Acid-flavored oral nicotine products in pouches

Abstract

Disclosed is an oral pouched nicotine product comprising a filler and a saliva-permeable pouch wrapper enclosing the filler, the filler comprising: - a non-tobacco material; - a nicotine source; - a flavouring; - moisture in an amount ranging from 1% to 50% by weight based on the total weight of the filler; - a pH adjuster comprising one or more of the following: Na2CO3, K2CO3, MgCO3, NaHCO3, KHCO3, NaOH, KOH; and - optionally tobacco material in an amount ranging from 0.05% to 5% by weight based on the total weight of the filler, the wrapper comprising an acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, ascorbic acid, tartaric acid, and any combination thereof, the acid being present in an amount ranging from 5% to 20% by weight based on the total dry weight of the wrapper. Also provided is a method for producing the oral pouched nicotine product.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a tobacco-free or low-tobacco oral pouch nicotine product that includes a filler and a packaging material for a saliva-permeable pouch that encloses the filler. The filler includes nicotine and flavor, and the packaging material includes an acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, ascorbic acid, tartaric acid, and any combination thereof. When the oral pouch nicotine product is orally administered, the acid in the packaging material is released simultaneously to give a sour feeling, and then the flavor is released together with the nicotine in the filler.

Background Art

[0002] Moist snuff for oral use is available in a loose form or in a form in which portions are packed in a saliva-permeable porous wrapper material that forms a pouch. The pouch-containing moist snuff is typically used by the user sandwiching the pouch between the upper and lower gums and the lips or cheeks and holding it there for a limited time. The pouch material allows saliva to enter the interior of the pouch-containing product while holding the tobacco in place and diffuses flavor and nicotine from the tobacco material into the user's mouth.

[0003] Also, tobacco-free or substantially tobacco-free oral pouch nicotine-containing products are available and can be provided as a substitute for oral pouch smokeless tobacco products. These tobacco-free or substantially tobacco-free oral pouch nicotine-containing products are generally used in the same manner as oral pouch tobacco-containing products and are referred to herein as oral pouch nicotine products.

[0004] Oral pouch smokeless tobacco products and oral pouch nicotine products that do not contain tobacco or are substantially tobacco-free may be manufactured by weighing a portion of filler and inserting the portion into packaging material. The packaging material that forms the pouch in an oral pouch product is typically a dry nonwoven fabric containing viscose rayon fibers (i.e., regenerated cellulose) and an acrylic polymer that acts as a binder in the nonwoven material, causing the pouch to heat-seal during the manufacture of the product. The packaging material that forms the pouch in an oral pouch product should be sealed during the manufacture of the pouch, should not discolor or should discolor only slightly during storage of the pouch, should maintain integrity and strength when used by the consumer, should enable the desired release characteristics of nicotine and flavoring, and should provide a pleasant mouthfeel.

[0005] The sensory characteristics of oral pouch products, such as texture, aroma, taste, shape, and appearance, are of great importance to the user. Generally, it is desirable to provide oral pouch nicotine products that allow for a rapid release of flavorings and / or nicotine, providing a strong aroma from the start and / or reducing nicotine cravings. However, generally, there is a time lag between placing an oral pouch product in the mouth and the start of extraction of flavorings and nicotine from the product's filler. This is unsatisfactory for many consumers who desire an immediate effect from ingesting oral pouch nicotine products.

[0006] Furthermore, many consumers prefer sour tastes, or the sensation of acidity. However, acids can protonate nicotine, thereby reducing nicotine absorption through the oral mucosa and / or react with basic components such as basic pH adjusters in the filler material. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] US 2020 / 0297024 A1 [Patent Document 2] EP 3192380A [Patent Document 3] WO 2017 / 125405 [Non-patent literature]

[0008] [Non-Patent Document 1] Federal Register / Volume 74, Issue 4 / Pages 712-719 / Wednesday, January 7, 2009 / Notices "Total moisture determination" [Non-Patent Document 2] Official Methods of Analysis 966.02: "Moisture in Tobacco" (1990), Part 5, K. Helrich (ed.) [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0009] Therefore, there is a need for an oral nicotine pouch product that immediately provides the user with a flavor sensation upon placing it in their mouth. Furthermore, there is a need for an oral nicotine pouch product that initially provides a sour taste without adversely or substantially affecting the release of nicotine within the oral nicotine pouch product.

[0010] The purpose of this disclosure is to mitigate at least one of the aforementioned problems and / or to provide advantages and aspects not available in previously known technologies. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] One or more of the above objectives can be achieved by the oral pouch nicotine product described in Appendix Claim 1, and / or the method described in Appendix Claim 14.

[0012] Therefore, this disclosure relates to an oral pouch nicotine product comprising a filler and a packaging material for a saliva-permeable pouch enclosing the filler, The filler is - Non-tobacco materials, - Nicotine source, - Flavoring agents, - A moisture content in the range of 1% to 50% by mass relative to the total mass of the filler. - The following: pH adjusters containing one or more of the following: Na2CO3, K2CO3, MgCO3, NaHCO3, KHCO3, NaOH, KOH, and - Optionally, tobacco material in an amount of 0.05% to 5% by mass relative to the total mass of the filler. Includes, The present invention provides an oral pouch-type nicotine product in which the packaging material contains an acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, ascorbic acid, tartaric acid, and any combination thereof, and the acid is present in an amount ranging from 5% to 20% by mass relative to the total dry mass of the packaging material.

[0013] Furthermore, this disclosure relates to a method for preparing an oral pouch nicotine product as described herein, a) A step of preparing the filler described herein, b) A step of sealing the filler obtained in step a) into packaging material. We also provide methods that include this.

[0014] It is sometimes particularly preferable to select the acid contained in the packaging material from citric acid, malic acid, or a combination of citric acid and malic acid. Citric acid has good color stability, is readily available, and provides a pleasant, non-bitter acidic taste. Malic acid is known to provide a strong, sour taste and stimulate saliva secretion.

[0015] definition In this specification, the term "tobacco material" refers to fibrous material of tobacco leaves or parts of the leaves such as the leaf blade and stem. The leaves and parts of the leaves may be pulverized (decomposed) by crushing, cutting, shredding, or hulling, and the parts of the leaves may be blended into the tobacco material in predetermined proportions. The tobacco material may or may not contain tobacco extract.

[0016] As used herein, "tobacco" means any part of any member of the genus Nicotiana, such as leaves, stems, and petioles. The tobacco may be whole or may be processed by shredding, hulling, cutting, grinding, curing, aging, fermenting, or another method (e.g., granulating or encapsulating).

[0017] "Oral" and "oral use" are used herein, in all contexts, as referring to use within the oral cavity (such as buccal location, etc.) of a human.

[0018] As used herein, the term "moisture content" refers to the total amount of oven-volatile components, such as water and other oven-volatiles (e.g., propylene glycol), etc., in the preparation, composition, or product being referred to. The moisture content is described herein as the mass percent (wt%) of the total mass of the preparation, composition, or product being referred to.

[0019] The moisture content can be determined herein using the method described in the Federal Register, Vol. 74, No. 4, pp. 712-719, Wednesday, January 7, 2009, Notices "Total moisture determination" and the method based on AOAC (Association of Official Analytical Chemics), Official Methods of Analysis 966.02: "Moisture in Tobacco" (1990), Part 5, edited by K. Helrich. In this method, the moisture content is determined by gravimetric measurement by taking 2.5 ± 0.25 g of sample under ambient conditions and weighing the sample, where the ambient conditions are defined as a temperature of 22°C and a relative humidity of 60%, and the measurement is performed before evaporation of moisture and after the completion of dehydration. A Mettler-Toledo HB43 moisture meter (balance with halogen heating technology) is used in the experiments described herein (in place of the oven and balance in the references mentioned). The sample was heated to 105°C (instead of 99.5±0.5°C in the reference cited). The measurement was stopped when the mass change fell to less than 1 mg within a 90-second time frame. The moisture content of the sample was then automatically calculated as a mass percentage using the HB43 moisture meter.

[0020] Some fibrous materials may exhibit hygroscopic properties. Hygroscopic materials maintain an equilibrium moisture content depending on the ambient humidity and temperature.

[0021] "Flavor," "flavoring," or "flavoring agent" is used herein to refer to substances used to affect the aroma and / or taste of a nicotine product, including but not limited to essential oils, single flavor compounds, blended flavorings, and extracts.

[0022] As used herein, "% w / w," "wt%," "mass%," or "by mass" refers to the mass percentage of the referred ingredient to the total mass of the preparation, composition, or product referred to. In this document, the expressions "by mass," mass%, and wt% are used interchangeably.

[0023] As used herein, references to "dry mass percentage," "mass % relative to dry mass," etc., refer to the mass percentage of the referred component based on the total dry mass of the component, i.e., the total mass of all components of the referred preparation, composition, or product, excluding the water content.

[0024] As used herein, references to "wet mass percentage," "mass % relative to wet mass," etc., refer to the mass percentage of the ingredient referred to, based on the total mass of the ingredient, i.e., the total mass of all ingredients in the preparation, composition, or product referred to, including the water content. Therefore, as used herein, "mass % relative to total mass" is the same as "mass % relative to wet mass."

[0025] As used herein, the terms “oral pouch nicotine product” or “oral pouch nicotine product” refer to a portion of nicotine-containing filler packaged in a saliva-permeable pouch material for oral use.

[0026] As used herein, the terms “oral pouch nicotine non-tobacco product,” “tobacco-free oral pouch nicotine product,” or “oral pouch tobacco-free product” refer to a portion of nicotine-containing filler packed in a saliva-permeable pouch material for oral use, which does not contain tobacco in the product. Tobacco-free oral pouch products or tobacco-free fillers may contain trace amounts of tobacco less than 0.05 wt% of the total mass of the pouch product or filler.

[0027] As used herein, the terms “oral pouch nicotine tobacco product” or “micro tobacco oral pouch nicotine product” refer to a portion of nicotine-containing filler packed in a saliva-permeable pouch material for oral use, wherein the amount of tobacco material contained in the product is in the range of about 0.05% to about 10% by mass or about 0.05% to about 5% by mass relative to the total mass of the filler material.

[0028] As used herein, the term "granular" refers to components in the form of particles, including granules, pellets, powders, etc.

[0029] As used herein, the term “fibrous” means a component composed of natural or artificial fibers, or a component substantially composed of natural or artificial fibers.

[0030] As used herein, the term "non-granular" refers to an ingredient that is not in the form of particles. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0031] This disclosure relates to an oral pouch nicotine product comprising a filler and a packaging material for a saliva-permeable pouch containing the filler, The filler is - Non-tobacco materials, - Nicotine source, - Flavoring agents, - A moisture content in the range of 1% to 50% by mass relative to the total mass of the filler. - The following: pH adjusters containing one or more of the following: Na2CO3, K2CO3, MgCO3, NaHCO3, KHCO3, NaOH, KOH, and - Optionally, tobacco material in an amount of 0.05% to 5% by mass relative to the total mass of the filler. Includes, The present invention provides an oral pouch-type nicotine product in which the packaging material contains an acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, ascorbic acid, tartaric acid, and any combination thereof, and the acid is present in an amount ranging from 5% to 20% by mass relative to the total dry mass of the packaging material.

[0032] Oral pouch nicotine products do not have to contain tobacco (i.e., they do not contain tobacco or contain only a very small amount of tobacco, less than 0.05 wt%, thereby producing oral pouch nicotine tobacco-free products). Alternatively, oral pouch nicotine products may contain a small amount of tobacco material, such as about 0.05% to about 5% by mass relative to the total mass of the filler, thereby obtaining a low-tobacco oral pouch nicotine product. For example, a low-tobacco oral pouch nicotine product may contain a filler containing tobacco material in an amount of 0.05% to about 5% by mass, for example, 0.1% to 5% by mass, or for example, 0.1% to 1% by mass, relative to the total mass of the filler. It should be understood that the tobacco material in the low-tobacco oral nicotine products described herein forms part of the filler.

[0033] The non-tobacco material may be any suitable material that can act as a bulk material in the filler for manufacturing an oral pouch product having a desired pre-use volume. The non-tobacco material may further act as a base material for one or more other components in the filler.

[0034] The non-tobacco material may be a granular material, i.e., a material in the form of particles of any suitable size or shape, including granules, powders, pellets, irregularly shaped particles, spherical particles, etc.

[0035] Non-tobacco materials may be in the form of fibers, such as natural or artificial fibers. Mixtures of fibers and particles are also considered non-tobacco materials disclosed herein.

[0036] Non-tobacco materials may be granular materials, fibrous materials, or combinations of particles and fibers, or other fluid or relatively fluid materials. Fluid or relatively fluid non-tobacco materials are generally considered to have a moisture content of less than 30 wt%, preferably less than 20 wt%.

[0037] Non-tobacco materials may be provided in the form of a paste or a viscous mass.

[0038] The non-tobacco material may be water-insoluble, water-soluble, or a mixture thereof. For example, the non-tobacco material may include sugar alcohols such as maltitol and / or cellulose such as microcrystalline cellulose and powdered cellulose. In one example, the non-tobacco material may include maltitol and microcrystalline cellulose.

[0039] The nicotine source of the filler may be one or more of the following: nicotine base, nicotine hydrochloride, nicotine dihydrochloride, nicotine monotartrate, nicotine ditartrate, nicotine dihydrate distartrate, nicotine sulfate, zinc nicotine chloride monohydrate, nicotine salicylate, nicotine benzoate, and nicotine polarilex. In particular, the wetting filler may contain, or consist of, one or more of the following: nicotine ditartrate, nicotine dihydrate distartrate, nicotine base, and an aqueous solution containing tartaric acid, for example, an aqueous solution containing about 20% by mass of nicotine base and about 10% by mass of tartaric acid relative to the total mass of the aqueous solution.

[0040] Please understand that the nicotine sources described herein do not include tobacco materials or other tobacco products.

[0041] The filler may contain an amount of nicotine source in the range of approximately 0.5 wt% to approximately 10 wt%, for example, approximately 0.2 wt% to approximately 3 wt%, relative to the total mass of the wet filler, calculated on a nicotine basis.

[0042] The amount of nicotine source per pouch product, when calculated on a nicotine basis, may be in the range of approximately 0.1 mg to approximately 30 mg of nicotine, for example, approximately 0.5 mg, approximately 1.0 mg, approximately 1.5 mg, approximately 2.0 mg, approximately 2.5 mg, approximately 3.0 mg, approximately 3.5 mg, approximately 4.0 mg, approximately 4.5 mg, approximately 5.0 mg, approximately 6.0 mg, approximately 7.0 mg, approximately 8.0 mg, approximately 9.0 mg, approximately 10 mg, approximately 11 mg, approximately 12 mg, approximately 13 mg, approximately 14 mg, approximately 15 mg, approximately 16 mg, approximately 17 mg, approximately 18 mg, approximately 19 mg, approximately 20 mg, approximately 21 mg, approximately 22 mg, approximately 23 mg, approximately 24 mg, or approximately 25 mg of nicotine. As used herein, mg means milligrams.

[0043] The filler contains one, two, or three or more flavoring agents. The flavoring agents may and / or may not be encapsulated. As used herein, encapsulated flavoring agents are flavoring agents contained within capsules. Therefore, unencapsulated flavoring agents are flavoring agents not contained within capsules. The flavorings may include or consist of flavoring oils such as hydrophobic flavoring oils, synthetic flavors such as nature-identical flavors. For example, the flavoring agents in the filler of the oral pouch nicotine product disclosed herein may include or consist of one or more of the following: synthetic flavors such as nature-identical flavors, plant-derived flavors, flavoring oils, essential oils, and other hydrophobic flavoring oils. As used herein, nature-identical flavors mean synthetic flavors that are chemically identical to natural flavorings but are synthesized or extracted using chemical methods. The flavoring agents may be a mixture of various flavors. Flavoring agents may be provided as oils such as hydrophobic oils, liquids, powders, or mixtures thereof. Furthermore, flavoring agents may be in liquid and / or solid form. Flavoring agents may be stable at pH > 7.

[0044] Examples of flavorings include bergamot, eucalyptus, orange, mandarin orange, citrus, lemon, peppermint, spearmint, mint, menthol, licorice, wintergreen, whiskey, rum, cherry, berries, tobacco, coffee, vanilla, lime, apple, peach, carvone, limonene, and any combination of two or more of these. For example, the flavoring may be one or more of the following: lemon oil, lime oil, orange oil, grapefruit oil, and bergamot oil.

[0045] The wetting filler may further contain encapsulated flavorings. The encapsulated flavorings may be the same as or different from the unencapsulated flavorings. Alternatively, the wetting filler may not contain encapsulated flavorings.

[0046] The wetting filler for oral pouch nicotine products disclosed herein may contain flavoring agents in an amount of about 0.5% to about 5.0% by mass, for example, 0.5% to about 3% by mass, relative to the total mass of the wetting filler.

[0047] The filler material for oral pouch nicotine products described herein may further contain sweeteners such as natural or artificial sweeteners. The artificial sweetener may include potassium cesulfame. The sweetener may be present in an amount ranging from about 0.1% w / w to about 1% w / w relative to the total mass of the wet filler material.

[0048] Furthermore, the filler material for the oral pouch nicotine product described herein may further contain a salt selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, and any combination of two or more of these. In particular, the salt may contain or consist of sodium chloride. The salt may be present in an amount ranging from about 1.0% w / w to about 10% w / w, for example, from about 2.5% w / w to about 5% w / w, relative to the total mass of the filler material.

[0049] The filler material for the oral pouch nicotine product described herein may have a moisture content in the range of about 10% to about 60% by mass, for example, about 40% to about 60% by mass, for example, about 35% to about 55% by mass, for example, about 35% to about 45% by mass, for example, about 30% to about 40% by mass, for example, about 50% to about 60% by mass, relative to the total mass of the filler material. In one example, the moisture in the filler material may be present in an amount of about 20 wt% to about 50 wt%, for example, about 20 wt% to about 45 wt%, for example, about 40 wt%, relative to the total mass of the filler material. In further examples, the moisture content of the filler may be present in amounts ranging from 1 wt% to 20 wt%, for example, 15 wt% to 20 wt%, for example, 12 wt% to 20 wt%, 1 wt% to 12 wt%, for example, 1 wt% to 5 wt%, for example, about 3 wt%, for example, 0.1 wt% to 1 wt%, relative to the total mass of the filler.

[0050] The moisture in the fillers described herein may be supplied by water and optionally by a wetting agent. The wetting agent may contain or consist of glycerol and / or propylene glycol. The wetting agent may be present in an amount ranging from about 5% w / w to about 15% w / w relative to the total mass of the filler.

[0051] The pH adjusters for the fillers described herein may include or consist of one or more of the following: Na2CO3, K2CO3, MgCO3, NaHCO3, KHCO3, NaOH, and KOH. For example, the pH adjuster may include or consist of Na2CO3 and optionally NaHCO3 and / or KOH. It should be understood that the fillers do not have to contain the acids described herein. Alternatively, the fillers may contain a small amount of acid such as tartaric acid. The acid may be present in an amount that does not adversely affect the pH of the filler. Furthermore, the acid such as tartaric acid may be present in combination with nicotine, thereby forming a nicotine salt. The amount of pH adjuster may be selected so that when the wet filler is dispersed in pure water, it yields a pH greater than 7.0, for example, in the range of about 7.0 to about 10.0, or in the range of about 8.0 to about 9.0, for example, in the range of about 8.3 to about 8.7. For example, the pH adjuster may be present in an amount of approximately 1.0% to 15% by mass relative to the total mass of the wetting filler.

[0052] The pH of the wet packing material can be measured by adding 100 mL of distilled water to, for example, 5.0 grams of wet packing material in a 100 mL Ellenmeyer flask, stirring the resulting mixture at room temperature for about 5 minutes using a magnetic stirrer at 100 rpm, and then measuring the pH of the extract obtained from the mixture using a pH meter calibrated (according to the manufacturer's instructions). For accurate readings, the sample solution should be analyzed within 1 hour. In this document, the term "rpm" means revolutions per minute. Furthermore, in this document, the expression "room temperature" means about 20°C to about 25°C, for example, about 22°C.

[0053] The packaging material for oral nicotine products in pouches described herein may include or consist of a saliva-permeable nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric may be dry, wet, or spunbond. The nonwoven fabric may include heat-sealable fibers and / or binders that enable sealing, such as heat-sealable fibers. For example, the binder may include an acrylate binder. Thus, the pouches for the nicotine products described herein may be formed by heat sealing. In addition, or separately, the pouches may be formed by ultrasonic welding to provide an ultrasonic seal.

[0054] The packaging materials for oral pouch nicotine products described herein contain an acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, ascorbic acid, tartaric acid, and any combination thereof. In particular, the acid may contain or consist of citric acid. It should be understood that the acid contained in the packaging material may be provided as a salt thereof, or not.

[0055] Surprisingly, it was found that the acid in the packaging material does not migrate to the filler material during storage. Instead, the acid in the packaging material remains within the packaging, rapidly releasing the acid and thereby producing a sour taste in the consumer's mouth. In this way, consumers can enjoy the rapid and immediate release of acid followed by the delayed release of flavorings and nicotine in the filler material. Thus, consumers first experience the rapid release of acid from the oral pouch nicotine product, and overall experience a longer sensory stimulation. In addition, the limited contact between the acid in the packaging material and the filler material minimizes the risk that the acid may interact with components in the filler material, for example, resulting in the protonation of nicotine, reducing oral intake of nicotine, and / or neutralizing basic components such as pH adjusters in the filler material. Surprisingly, it was also found that the presence of acid in the packaging material does not substantially adversely affect the seal strength of the packaging material.

[0056] The acid in the packaging material may be present in amounts ranging from 5 wt% to about 20 wt%, about 5 wt% to about 15 wt%, about 10 wt% to about 15 wt%, or about 5 wt% to about 10 wt% relative to the total mass of the packaging material. In particular, the acid in the packaging material may be present in amounts ranging from about 10 wt% to about 15 wt%, for example, about 12 wt% relative to the total mass of the packaging material.

[0057] Furthermore, the method for producing an oral pouch nicotine product as described herein, a) A step of preparing the filler described herein, b) A step of sealing the filler obtained in step a) into packaging material. We also provide methods that include this.

[0058] The packaging materials described herein are (i) A step of treating the packaging material with an aqueous solution containing an acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, ascorbic acid, tartaric acid and any combination thereof, (ii) Drying process and It can be manufactured by [unspecified method].

[0059] The aqueous solution may contain or consist of water and, optionally, a food-grade solvent such as ethanol. The packaging material may be the nonwoven fabric material described herein. The treatment in step (i) may be carried out by immersion, such as dipping, of the packaging material in the aqueous solution. In addition or by other means, the treatment in step (i) may be carried out by spraying the aqueous solution onto the packaging material. The drying step (ii) may be carried out at room temperature or above room temperature.

[0060] This disclosure is illustrated by the following non-limiting embodiments. [Examples]

[0061] overview Dry and saliva-permeable nonwoven materials NW37 and Z8732 were used in the following examples. NW37 is described in paragraph

[0101] of US 2020 / 0297024 A1, with the exception that its basic mass is 38 g / m². 2 Instead, 37g / m2 Z8723 was purchased from Tenowo GmbH (Germany) and contained polyethylene terephthalate fibers and chemical binders. Citric acid was purchased from Kockens GmbH (Sweden) and VWR GmbH (Sweden), respectively. The citric acid from VWR GmbH was supplied as a monohydrate. DL-malic acid, L-(+)-lactic acid, and L-ascorbic acid and L-(+)-tartaric acid were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich GmbH (Sweden).

[0062] pH measurement The pH of the filler was measured as follows: 100 mL of distilled water was added to 5.0 g of filler, and the resulting mixture was stirred at 100 rpm using a magnetic stirrer for approximately 5 minutes at room temperature. The pH of the extract obtained from the mixture was then measured using a pH meter calibrated (according to the manufacturer's instructions). For accurate readings, the sample solution should be analyzed within 1 hour. In this document, the term "rpm" means revolutions per minute. Furthermore, in this document, the expression "room temperature" means approximately 20°C to approximately 25°C, for example, approximately 22°C. The pH of the pouch was measured in the same manner as the filler, but instead of the filler, a mixture of the filler and nonwoven pouch material was used.

[0063] Measurement of pouch seal strength Pouch seal strength was measured using an Instron 5943 instrument as follows: One ply was mounted on the upper gauge and one ply on the lower gauge. The force required to peel the seal was determined and expressed as load per unit width at maximum load (Newtons per millimeter, i.e., N / mm). The following mechanical parameters were used: Load range: 50N Extension: 10mm Gauge length: 13mm Speed: 10mm / min Preload: 0.1N Sample width: 12 mm

[0064] Measurement of nonwoven fabric seal strength The seal strength of the nonwoven material was measured using an Instron 5943 instrument as follows: The nonwoven material was heat-sealed according to EP3192380A. One ply was mounted on the upper gauge and one ply on the lower gauge. The force used to peel the seal was determined and expressed as load per unit width at maximum load (Newtons per millimeter, i.e., N / mm). Where used herein, N represents Newtons, mm represents millimeters, and min represents minutes. The following mechanical parameters were used: Load range: 50N Extension: 10mm Gauge length: 13mm Speed:30mm / min Preload: 0.1N Sample width: 33-43 mm

[0065] (Example 1A) Citric acid was dissolved in water to obtain aqueous solutions containing 1 wt%, 2 wt%, 3 wt%, 4 wt%, 5 wt%, and 6 wt% citric acid relative to the total mass of the aqueous solution. The citric acid was incorporated into nonwoven fabric materials NW37 and Z8732 as follows. The nonwoven fabric materials were immersed in the aqueous solutions until they were completely wet, and then immediately removed. After that, if necessary, the nonwoven fabric materials were dried at room temperature for 30 minutes or more to reach a dry state.

[0066] The concentration of citric acid in the nonwoven fabric material was calculated by measuring the mass of the nonwoven fabric material before treatment with an aqueous solution containing citric acid, and after treatment with the aqueous solution and subsequent drying, using the following formula 1.

[0067]

number

[0068] In Equation 1, X is the mass of the nonwoven fabric material after treatment with the citric acid aqueous solution and drying, and Y is the mass of the nonwoven fabric material before treatment with the citric acid aqueous solution. Therefore, the concentration is the amount of citric acid in the dried nonwoven fabric material after treatment with the citric acid aqueous solution. The concentration of citric acid contained in the nonwoven fabric material can represent the amount of citric acid contained in the nonwoven fabric material.

[0069] Table 1 shows the concentration of citric acid contained in the dried nonwoven fabric material treated with an aqueous citric acid solution.

[0070] [Table 1]

[0071] The peel strength of dried nonwoven fabric materials treated with a citric acid aqueous solution was measured, and the results are shown in Table 2.

[0072] [Table 2]

[0073] (Example 1B) Two individuals tasted oral pouches containing the nonwoven fabric material NW37 treated with citric acid in Example 1A and found that the NW37 treated with 1 wt% and 2 wt% citric acid had little to no acidity. However, they found that the NW37 treated with 3 wt%, 4 wt%, and 5 wt% citric acid had a good acidity. These concentrations correspond to 11 wt%, 15 wt%, and 20 wt% of citric acid in the NW37 relative to the total mass of the dry NW37. It was concluded that nonwoven fabric materials containing 11 wt% to 20 wt% citric acid relative to the total mass of the dry nonwoven fabric material produced a good acidity.

[0074] (Example 1C) This example was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1A, but the citric acid was dissolved in ethanol (96% in water) instead of water. With this method, drying at room temperature was faster than in Example 1A. The concentration of citric acid contained in the nonwoven fabric material and the peel strength were measured, and the results are shown in Table 3 and Table 4, respectively.

[0075] [Table 3]

[0076] A comparison of the results in Table 3 and Table 1 shows that when ethanol was used instead of water as the solvent, the concentration of citric acid incorporated into the nonwoven fabric material was generally higher.

[0077] [Table 4]

[0078] (Example 2) A first filler was prepared containing nicotine, microcrystalline cellulose, maltitol, lemon flavoring, sodium chloride, a pH adjuster, and water. The water content was 3 wt% of the total mass of the filler. A second filler was also prepared, which was substantially identical to the first filler, but with a water content of 40 wt% of the total mass of the filler.

[0079] The first filler was packed into a 0.4g portion pouch with an ultrasonic seal using nonwoven fabric material NW37, which had been treated with an aqueous solution containing 3.5 wt% citric acid. The concentration of citric acid incorporated into the nonwoven fabric material NW37 was 12.5 wt% relative to the total mass of dry NW37.

[0080] The second filler was packed into a 0.9g heat-sealed portion pouch using nonwoven fabric material Z8732 treated with an aqueous solution containing 4.5 wt% citric acid. The concentration of citric acid incorporated into the nonwoven fabric material Z8732 was 12.5 wt% relative to the total mass of dry Z8732.

[0081] These pouches were packed into plastic cans suitable for sealing oral pouches. The plastic cans are described in WO 2017 / 125405. The pH of the filler and the seal strength of the pouches were analyzed before and after storage in a constant temperature and humidity chamber (VC0100, manufactured by Votsch Industrietechnik). The conditions of the constant temperature and humidity chamber were set to 0°C, corresponding to refrigerator conditions. Some samples were stored at rt (i.e., room temperature) after being stored in the constant temperature and humidity chamber. pH and pouch seal strength were measured as described above. The results are shown in Tables 5 and 6. Comparative experiments are shown in Table 7.

[0082] [Table 5]

[0083] [Table 6]

[0084] [Table 7]

[0085] As shown in Table 5, in the case of a pouch containing filler 1 with a moisture content of approximately 3 wt%, storage did not substantially affect the pH of the filler or the pH of the pouch (i.e., the pH measured in a sample containing the filler and nonwoven fabric material). Furthermore, Table 5 shows that the seal strength of the pouch, as measured by peel strength, was not substantially affected by storage. It was concluded that the citric acid remained in the nonwoven fabric material, i.e., did not migrate into the filler or migrated substantially during storage, because migration would have lowered the pH of the filler.

[0086] As shown in Table 6, in the case of a pouch containing filler 2 with a moisture content of approximately 40 wt%, storage did not substantially affect the pH of the filler and pouch. It was concluded that citric acid remained in the nonwoven material, i.e., that citric acid did not substantially migrate into the filler during storage, because migration would have lowered the pH of the filler. Furthermore, a comparison of the results in Table 6 with the citric acid-free pouch shown in Table 7 indicates that the presence of citric acid in the nonwoven pouch material results in a product with a lower pH of the filler and pouch. Therefore, the presence of citric acid appears to lower the pH during preparation. However, after preparation, the pH remains substantially unchanged after storage.

[0087] (Example 3) Four individuals tested oral pouch products containing (i) nonwoven fabric material NW37 containing the amount of citric acid described in Example 1A, and (ii) filler material 1 described in Example 2. It was found that the pouch product containing nonwoven fabric material NW37 containing 12.5 wt% citric acid relative to the total mass of NW37 provided an initial prominent sourness, followed by a lemon flavor from the filler material.

[0088] Using the same method, tests were conducted on oral pouch products containing (i) nonwoven fabric material Z8732 containing various amounts of citric acid as described in Example 1A, and (ii) filler material 2 as described in Example 2. It was found that acidity remained after storage in a refrigerator for one week, and again after storage in a refrigerator for one week followed by storage at room temperature for three weeks.

[0089] (Example 4) Nonwoven fabric material NW37 was treated with an acid selected from the group consisting of malic acid, lactic acid, ascorbic acid, and tartaric acid, in the same manner as described in Example 1A. The dried NW37 contained approximately 12 wt% to 14 wt% of the acid. Thus, malic acid, lactic acid, ascorbic acid, and tartaric acid were each used separately in place of citric acid.

[0090] A pouch containing the nonwoven fabric material NW37, which includes the acid and filler 1 described in Example 2, was prepared along with a comparative example that did not contain acid, and tested by four people. It was found that with each of the four acids, the pouch product first imparted a sour taste, followed by a lemon flavor. This initial sour flavor was not observed in the comparative example.

[0091] The peel strength was tested for NW37, a nonwoven fabric material containing acid, and for a comparative example that did not contain acid. The results are shown in Table 8.

[0092] [Table 8]

[0093] It was concluded that the seal strength of the pouch materials for samples 1-3 was substantially unaffected by the presence of acid. In contrast, sample 4 showed a decrease in seal strength.

Claims

1. Filler material and Packaging material for a saliva-permeable pouch that encloses the aforementioned filler, An oral pouch non-tobacco nicotine product containing, The aforementioned filler material - Non-tobacco materials, - Nicotine source, - Flavoring agents, - A quantity of water in the range of 1% to 50% by mass relative to the total mass of the filler, - Below: Na 2 CO 3 , K 2 CO 3 MgCO 3 NaHCO 3 , KHCO 3 pH adjuster containing one or more of NaOH and KOH Includes, The packaging material includes or consists of a saliva-permeable nonwoven fabric material. An oral pouch-type non-tobacco nicotine product comprising an acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, ascorbic acid, tartaric acid, and any combination thereof, present in the saliva-permeable nonwoven fabric material in an amount ranging from 5% to 20% by mass relative to the total dry mass of the saliva-permeable nonwoven fabric material.

2. The non-tobacco nicotine product in an oral pouch according to claim 1, wherein it does not contain tobacco, or tobacco material is present in an amount ranging from 0.1% to 5% by mass relative to the total mass of the filler material.

3. The non-tobacco product in an oral pouch according to claim 1, wherein the non-tobacco material is a granular substance, or a combination of a granular substance and a fibrous material.

4. The non-tobacco nicotine product in an oral pouch according to claim 1, wherein the non-tobacco material comprises a sugar alcohol and / or cellulose.

5. The non-tobacco nicotine product in an oral pouch according to claim 1, wherein the non-tobacco material comprises maltitol and / or microcrystalline cellulose.

6. The non-tobacco nicotine product in an oral pouch according to claim 1, wherein the nicotine source comprises one or more of the following: nicotine base, nicotine hydrochloride, nicotine dihydrochloride, nicotine monotartrate, nicotine ditartrate, nicotine dihydrate distartrate, nicotine sulfate, zinc nicotine chloride monohydrate, nicotine salicylate, nicotine benzoate, and nicotine polarilex.

7. The non-tobacco nicotine product in an oral pouch according to claim 1, wherein the flavoring agent comprises one or more of the following: synthetic flavors, plant-derived flavors, flavoring oils, and hydrophobic flavoring oils.

8. The non-tobacco nicotine product in an oral pouch according to claim 1, wherein the flavoring agent comprises one or more of the following: lemon oil, lime oil, orange oil, grapefruit oil, and bergamot oil.

9. The non-tobacco nicotine product in an oral pouch according to claim 1, wherein the moisture is present in an amount within the range of 1% to 20% by mass relative to the total mass of the filler.

10. The non-tobacco nicotine product in an oral pouch according to claim 1, wherein the moisture is present in an amount within the range of 20% to 50% by mass relative to the total mass of the filler.

11. The non-tobacco nicotine product in an oral pouch according to claim 1, wherein the acid is present in an amount within the range of 5% to 15% by mass, 10% to 15% by mass, or 5% to 10% by mass relative to the total mass of the packaging material.

12. The non-tobacco nicotine product in an oral pouch according to claim 1, wherein the acid contains or consists of citric acid.

13. The non-tobacco nicotine product in an oral pouch according to claim 1, wherein the acid contains or consists of malic acid.

14. A method for preparing an oral pouch non-tobacco nicotine product according to any one of claims 1 to 13, a) A step of preparing a filler as defined in any one of claims 1 to 13, b) A step of sealing the filler obtained in step a) into the saliva-permeable nonwoven fabric material. Methods that include...

15. The aforementioned packaging material (i) A step of treating a saliva-permeable nonwoven fabric material with an aqueous solution containing an acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, ascorbic acid, tartaric acid, and any combination thereof, and a subsequent step (ii) Drying process and The method according to claim 14, manufactured by

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the acid is citric acid, malic acid, or a combination of citric acid and malic acid.

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