claim 11. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] The white snus according to the present invention comprises a small bag material, preferably a pouch, that is not moistened during the manufacturing process. Furthermore, the white snus includes a filler, a nicotine source, and a flavoring. The flavoring consists of particles with a size of 30 μm or less (sD) attached to an inert carrier. 50It contains tobacco particles (with laser diffraction properties). Surprisingly, tobacco particles of such small size, when attached to the surface of the carrier material, have been found to cause little to no discoloration of the pouch (and / or the user's teeth), or even no discoloration at all. Due to their small size, the particles are invisible to the human eye, at least not through the pores of the pouch. Furthermore, the small particles have been shown to deliver the full tobacco flavor to the user. The full tobacco flavor may even be delivered very quickly. The tobacco particles may originate from any part of the tobacco plant, e.g., leaves, stems, or roots.

[0008] The nicotine source may be tobacco, but the present invention is not limited to white snus containing tobacco as the (primary) nicotine source. In preferred embodiments, the tobacco nicotine source is different from the type of tobacco used to produce the small tobacco particles. Since the tobacco flavor is provided (and determined) primarily by the flavor of the small tobacco particles, a lower quality of tobacco may also be used as the nicotine source.

[0009] In the context of this invention, the term "inert," particularly in combination with the term "carrier," means that the first substance does not chemically interact with the second substance (e.g., the carrier). The inert carrier is preferably inert to the surrounding environment. Therefore, the carrier itself remains chemically unchanged when in contact with other components of the snus, such as the nicotine source or pouch material. However, "inert" does not mean that there is no interaction between the (inert) carrier and other components. Physical interactions, such as energy transfer, may occur. Furthermore, other physical properties of the inert material (e.g., the carrier) may change due to such interactions. For example, its shape or (specific) surface area may change due to the application of an external force.

[0010] Preferably, the average size of the tobacco particles (sD 50The laser diffraction particle size is 1 μm or larger, preferably 2.5 μm or larger, more preferably 5 μm or larger, and most preferably 8 μm or larger. It has been found that grinding tobacco particles to a smaller particle size can affect the flavor. It is thought that some of the tobacco flavoring molecules are broken down during the grinding process by high shear energy. Furthermore, some flavoring molecules may escape from tobacco particles that are too small during the grinding process or subsequent handling process. This will result in the depletion of these flavoring molecules within the tobacco particles and a flavor that is different from the full tobacco flavor. Furthermore, it has been found that larger particles can maintain the full tobacco flavor for a longer period during snus consumption.

[0011] Tobacco particles with such small average particle size provide a large surface area from which flavoring molecules can detach from the particles. Particle sizes of 30 μm or less have been shown to allow for the uniform movement of multiple flavoring molecules over long periods. Therefore, the full tobacco flavor can be maintained over extended periods. This particle size allows for the movement of both large and small molecules from the volume portion of the particle to its surface, where these molecules then leave the surface and are tasted by the user. The average size of tobacco particles has been shown to provide an optimal volume-to-surface ratio, which allows a broadly consistent mixture of flavoring molecules to detach from the particles over long time intervals.

[0012] Small tobacco particles can reduce the total amount of tobacco because they provide a complete tobacco flavor over a long period of time. In this embodiment, the snus preferably contains a nicotine source other than tobacco leaves. Preferably, the nicotine source does not contain tobacco. Preferably, the snus does not contain tobacco leaves, and more preferably, tobacco particles having a size of 30 μm or less attached to an inert carrier are the only tobacco compounds in the snus. Due to the corresponding reduction in total tobacco content, high taxes or restrictions can be avoided.

[0013] Preferably, the amount of dry tobacco particles is less than 2% (weight / weight) of the dry snus, preferably less than 1%, and more preferably in the range of 0.01 to 0.1%. The percentages mentioned above all define the dry weight of tobacco particles as the dry weight of the entire snus, including the pouch. In this context, the term "dry" means only the dry weight that does not contain any liquid components. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified below, all percentages should be understood in this way. The above amounts of tobacco particles have been shown to be sufficient to provide a full tobacco flavor over a long period of time. On the other hand, these amounts of tobacco particles are small enough to reduce, or even avoid, discoloration of the pouch. Thus, the appearance of the snus remains hygienic.

[0014] In preferred embodiments, the form of the carrier material is selected from the group including fibers, filter materials, fiber tows, staple fibers, randomly oriented staple fibers, sheets, paper sheets, folded paper, roll paper, crumpled paper, matrix materials, sponge types, ceramic materials, fleece, multi-tube, single tube, granules, spherical particles, cubes, and parallelepipeds. These types of carrier materials are advantageous because they are commonly used for other purposes in the manufacture of tobacco products. Therefore, methods for handling these materials are known in the art. Furthermore, these materials can be processed using general-purpose handling machines.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, tobacco particles are attached to an inert carrier containing cellulose. Cellulose is a natural product frequently used in the tobacco industry, and is therefore well-tolerated by users, has little to no effect on flavor, and can be handled in large quantities by handling machines known in the tobacco industry. Preferably, the carrier comprises cellulose fibers, powder, or granules (or a combination thereof). These forms are easily manufactured and handled. Due to the fibrous structure of cellulose, a clear distinction between the terms “fiber,” “powder,” and “granules” in relation to cellulose products is difficult and often depends only on the length of the fiber (a given diameter). In the sense of the present invention, a fiber should be understood as a particle having a longitudinal elongation that exceeds its elongation in the width and height directions by 20 times or more, preferably 50 times or more, and more preferably 100 times or more. All these forms of cellulose provide a large surface area (relative to their volume) that allows for the attachment of tobacco particles. Thus, the overall density of the tobacco particles can be high. This has been found to be advantageous for the delivery of full tobacco flavor.

[0016] Because the relative surface area of ​​small tobacco particles is large (relative to their volume), the tobacco flavor can easily reach the surface and escape from the particles. Preferably, the tobacco flavor can be extracted from the tobacco particles attached to the inert carrier by saliva. This embodiment is preferred because it can limit the undesirable loss of flavor during storage.

[0017] Preferably, the release of flavoring molecules from tobacco particles can be initiated by an activation signal. This embodiment is advantageous because the release of flavoring molecules can be triggered by the user. Therefore, depletion of flavoring molecules from tobacco particles during storage can be avoided. Preferably, the activation signal is selected from the group including temperature changes, mechanical strain, humidity changes, pH changes, contact with liquids, contact with water, and contact with saliva. Therefore, when the snus is used, the release of flavoring molecules from the small tobacco particles can be initiated. Preferably, the extraction of flavoring molecules from the small tobacco particles is initiated by one or more proteins in saliva. Preferably, the tobacco particles remain attached to the inert carrier when in contact with saliva.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, the amount (by weight) of the nicotine source in the snus is at least five times, preferably seven times, ten times, or even twenty times, the amount of small tobacco particles. It has been found that both a large amount of nicotine source and a small amount of small tobacco particles are suitable for providing the user with a complete tobacco flavor. The above ratio is preferred because it allows the use of inexpensive and / or tobacco-free nicotine sources while maintaining a complete tobacco flavor in any case. A high ratio between the amount of nicotine source and small tobacco particles in the snus is particularly preferred when legal restrictions or high taxes limit the acceptance of tobacco leaves as a nicotine source in snus products.

[0019] Preferably, the tobacco particles attached to the inert carrier are obtained by grinding the tobacco source. More preferably, the tobacco particles contain chemically metastable flavoring molecules. More preferably, the grinding process is carried out at a lower temperature of 15°C or below, preferably 12°C or below, and more preferably 0°C to 10°C. The lower temperature avoids the decomposition of flavoring molecules during grinding.

[0020] To avoid the decomposition of flavoring molecules during the grinding process, it has been found advantageous to reduce the viscosity of the ground composition. This can be achieved by adding a solvent to the composition. Such a solvent (or "dispersion medium") is preferably selected from the group comprising water, monohydric alcohols, polyhydric alcohols, sugar alcohols, sugars, and polyhydric alcohol esters. By using such a dispersion medium, the average particle size of the tobacco can be adjusted to a desired value without significantly altering the flavor.

[0021] More preferably, one or more dispersion media are selected from the group comprising water, monohydric alcohols, monohydric aliphatic alcohols, methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, 2-butanol, 2-methyl-1-propanol, 2,2-dimethylethanol, cyclohexanol, monohydric alcohols having aromatic substituents, benzyl alcohol, monohydric alcohols containing one or more halogen elements, monohydric alcohols having one or more ether links, polyhydric alcohols, glycerol, propylene glycol, sugar alcohols, sorbitol, maltitol, xylitol, erythritol, lactitol, sorbitan, xylose, arabinose, mannose, trehalose, sugars, lactose, sucrose, coupling sugars, glucose, enzyme-fermented starch syrup, acid-fermented starch syrup, maltose syrup, maltose, isomerized sugar, fructose, reduced maltose, reduced starch syrup, honey, polyhydric alcohol esters, fatty acid polyhydric alcohol esters, and fatty acid triglycerides.

[0022] Preferably, the proportion of tobacco particles in the pulverized dispersion is 0.5% (w / w) or more, preferably 1% (w / w) or more, 2% (w / w) or more, or 5% (w / w) or more, more preferably 10% (w / w) or more, most preferably 20% (w / w) or more, and 95% (w / w) or less, preferably 90% (w / w) or less, 80% (w / w) or less, or 70% (w / w) or less, more preferably 60% (w / w) or less, and most preferably 50% (w / w) or less. It has been found that these ratios allow tobacco to be pulverized to a desired average particle size in most solvents without significantly impairing the flavor.

[0023] Preferably, the snus contains further additives. By adding additional substances (or additives), the snus can be adapted to the individual preferences of different users. Preferably, the snus contains at least two, preferably three or more, more preferably four or more, more preferably five or more, more preferably six or more further substances. Preferably, these additives are selected from the group consisting of fillers, water, humectants, cellulose, glycols, propylene glycol, glycerol, sweeteners, sugars, sugar alcohols, gums, pH adjusters, bulking agents, ammonia, ammonium carbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, calcium carbonate, preservatives, salts.

[0024] It has been found that the water content of the snus affects the diffusion of coloring molecules and / or flavoring molecules through the snus composition. This diffusion can lead to flavor loss and / or discoloration of the pouch. In order to reduce or even avoid flavor loss and / or discoloration, it is preferred that the water content of the snus is 15% or more, preferably in the range of 15 - 70% (w / w), more preferably in the range of 20 - 65%, most preferably in the range of 30 - 60% or. The given weight percent refers to the total snus excluding the pouch. However, it is preferred to apply the present invention to dry snus. Dry snus has a total water content of less than 15%. In dry snus, due to the low water content, no problems regarding diffusion occur.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the tobacco particles are pasteurized. This can increase the shelf life of the snus. Preferably, the pasteurization (the terms "pasteurized" and "pasteurization" are used synonymously with the terms "sterilized" and "sterilization") is carried out following the grinding process. In a preferred embodiment, the pasteurization process is carried out by raising the temperature. The higher temperature can be used to remove the solvent (or dispersion medium) added during the grinding process. The pasteurization process can also include the process of attaching the tobacco particles to the carrier.

[0026] A further aspect of the present invention is - A step of preparing a filler, - A step of preparing a nicotine source, - A step of preparing tobacco particles having a size of 30 μm or less adhered to an inert carrier, - A step of preparing additional flavorings, - Optionally, a step of preparing additional components, - A step of mechanically mixing the components and a method for producing a white snus comprising the same.

[0027] This method enables the easy production of a white snus that provides a desired tobacco flavor even if the tobacco is not the main nicotine source. Thus, the method allows for the selection of a desired tobacco flavor independently of the flavor of the ultimately present nicotine source. A snus composition that originally does not provide a tobacco flavor (for example, because the nicotine is not of tobacco origin) can be easily adjusted to provide a desired tobacco flavor.

[0028] Preferably, the tobacco particles adhered to the inert carrier are added to the mixture of all other components during the mixing of all other components. This variant of the method makes it possible to adjust the properties of the snus composition independently of its flavor. Preferably, the properties of the composition selected from the group including water content, humidity, viscosity, temperature, and pH value are set to desired values before adding the tobacco particles adhered to the inert carrier.

[0029] Preferably, the intermediate composition is prepared by attaching a tobacco extract to an inert (preferably solid) carrier material. More preferably, the intermediate composition is prepared by attaching tobacco particles to an inert carrier material. Such an intermediate composition may contain further constituent(s) or component(s). It has been found that preparing the intermediate composition is advantageous because it can be produced in large quantities and stored for a long time (preferably under airtight conditions). The same intermediate composition can be used for multiple batches of the snus composition. This ensures a high (identical) product quality for multiple different batches of snus.

[0030] By adding tobacco particles attached to an inert carrier during a very slow handling step, the risk of flavor loss or degradation of flavor molecules during subsequent handling processes is reduced.

[0031] Preferably, tobacco particles attached to an inert carrier are added to the mixture of other components in an amount of less than 2% (by weight), preferably less than 1%, and more preferably 0.01 to 0.1%. Typically, such a small proportion of tobacco particles attached to an inert carrier does not significantly alter the properties of the snus composition (e.g., water content, viscosity, temperature, and pH value).

[0032] Preferably, the method further includes a step of pasteurizing the tobacco particles attached to the inert carrier. This step is preferably carried out independently of the other components of the snus composition. Preferably, this step is performed before adding the tobacco particles attached to the inert carrier to the mixture of other components. The pasteurization step is preferably carried out by raising the temperature. This higher temperature can also be used to reduce or remove the solvent from the tobacco particles attached to the inert carrier.

[0033] Reducing or removing the solvent can also result in the attachment of tobacco particles to the surface of the inert carrier. Therefore, the pasteurization step and the step of attaching tobacco particles to the surface of the carrier are performed simultaneously. In this context, simultaneous should be understood as the pasteurization step and the step of attaching tobacco particles to the surface of the carrier being at least partially parallel to each other. However, one of these steps (preferably the step of attaching tobacco particles to the surface of the carrier, which ultimately includes the removal of the solvent) may be completed before the other of these steps. Preferably, no further handling steps are performed between these two steps.

[0034] In a preferred modification of this method, the tobacco particles attached to the inert carrier further contain a humectant. In this embodiment, the tobacco particles attached to the inert carrier are provided as a mixture with a humectant. Such a mixture often provides lower viscosity and is easier to handle. When such a mixture is added to a mixture of other components of the snus composition, the interactions between these components and the tobacco particles (e.g., energy transfer due to different temperatures and / or shear forces due to the mixing process) can be buffered. This can reduce the decomposition of flavor molecules. Preferably, the humectant is the same humectant used as one of the further components. In this embodiment, the tobacco particles attached to the inert carrier and the mixture of other components of the snus composition contain the same humectant, which has been shown to be advantageous with respect to mixing properties. In particular, the time required to obtain a homogeneous mixture of all components of the snus composition (including the tobacco particles attached to the inert carrier) can be reduced in this embodiment.

[0035] It will be understood that the embodiments described above are merely first embodiments of the method and / or system of the present invention. In this respect, the disclosure of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0036] All features disclosed in this application are claimed to be essential to the present invention, insofar as they are novel to the prior art, individually or in combination.

Claims

1. A white snus comprising a pouch material, a filler, a nicotine source and a flavoring, White snus characterized in that the fragrance contains tobacco particles having a size of 30 μm or less attached to a carrier, the carrier is inert to the surrounding environment, the carrier itself does not change chemically when in contact with other components of the snus, and the nicotine source does not contain tobacco.

2. The white snus according to claim 1, characterized in that the amount of tobacco particles is less than 2% (weight / weight) of the snus.

3. The white snus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the tobacco particles are attached to an inert carrier containing cellulose.

4. The white snus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the tobacco flavor can be extracted by saliva from the tobacco particles attached to the inert carrier.

5. The snus is characterized in that the amount (weight) of the nicotine source is at least five times the amount of tobacco particles. White snus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The white snus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the tobacco particles attached to the inert carrier contain chemically metastable fragrance molecules.

7. White snus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising at least two substances selected from the group including fillers, water, humectants, cellulose, glycol, propylene glycol, glycerol, sweeteners, sugars, sugar alcohols, gum, pH adjusters, leavening agents, ammonia, ammonium carbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, calcium carbonate, preservatives, and salts.

8. The white snus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the moisture content of the snus is in the range of 1 to 60% (w / w) or 15% or more.

9. The white snus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the snus does not contain tobacco leaves and the tobacco particles are the only tobacco compounds in the snus.

10. A method for producing white snus, - Steps to prepare filler material, - Steps to prepare the nicotine source, - A step of preparing tobacco particles having a size of 30 μm or less attached to an inert carrier, - Steps to prepare further fragrances, - A step of preparing additional components by choice, - A step of mechanically mixing the filler material, the nicotine source, the tobacco particles, the flavoring, and the optionally prepared components, A method that includes this.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the mechanical mixing step includes adding the tobacco particles attached to the inert carrier to a mixture of the filler material, the nicotine source, the flavoring and optionally prepared components during the mixing process.

12. The method according to 10 or 11, further comprising a pasteurization step of pasteurizing the tobacco particles attached to the inert carrier.

13. The method according to claim 12, as dependent on claim 11, characterized in that the pasteurization step is performed before adding the tobacco particles attached to the inert carrier to the mixture.

14. The method according to 12, characterized in that the pasteurization step and the step of attaching the tobacco particles to the surface of the carrier are performed simultaneously.

15. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the tobacco particles attached to an inert carrier are provided as a mixture with a humectant.

16. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 15, further comprising the step of preparing an intermediate composition by attaching the tobacco particles to a solid carrier material and optionally adding further components.