Tobacco formulation, tobacco sheet, tobacco filling material, smoking article, tobacco formulation production method, and tobacco sheet production method

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of providing: a tobacco formulation from which it is possible to form a tobacco sheet by using a tobacco material but without externally adding other water-insoluble substance materials; and said tobacco sheet.　This tobacco formulation contains (1) a water-insoluble substance derived from a tobacco material, (2) a starch extracted from said tobacco material or from another tobacco material, and (3) a medium.

Description

Tobacco preparation, tobacco sheet, tobacco filler, smoking article, method for manufacturing tobacco preparation, and method for manufacturing tobacco sheet

[0001] The present invention relates to a tobacco preparation, a tobacco sheet, a tobacco filler, a smoking article, a method for producing a tobacco preparation, and a method for producing a tobacco sheet.

[0002] Imitation tobacco is a tobacco material artificially formed into a paper-like form using tobacco leaves as a raw material, and is also called tobacco sheet. Known methods for producing such tobacco sheets include a papermaking process, a slurry (cast) process, a rolling (roll) process, and an extrusion molding process.

[0003] It is known that in order to obtain a tobacco sheet with a predetermined strength, the particle size of the tobacco used as the raw material is limited to a predetermined range. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that the smaller the particle size of the tobacco, the greater the surface area that bonds the tobacco particles together, thereby improving the strength of the tobacco sheet, and that a uniform sheet can be produced by using a 60-400 mesh (56 μm-375 μm) particle size in particular. Patent Documents 2 and 3 also disclose that tobacco particles with a particle size of 150 μm or more reduce the strength of the tobacco web when homogenized, and therefore recommend using tobacco powder with a particle size of 30-120 μm. Furthermore, there is also technology for reducing the particle size of tobacco to nanometer size and using it as a raw material for a sheet (Patent Documents 4 and 5 and Non-Patent Document 1).

[0004] Furthermore, in order to improve the moldability and strength of tobacco sheets, water-insoluble substances other than tobacco, such as plant fibers, are often added. In Patent Document 6, in a mixing step before sheet formation, a cellulose material with a particle size of 200 μm to 4000 μm is added and mixed with a tobacco raw material with a particle size of 30 μm to 120 μm, and in this mixture, the above two types of substances with different particle sizes become entangled, allowing the sheet structure to be stably maintained.

[0005] Furthermore, there is an increasing demand for tobacco sheets for use in heat-not-burn tobacco products (non-combustion heating smoking articles). To produce tobacco sheets for heat-not-burn tobacco products, tobacco raw materials, aerosol-forming agents, binders, etc. are mixed together and then molded into a tobacco sheet. In the production of such tobacco sheets, various methods have been developed to improve the moldability and strength of the sheets, such as adding water-insoluble cellulose pulp (Patent Document 7) and specifying the particle size of tobacco particles (Patent Document 8). Furthermore, in the production of such tobacco sheets, water-insoluble metals and calcium carbonate have also been added to improve thermal conductivity during heating (Patent Documents 9 and 10).

[0006] European Patent Application Publication No. 0565360, International Publication No. 2016 / 050471, International Publication No. 2017 / 089589, U.S. Patent No. 10196778, International Publication No. 2016 / 013946, U.S. Patent No. 10813381, U.S. Patent No. 10321707, U.S. Patent No. 10813381, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0079325, Japanese Patent No. 4759523

[0007] “Flexible cellulose nanopaper with high wet tensile strength, high toughness and tunable ultraviolet blocking ability fabricated from tobacco stalk via a sustainable method,” Qingbo Wang, Haishun Du, Fang Zhang, Yuedong Zhang, Meiyan Wu, Guang Yu, Chao Liu, Bin Li, and Hui Penga, Journal of Material Chemistry, 2018, Vol 6 (27), pp. 13021-13030

[0008] As disclosed in Patent Documents 6 and 7, when a poorly water-soluble substance such as plant fiber other than tobacco is added to tobacco raw materials, additional costs are incurred due to the preparation of the poorly water-soluble substance, and the process of blending the poorly water-soluble substance requires additional work time and effort. In light of these circumstances, the inventors of the present application conducted extensive research and discovered that a tobacco sheet that is not dependent on particle size can be produced using tobacco raw materials as plants, without the external addition of a poorly water-soluble substance such as a fiber material. An object of the present invention is to provide a tobacco formulation that can be used to form a tobacco sheet using tobacco raw materials, without the external addition of other poorly water-soluble substance raw materials, and the tobacco sheet.

[0009] The above problems are solved by the present invention as follows. [1] A tobacco preparation comprising: (1) a poorly water-soluble substance derived from a tobacco raw material; (2) a starch extracted from the tobacco raw material or another tobacco raw material; and (3) a medium. [2] A tobacco sheet comprising: (1') a poorly water-soluble substance derived from a tobacco raw material; and (2') a starch extracted from the tobacco raw material or another tobacco raw material. [3] A tobacco sheet according to [2], wherein the starch is a starch extracted from the tobacco raw material. [4] A tobacco sheet according to [2] or [3], wherein the starch is a soluble starch. [5] A tobacco sheet according to any one of [2] to [4], wherein the primary particle size of the poorly water-soluble substance is 100 μm or less. [6] A tobacco sheet according to any one of [2] to [5], wherein the content of the starch in the tobacco sheet is 10% by weight or less. [7] A tobacco sheet according to any one of [2] to [6], wherein the tobacco raw material from which the poorly water-soluble substance is derived includes tobacco leaves. [8] The tobacco sheet according to any one of [2] to [7], wherein the tobacco raw material from which the poorly water-soluble substance is derived contains an alkaloid. [9] The tobacco sheet according to any one of [2] to [8], further containing an aerosol-generating agent.

[10] The tobacco sheet according to [9], wherein the aerosol-generating agent contains glycerin, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, or a mixture thereof.

[11] The tobacco sheet according to any one of [2] to

[10] , further containing glucan.

[12] The tobacco sheet according to

[11] , wherein the glucan contains tamarind gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, gellan gum, pullulan, or a mixture thereof.

[13] The tobacco sheet according to any one of [2] to

[12] , wherein the tobacco sheet does not contain pulp.

[14] The tobacco sheet according to any one of [2] to

[13] , wherein the tobacco sheet is a cast sheet.

[15] The tobacco sheet according to any one of [2 to

[14] , wherein the tobacco sheet is a molded product of the tobacco formulation according to [1].

[16] A tobacco filler comprising the tobacco sheet according to any one of [2] to

[15] .

[17] A smoking article comprising the tobacco filler according to

[16] .

[18] The smoking article according to

[17] , which is a non-combustion heat-smoking article.

[19] A method for producing a tobacco formulation according to [1], comprising a step of heating the tobacco raw material in the medium to extract the starch.

[20] A method for producing a tobacco sheet according to any one of [2] to

[15] , comprising a step of preparing the tobacco formulation by the method according to

[19] , and a step of spreading the tobacco formulation on a substrate and drying it.

[0010] The present invention can provide a tobacco preparation that uses tobacco raw materials and can be used to form a tobacco sheet without externally adding other poorly water-soluble substance raw materials, as well as the tobacco sheet.

[0011] Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a non-combustion heat smoking system. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a non-combustion heat smoking article.

[0012] The present invention will be described in detail below. In the present invention, "X to Y" includes the extreme values ​​X and Y.

[0013] 1. Tobacco Preparation The tobacco preparation of the present invention comprises: (1) a poorly water-soluble substance derived from a tobacco raw material; (2) a starch extracted from the tobacco raw material or other tobacco raw materials; and (3) a vehicle.

[0014] (1) Poorly Water-Soluble Substances Derived from Tobacco Raw Materials The poorly water-soluble substance of the present invention is derived from tobacco raw materials. In this application, the term "poorly water-soluble substance" refers to a substance having a solubility in water of less than 20 μg / mL at 85°C, and can be obtained as a residue after subjecting tobacco raw materials to boiling and extraction treatments. The poorly water-soluble substance can be obtained as a tobacco raw material residue by subjecting tobacco raw materials to boiling and extraction treatments under specific conditions and extracting starch from the tobacco raw materials, as shown in Example 1 or Example 2 (Preparation of Tobacco Formulation and Tobacco Sheet) described below. Whether a poorly water-soluble substance is derived from tobacco raw materials can be determined, for example, by isotope analysis of the poorly water-soluble substance and measuring the 13C / 12C ratio. The poorly water-soluble substance can contain or consist of poorly water-soluble fiber.

[0015] The shape of the poorly water-soluble substance in the tobacco formulation is not particularly limited, but is preferably granular. The lower limit of the primary particle diameter (D90) of the poorly water-soluble substance is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of maintaining the sheet structure, it is preferably 20 μm or more, more preferably 50 μm or more, and most preferably 100 μm or more. The lower limit of the primary particle diameter (D90) of the poorly water-soluble substance can also be 5 μm or more or 10 μm or more. The upper limit of the primary particle diameter (D90) of the poorly water-soluble substance is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of uniformity of the sheet structure, it is preferably 500 μm or less, more preferably 250 μm or less, and most preferably 100 μm or less. The upper limit of the primary particle diameter (D90) of the poorly water-soluble substance can also be 80 μm or less, 50 μm or less, or 30 μm or less. The above-mentioned upper and lower limits of the primary particle diameter of the poorly water-soluble substance can be arbitrarily combined. The primary particle size (D90) of the poorly water-soluble substance can be measured according to the procedures and conditions described in "(1) Measurement of particle size of poorly water-soluble substance" in the Examples below. By reducing the primary particle size of the poorly water-soluble substance, the surface area for bonding tobacco particles together increases, improving the strength of the tobacco sheet.

[0016] The lower limit of the content of the poorly water-soluble substance in the tobacco formulation is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of functioning as a base material, it is preferably 5% by weight or more, more preferably 10% by weight or more, most preferably 15% by weight or more, and can also be 20% by weight or more, 75% by weight or more, or 90% by weight or more. The upper limit of the content of the poorly water-soluble substance in the tobacco formulation is not particularly limited, but can be 95% by weight or less, 80% by weight or less, 70% by weight or less, 50% by weight or less, or 35% by weight or less. The upper and lower limits of the content of the poorly water-soluble substance in the tobacco formulation can be arbitrarily combined. The content of the poorly water-soluble substance in the tobacco formulation can be expressed as a value converted into solid content excluding the medium. The content of the poorly water-soluble substance in the tobacco formulation can be measured according to the procedures and conditions described in "(3) Measurement of the content of poorly water-soluble substance" in [Examples] below, and calculated as the ratio (% by weight) of the weight of the obtained dry matter to the weight of the solid content of the tobacco formulation.

[0017] The content of water-insoluble substances in tobacco formulations can also be calculated using the Prosky method. Specifically, after collecting a tobacco formulation sample, the starch contained in the sample is randomly degraded using thermostable α-amylase until only a small number of glucose molecules are attached. Next, protease is used to degrade the peptide bonds of the proteins contained in the sample. Finally, amyloglucosidase is used to degrade the glycans degraded by thermostable α-amylase down to single glucose molecules. Ethanol is then added to the sample to form a precipitate, which is then collected by suction filtration and washed with ethanol and acetone. Washing with ethanol and acetone washes away lipids in the precipitate that were not enzymatically degraded. The washed precipitate is then dried overnight and its dry weight is measured. Meanwhile, the filtration residue obtained by the above suction filtration contains undegraded proteins from the sample, enzyme-derived proteins, and inorganic matter (ash). Therefore, the amount of water-insoluble substances is calculated by quantifying the protein and ash separately and subtracting them from the above dry weight. The above protein is calculated using the BSA assay, which is mainly based on a two-step reaction. In the first step, the peptide bonds in the protein solution bind to the divalent copper ions (Cu ２＋ ) is monovalent copper ion (Cu ＋ ) is reduced to Cu. ２＋ The amount of is proportional to the amount of protein in the solution. In the second step, two molecules of bicinchoninic acid (BCA) are transferred to Cu. ＋ It coordinates with the hydroxyl group to form a blue-purple complex that exhibits strong absorption at 562 nm. This is measured with a spectrophotometer and colorimetrically quantified to calculate the protein content. The ash content is calculated from the weight of a fixed amount of the compound incinerated at a temperature of 550-600°C.

[0018] (Tobacco raw materials) The tobacco raw materials mentioned above are raw materials derived from Nicotiana plants, and include, for example, tobacco raw materials such as tobacco leaves, aged tobacco leaves, tobacco shreds, tobacco powder, parts other than leaves such as midribs and stem residues, and processed products or waste products obtained by subjecting tobacco raw materials to processing. Tobacco leaves are a general term for harvested tobacco leaves before they undergo aging. One form of aging includes curing. Tobacco shreds are aged tobacco leaves or the like that have been shredded to a predetermined size. Tobacco powder is obtained by pulverizing tobacco leaves or the like.

[0019] Various tobacco varieties can be used as the tobacco raw material. Examples of tobacco varieties include flue-cured, burley, oriental, native, other Nicotiana tabacum, and Nicotiana rustica varieties. These varieties can be used alone, or blended to obtain the desired flavor, from the harvesting of tobacco leaves to the processing of cured tobacco leaves into various forms (i.e., processed tobacco leaves) used in non-combustible heat-not-burn tobacco products. Details of the tobacco varieties are disclosed in "Encyclopedia of Tobacco," Tobacco Research Center, March 31, 2009.

[0020] The tobacco raw material from which the poorly water-soluble substance is derived may contain an alkaloid from the viewpoint of palatability quality. The type of alkaloid is not particularly limited, but nicotine, nornicotine, or a mixture thereof can be used.

[0021] (2) Starch Extracted from Tobacco Raw Materials or Other Tobacco Raw Materials In the present invention, the starch may be extracted from a tobacco raw material contained in a tobacco preparation, or may be extracted from another tobacco raw material not contained in a tobacco preparation. That is, in one embodiment, the tobacco preparation comprises tobacco raw material X and starch extracted from X, in another embodiment, tobacco raw material X and starch extracted from tobacco raw material Y other than X, and in yet another embodiment, tobacco raw material X, starch extracted from X, and starch extracted from tobacco raw material Y other than X.

[0022] The starch is present within the cells of the tobacco material. Therefore, the extraction conditions are adjusted to release the starch outside the cells. The extraction conditions are described below.

[0023] In the present invention, the starch functions as a binder that binds poorly water-soluble substances together. Therefore, among the tobacco varieties described above, those containing a large amount of starch are preferred. Therefore, in one aspect, the tobacco raw material is preferably tobacco leaves containing 0.1 to 20% by weight of starch, and more preferably tobacco leaves containing 0.1 to 2% by weight of starch. Examples of such tobacco leaves include flue-cured and burley varieties. The former contain approximately 2 to 5% by weight of starch in the tobacco leaves, while the latter contain approximately 0.1 to 0.5% by weight of starch in the tobacco leaves.

[0024] By using starch as a binder, the tobacco formulation can be free of binders other than starch. Here, in this application, "free of" a specific component means that the component is not intentionally added, and the component may be included as an impurity. Even if a binder other than starch is included as an impurity, the content of the binder other than starch in the tobacco formulation can be 2% by weight or less, 1% by weight or less, or 0.5% by weight or less.

[0025] The type of starch is not particularly limited, but soluble starch, insoluble starch, or a mixture thereof can be used. Among these, it is preferable to use soluble starch because its water solubility allows for uniform mixing.

[0026] The lower limit of the starch content in the tobacco formulation is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1% by weight or more, more preferably 2% by weight or more, and most preferably 2.5% by weight or more. The upper limit of the starch content in the tobacco formulation is not particularly limited, but is preferably 50% by weight or less, more preferably 40% by weight or less, and most preferably 25% by weight or less. The upper limit of the starch content in the tobacco formulation may be 20% by weight or less, 15% by weight or less, 10% by weight or less, 5% by weight or less, or 4% by weight or less. The upper and lower limits of the starch content in the tobacco formulation may be arbitrarily combined. A starch content of 1% by weight or more can increase the strength of the tobacco sheet. Furthermore, with regard to the upper limit of the starch content (50% by weight or less), 50% by weight is a sufficient amount of starch, which is a viscous substance and functions as a binder, and increasing the amount beyond this does not significantly improve the binder function. Furthermore, by ensuring that the starch content in the tobacco formulation is within the numerical range between the above-mentioned lower and upper limits, the amount of starch functioning as a binder is appropriate, and the structure of the resulting tobacco sheet can be maintained. The starch content in the tobacco formulation can be expressed as a value converted into solid content excluding the medium. The starch content in the tobacco formulation can be measured according to the procedures and conditions described in "(4) Measurement of starch content" in the [Examples] below, and can be calculated as the ratio (wt%) of the weight of starch to the weight of the solid content of the tobacco formulation.

[0027] (3) Medium The medium is preferably a liquid at room temperature (about 23°C), and specific examples thereof include water or a water-soluble organic solvent. Examples of water-soluble organic solvents include linear or branched alcohols having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or ethers having 4 to 7 carbon atoms. These can be used alone or in combination as the medium. From the viewpoint of ease of handling, the medium is preferably water or a mixed solvent of water and a water-soluble organic solvent, and more preferably water.

[0028] The content of the medium in the tobacco formulation is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of thermal energy efficiency during heating, it is preferably 20 to 80 wt %, more preferably 30 to 75 wt %, and most preferably 50 to 70 wt %. The content of the medium in the tobacco formulation can be calculated based on a dry weight method using an IR moisture content measuring device.

[0029] The tobacco formulation of the present invention can be produced, for example, as shown in Example 1 or Example 2 (Preparation of Tobacco Formulation and Tobacco Sheet) below, by mixing a tobacco raw material with a medium to obtain a mixture, and then subjecting the mixture to a boiling treatment and extraction treatment to extract starch from the tobacco raw material.

[0030] In the present invention, cellulose inherent in the tobacco raw material can be used as a reinforcing material. Therefore, in one aspect, the tobacco raw material is preferably tobacco leaves containing 4 to 15% by weight of cellulose, more preferably tobacco leaves containing 5 to 13% by weight of cellulose. Examples of such varieties include flue-cured and burley varieties. The former contain approximately 6 to 8% by weight of cellulose in the tobacco leaf. The latter contain approximately 10 to 12% by weight of cellulose in the tobacco leaf. The above-mentioned poorly water-soluble substance may contain the above-mentioned cellulose.

[0031] (Characteristics of the Tobacco Preparation) As described below, the tobacco preparation of the present invention is useful as a tobacco material. When the starch is derived from a tobacco raw material, it has a high affinity with a poorly water-soluble substance derived from the same tobacco raw material. In particular, in an embodiment containing a poorly water-soluble substance derived from tobacco raw material X and starch extracted from said X, the poorly water-soluble substance is formed by removing some or all of the starch from tobacco raw material X, and the medium or other components can be retained in the portion of the poorly water-soluble substance from which the starch was removed. Therefore, it is believed that the affinity between the poorly water-soluble substance and starch is particularly high. Accordingly, the poorly water-soluble substance derived from the tobacco raw material has a high affinity with starch, etc., and with separately added additives, etc. As a result, the tobacco preparation of the present invention can be used to form, for example, a tobacco sheet with excellent strength.

[0032] 2. Tobacco Sheet The tobacco sheet of the present invention comprises: (1') a poorly water-soluble substance derived from a tobacco raw material; and (2') starch extracted from the tobacco raw material or other tobacco raw materials.

[0033] (1') Poorly Water-Soluble Substances Derived from Tobacco Raw Materials The types, shapes, primary particle diameters, and other configurations of the poorly water-soluble substances contained in the tobacco sheet are not particularly limited, but may be the same as the configurations described in "(1) Poorly Water-Soluble Substances Derived from Tobacco Raw Materials" in "1. Tobacco Preparations" above.

[0034] The lower limit of the content of the poorly water-soluble substance in the tobacco sheet is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of functioning as a substrate, it is preferably 5% by weight or more, more preferably 10% by weight or more, most preferably 15% by weight or more, and may also be 20% by weight or more, 75% by weight or more, or 90% by weight or more. The upper limit of the content of the poorly water-soluble substance in the tobacco sheet is not particularly limited, but may be 95% by weight or less, 80% by weight or less, 70% by weight or less, 50% by weight or less, or 35% by weight or less. The upper and lower limits of the content of the poorly water-soluble substance in the tobacco sheet can be arbitrarily combined. A tobacco sheet can be formed by removing the medium from a tobacco formulation. Therefore, as described in "(3) Measurement of the content of poorly water-soluble substance" in the [Examples] below, the content (weight %) of the poorly water-soluble substance in the tobacco formulation (solid content equivalent) can be considered to be equal to the content (weight %) of the poorly water-soluble substance in the tobacco sheet. The content of the poorly water-soluble substance in the tobacco sheet can also be calculated using the Prosky method described above.

[0035] The tobacco raw material that is the source of the poorly water-soluble substance is not particularly limited, but can be the same as the tobacco raw material described in "(Tobacco raw materials)" in "1. Tobacco preparations" above.

[0036] (2') Starch extracted from tobacco raw materials or other tobacco raw materials The types of starch contained in the tobacco sheet and other components thereof are not particularly limited, but may be the same as the components described in "(2) Starch extracted from tobacco raw materials or other tobacco raw materials" in "1. Tobacco preparations" above.

[0037] The lower limit of the starch content in the tobacco sheet is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1% by weight or more, more preferably 2% by weight or more, and most preferably 2.5% by weight or more. The upper limit of the starch content in the tobacco sheet is not particularly limited, but is preferably 50% by weight or less, more preferably 40% by weight or less, and most preferably 25% by weight or less. The upper limit of the starch content in the tobacco sheet can also be 20% by weight or less, 15% by weight or less, 10% by weight or less, 5% by weight or less, or 4% by weight or less. The upper and lower limits of the starch content in the tobacco sheet can be arbitrarily combined. A starch content of 1% by weight or more can increase the strength of the tobacco sheet. Furthermore, with regard to the upper limit of the starch content (50% by weight or less), 50% by weight is a sufficient amount of starch, which is a viscous substance and functions as a binder, and increasing the amount beyond this does not significantly improve the binder function. Furthermore, by ensuring that the starch content in the tobacco sheet is within the numerical range between the above-mentioned lower and upper limits, the amount of starch functioning as a binder is appropriate, and the structure of the resulting tobacco sheet can be maintained. A tobacco sheet can be formed by removing the medium from the tobacco formulation. Therefore, as described in "(4) Measurement of Starch Content" in the Examples below, the starch content (wt %) in the tobacco formulation (solid content equivalent) can be considered to be equal to the starch content (wt %) in the tobacco sheet.

[0038] The tobacco sheet can contain components derived from tobacco raw materials. The components derived from tobacco raw materials can include the above-mentioned poorly water-soluble substances derived from tobacco raw materials and starch extracted from the above-mentioned tobacco raw materials. The lower limit of the content of the components derived from tobacco raw materials in the tobacco sheet is not particularly limited, but from the perspective of functioning as a base material, it is preferably 10% by weight or more, more preferably 15% by weight or more, most preferably 20% by weight or more, and can also be 75% by weight or more or 90% by weight or more. The upper limit of the content of the components derived from tobacco raw materials in the tobacco sheet is not particularly limited, but can be 80% by weight or less, 70% by weight or less, or 50% by weight or less. The upper and lower limits of the content of the components derived from tobacco raw materials in the tobacco sheet can be arbitrarily combined. The content of the components derived from tobacco raw materials in the tobacco sheet can be calculated as the ratio of the weight of the tobacco raw material to the total weight of the tobacco raw material used and the externally added components.

[0039] (Other Components) The tobacco sheet may further contain an aerosol generating agent. The aerosol generating agent is not particularly limited, but may include glycerin, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, or a mixture of two or more of these. The content of the aerosol generating agent in the tobacco sheet is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of the amount of smoke produced when smoking, it is preferably 10 to 50% by weight, more preferably 15 to 45% by weight, and most preferably 20 to 25% by weight.

[0040] The tobacco sheet may further contain glucan. Glucan is a type of binder, which will be described later. The glucan may include, but is not limited to, tamarind gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, gellan gum, pullulan, or a mixture of two or more of these. The content of glucan in the tobacco sheet is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of moldability, it is preferably 0.1 to 5 wt %, more preferably 0.5 to 2 wt %, and most preferably 1.0 to 1.5 wt %.

[0041] The tobacco sheet may contain a binder. However, in the present invention, by using starch that functions as a binder, the tobacco sheet can be free of binders other than starch. Even if the tobacco sheet contains the binder as an impurity, the content of binders other than starch in the tobacco sheet can be 3% by weight or less, 1% by weight or less, or 0.5% by weight or less.

[0042] If it is desired to have no additives, the tobacco sheet may be pulp-free. Even if the tobacco sheet contains pulp as an impurity, the pulp content in the tobacco sheet may be 3% by weight or less, 1% by weight or less, or 0.5% by weight or less.

[0043] The form of the tobacco sheet of the present invention is not particularly limited, and a paper-made sheet, a cast sheet, etc. can be adopted, but a cast sheet is preferable from the viewpoint of a low-density sheet. Details of the above-mentioned various tobacco sheets are disclosed in "Encyclopedia of Tobacco, Tobacco Research Center, March 31, 2009."

[0044] The tobacco sheet of the present invention is not particularly limited, but may be a molded product of the tobacco preparation described in the above section "1. Tobacco Preparation."

[0045] 3. Manufacturing Method (Method for Manufacturing Tobacco Formulation) The tobacco formulation of the present invention is preferably manufactured by a method including a step of heating tobacco raw materials in a medium to extract the above-mentioned starch. The tobacco formulation may be one described in the above section "1. Tobacco Formulation."

[0046] (1) Temperature The starch in a tobacco preparation is contained within the cell walls of the tobacco raw material. Therefore, a relatively high temperature is required to release the starch from within the cells. From this perspective, the temperature during extraction is preferably 100 to 125°C, more preferably 105 to 120°C, and most preferably 110 to 119°C. Furthermore, at this temperature, the above-mentioned cellulose can also be efficiently released outside the cells.

[0047] (2) Pressure A certain level of high pressure is required to release starch from within the cells. From this perspective, the average pressure during extraction is preferably 20 to 117 kPa, more preferably 50 to 110 kPa, and most preferably 85 to 95 kPa. The maximum pressure during extraction is preferably 70 to 117 kPa, more preferably 80 to 116.5 kPa, and most preferably 90 to 116.5 kPa. When the average pressure or maximum pressure is within the above numerical range, the above-mentioned cellulose can also be efficiently released outside the cells.

[0048] (3) Time: A relatively long time is required to release starch from within the cells. From this perspective, the extraction time is preferably 20 to 90 minutes, more preferably 60 to 80 minutes, and most preferably 65 to 70 minutes. Furthermore, when the extraction time is within the above range, the above-mentioned cellulose can also be efficiently released outside the cells.

[0049] (4) Number of times Repeating the extraction treatment allows for more starch to be released from inside the cells. From this perspective, the number of times the extraction treatment can be performed can be 1-2 times, 3-4 times, or 5-10 times. The more times the extraction treatment is performed, the more efficiently starch can be released. Furthermore, when the number of times the extraction treatment is performed is within the above numerical range, the above-mentioned cellulose can also be efficiently released outside the cells.

[0050] (5) Atmosphere It is preferable to carry out the extraction of starch from tobacco raw materials in a closed system, because this can avoid a reduction in the flavor components contained in the tobacco raw materials.

[0051] (6) Pulverization From the viewpoint of extraction efficiency, it is preferable that the surface area of ​​the tobacco material to be extracted is large. Therefore, a step of pulverizing the tobacco material in advance may be provided, and the powdered tobacco material may be subjected to extraction. In this case, dry pulverization is preferable. Known machines can be used for dry pulverization. The particle size distribution of the powdered tobacco material is not limited, but it is preferable that it has a D90 of less than 500 μm, and more preferably a D90 of less than 100 μm. There is no limit on the lower limit of D90, but the lower limit is essentially 5 μm or more.

[0052] Alternatively, the tobacco material may be pulverized simultaneously with the extraction. That is, the extraction can be carried out while the tobacco material is wet-pulverized. The wet-pulverization is preferably carried out in a closed system. The particle size distribution of the wet-pulverized tobacco material is as described above.

[0053] The method for producing a tobacco formulation may further include a step of adding components including an aerosol-generating agent, a binder, or a combination thereof. The aerosol-generating agent or binder may be those described in "(Other Components)" in "2. Tobacco Sheet" above.

[0054] The method for producing a tobacco formulation may not include a step of adding other water-insoluble substances, including pulp. The other water-insoluble substances are water-insoluble substances other than the above-mentioned water-insoluble substances derived from tobacco raw materials. In the present application, a tobacco sheet can be formed without externally adding raw materials for other water-insoluble substances to the tobacco formulation.

[0055] (Method for producing tobacco sheet) The type of method for producing the tobacco sheet of the present invention is not particularly limited, and known methods such as papermaking, casting, etc. Of these methods, the casting method is preferred from the viewpoint of the uniformity of the obtained sheet.

[0056] The method for producing a tobacco sheet of the present invention can include the steps of preparing a tobacco formulation using the above-mentioned method, and spreading the tobacco formulation on a substrate and drying it. If the tobacco raw material is ground in the step of preparing the tobacco formulation, the method for producing a tobacco sheet does not need to include the step of grinding the tobacco formulation.

[0057] <Method for forming tobacco sheet (casting method)> Examples of methods for forming tobacco sheet by the casting method (slurry method) include methods that include the following steps: (1) a step of mixing water, an optional pulp, an optional binder, and ground aged tobacco to obtain a mixture (homogenization step); (2) a step of thinly spreading (casting) the mixture and drying it to form a tobacco sheet. When forming a tobacco sheet by this method, a step of removing some components such as nitrosamines by irradiating a slurry obtained by mixing water, pulp, a binder, and crushed tobacco leaves with ultraviolet light or X-rays may be added.

[0058] The shape of the tobacco sheet can be adjusted as needed, but in one embodiment, the thickness is 50 to 500 μm. The tobacco sheet can be shredded to produce shreds or strands, or crushed to produce powder.

[0059] 4. Tobacco filler and smoking article The tobacco filler of the present invention comprises the tobacco sheet described above. The smoking article of the present invention comprises the tobacco filler described above. The smoking article of the present invention may be a non-combustion heat-smoking article.

[0060] In this application, the term "smoking article" refers to an inhalation article that allows a user to enjoy a flavor by inhaling. Smoking articles can be broadly divided into combustion-type smoking articles, typified by conventional cigarettes, and non-combustion heat-type smoking articles.

[0061] Examples of combustion-type smoking articles include cigarettes, pipes, pipes, cigars, and cigarillos.

[0062] A non-combustion heat smoking article (heat smoking article) may be heated by a heating device separate from the article, or by a heating device integrated with the article. In the former smoking article (separate type), the non-combustion heat smoking article and the heating device are collectively referred to as a "non-combustion heat smoking system." An example of a non-combustion heat smoking system will be described below with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

[0063] Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing an example of a non-combustion heat smoking system, showing a state before a heater 12 is inserted into a smoking segment 20A of a non-combustion heat smoking article 20. During use, the heater 12 is inserted into the smoking segment 20A. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the non-combustion heat smoking article 20.

[0064] 1, the non-combustion heat smoking system includes a non-combustion heat smoking article 20 and a heating device 10 that heats the smoking segment 20A from the inside. However, the non-combustion heat smoking system is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG.

[0065] 1 includes a body 11 and a heater 12. Although not shown, the body 11 may include a battery unit and a control unit. The heater 12 may be an electric resistance heater and is inserted into the smoking segment 20A to heat the smoking segment 20A.

[0066] In FIG. 1, the smoking segment 20A is heated from the inside, but the embodiment of the non-combustion heating smoking article 20 is not limited to this, and in another embodiment, the smoking segment 20A is heated from the outside.

[0067] The heating temperature by the heating device 10 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 400° C. or less, more preferably 50 to 400° C., and even more preferably 150 to 350° C. The heating temperature refers to the temperature of the heater 12 of the heating device 10.

[0068] As shown in Figure 2, the non-combustion heat smoking article 20 (hereinafter simply referred to as "smoking article 20") has a cylindrical shape. The circumferential length of the smoking article 20 is preferably 16 mm to 27 mm, more preferably 20 mm to 26 mm, and even more preferably 21 mm to 25 mm. The total length (horizontal length) of the smoking article 20 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 40 mm to 90 mm, more preferably 50 mm to 75 mm, and even more preferably 50 mm to 60 mm.

[0069] The smoking article 20 is composed of a smoking segment 20A, a filter portion 20C that forms the mouthpiece, and a connecting portion 20B that connects these together.

[0070] The smoking segment 20A is cylindrical, and its total length (axial length) is, for example, preferably 5 to 100 mm, more preferably 10 to 50 mm, and even more preferably 10 to 25 mm. The cross-sectional shape of the smoking segment 20A is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, circular, elliptical, polygonal, etc.

[0071] The smoking segment 20A comprises a smoking composition sheet or material derived therefrom 21 and a wrapper 22 wrapped therearound.

[0072] The filter section 20C has a cylindrical shape. The filter section 20C includes a rod-shaped first segment 25 filled with cellulose acetate fibers and a rod-shaped second segment 26 also filled with cellulose acetate fibers. The first segment 25 is located on the smoking segment 20A side. The first segment 25 may have a hollow portion. The second segment 26 is located on the mouthpiece side. The second segment 26 is solid. The first segment 25 is composed of a first packing layer (cellulose acetate fibers) 25a and an inner plug wrapper 25b wrapped around the first packing layer 25a. The second segment 26 is composed of a second packing layer (cellulose acetate fibers) 26a and an inner plug wrapper 26b wrapped around the second packing layer 26a. The first segment 25 and the second segment 26 are connected by an outer plug wrapper 27. The outer plug wrapper 27 is adhered to the first segment 25 and the second segment 26 with a vinyl acetate emulsion adhesive or the like.

[0073] The length of the filter portion 20C can be, for example, 10 to 30 mm, the length of the connecting portion 20B can be, for example, 10 to 30 mm, the length of the first segment 25 can be, for example, 5 to 15 mm, and the length of the second segment 26 can be, for example, 5 to 15 mm. These lengths of the individual segments are merely examples and can be changed as appropriate depending on the manufacturability, required quality, the length of the smoking segment 20A, etc.

[0074] For example, the first segment 25 (center hole segment) is composed of a first packed layer 25a having one or more hollow portions and an inner plug wrapper 25b that covers the first packed layer 25a. The first segment 25 functions to increase the strength of the second segment 26. The first packed layer 25a of the first segment 25 is densely packed with, for example, cellulose acetate fibers. This cellulose acetate fiber is hardened by adding a plasticizer containing triacetin in an amount of, for example, 6 to 20% by mass relative to the mass of the cellulose acetate. The hollow portion of the first segment 25 has an inner diameter of, for example, 1.0 to 5.0 mm.

[0075] The first packed layer 25a of the first segment 25 may be configured, for example, with a relatively high fiber packing density, or may have a fiber packing density equivalent to that of the second packed layer 26a of the second segment 26, which will be described later. Therefore, during inhalation, air or aerosol flows only through the hollow portion, and almost no air or aerosol flows through the first packed layer 25a. For example, if it is desired to reduce the loss of aerosol components due to filtration in the second segment 26, the length of the second segment 26 can be shortened and the first segment 25 lengthened accordingly.

[0076] Replacing the shortened second segment 26 with the first segment 25 is effective in increasing the amount of aerosol component delivered. Because the first packed layer 25a of the first segment 25 is a fiber packed layer, the feel from the outside during use does not cause discomfort to the user.

[0077] The second segment 26 is composed of a second packed layer 26 a and an inner plug wrapper 26 b that covers the second packed layer 26 a. The second segment 26 (filter segment) is packed with cellulose acetate fibers at a typical density and has the ability to filter typical aerosol components.

[0078] The first segment 25 and the second segment 26 may have different filtering capabilities for filtering the aerosol (mainstream smoke) emitted from the smoking segment 20A. At least one of the first segment 25 and the second segment 26 may contain a flavoring. The filter portion 20C may have any structure, including multiple segments as described above, or may be composed of a single segment. The filter portion 20C may also be composed of a single segment. In this case, the filter portion 20C may be composed of either the first segment or the second segment.

[0079] The connecting portion 20B is cylindrical. The connecting portion 20B has a cardboard tube 23 formed into a cylindrical shape using, for example, cardboard. The connecting portion 20B may be filled with a cooling material for cooling the aerosol. Examples of the cooling material include a sheet of polymer such as polylactic acid, which can be folded and filled. Furthermore, a support portion may be provided between the smoking segment 20A and the connecting portion 20B to prevent the position of the smoking segment 20A from shifting. The support portion may be made of a known material, such as a center hole filter like the first segment 25.

[0080] The wrapper 28 is wrapped around the outside of the smoking segment 20A, connecting portion 20B, and filter portion 20C in a cylindrical shape, connecting them together. One surface (inner surface) of the wrapper 28 is coated entirely or almost entirely with a vinyl acetate emulsion adhesive, except for the area around the ventilation holes 24. The ventilation holes 24 are formed by laser processing from the outside after the smoking segment 20A, connecting portion 20B, and filter portion 20C have been integrated by the wrapper 28.

[0081] The air vent section 24 has two or more through holes penetrating the connecting section 20B in the thickness direction. The two or more through holes are arranged radially when viewed from an extension of the central axis of the smoking article 20. In this embodiment, the air vent section 24 is provided in the connecting section 20B, but may also be provided in the filter section 20C. In addition, in this embodiment, the two or more through holes of the air vent section 24 are arranged in a single row at a fixed interval on one ring, but may also be arranged in two rows at a fixed interval on two rings, or one or two rows of the air vent sections 24 may be arranged discontinuously or irregularly. When a user holds the mouthpiece to their mouth and inhales, outside air is taken into the mainstream smoke through the air vent section 24. However, the air vent section 24 does not have to be provided.

[0082] Example 1 Preparation of Tobacco Formulation and Tobacco Sheet 1,000 g of flue-cured tobacco was processed in a small grinder (High Speed ​​Mill, manufactured by LabNect Co., Ltd.) to obtain a coarsely ground product of flue-cured tobacco (hereinafter referred to as "tobacco sample"). 300 g of the obtained tobacco sample and 1,000 g of water were placed in a switchable pressure cooker (Quick Eco, manufactured by Pearl Metal Co., Ltd.) and mixed, and the resulting mixture was boiled under the following conditions: Pressure: Maximum pressure 90 kPa, average pressure 80 kPa Temperature: 119°C Time: 30 minutes

[0083] 1000 g of water was added to the boiled mixture in the pressure cooker and mixed, and the resulting mixture was then boiled a second time under the following conditions: Pressure: Maximum pressure 90 kPa, Average pressure 80 kPa Temperature: 119°C Time: 30 minutes

[0084] The mixture after the second boiling treatment was cooled to 35°C, and the moisture content of the mixture was measured based on the IR moisture measurement method using an IR moisture meter (MB45, manufactured by OHAUS), which was found to be 80% by weight.

[0085] After measuring the water content in the pressure cooker, 15 g of guar gum, 6 g of CMC (carboxymethyl cellulose), and 43.5 g of glycerin were added and mixed to obtain a mixed solution. 800 g of the resulting mixed solution was sampled, and while adding 800 g of water, it was processed in a defibrator (a high-speed dispersion high shear mixer, manufactured by Silverson) to carry out wet pulverization and extraction. The wet pulverization conditions were as follows: Rotation speed: 7000 rpm Time: 10 minutes *800 g of water was slowly added to the above mixed solution over 10 minutes.

[0086] By the above wet grinding and extraction process, a suspension (tobacco preparation) containing poorly water-soluble substances derived from flue-cured tobacco, starch extracted from flue-cured tobacco, and water as a medium was obtained.

[0087] The suspension obtained as described above was then spread on a stainless steel plate and air-dried at room temperature to produce a slurry sheet (tobacco sheet) (thickness: 1 mm). The content of components derived from the tobacco raw material in the tobacco sheet of Example 1 was calculated as the ratio of the weight of the tobacco raw material to the total weight of the tobacco raw material (tobacco sample) used and the externally added components (guar gum, CMC, and glycerin), and was found to be 82.3 wt%.

[0088] [Example 2] (Preparation of tobacco formulation and tobacco sheet) 300 g of the tobacco sample described in [Example 1] above and 1000 g of water were mixed in a pressure cooker with a switching mechanism (Quick Eco, manufactured by Pearl Metal Co., Ltd.), and the resulting mixture was then boiled under the following conditions: The boiling treatment was repeated twice: Pressure: Maximum pressure 90 kPa, average pressure 80 kPa Temperature: 119°C Time: 30 minutes

[0089] 1000 g of water was added to the boiled mixture in the pressure cooker and mixed, and the resulting mixture was then boiled a third time under the following conditions: Pressure: Maximum pressure 90 kPa, Average pressure 80 kPa Temperature: 119°C Time: 30 minutes

[0090] The mixture after the third boiling treatment was cooled to 25°C, and the moisture content of the mixture was measured based on the IR moisture measurement method using an IR moisture meter (MB45, manufactured by OHAUS), which was found to be 80% by weight.

[0091] After measuring the water content in the pressure cooker, 15 g of guar gum, 6 g of CMC (carboxymethyl cellulose), and 43.5 g of glycerin were added and mixed to obtain a mixed solution. 800 g of the resulting mixed solution was sampled, and while adding 800 g of water, it was processed in a defibrator (a high-speed dispersion high shear mixer, manufactured by Silverson) to wet-pulverize and then subjected to extraction. The wet-pulverization conditions were as follows: Rotation speed: 4500 rpm Time: 20 minutes *800 g of water was slowly added to the above mixed solution over a period of 20 minutes.

[0092] By the above wet grinding and extraction process, a suspension (tobacco preparation) containing poorly water-soluble substances derived from flue-cured tobacco, starch extracted from flue-cured tobacco, and water as a medium was obtained.

[0093] The suspension obtained as described above was then spread on a stainless steel plate and allowed to dry naturally at room temperature to produce a slurry sheet (tobacco sheet) (thickness: 1 mm). The content of components derived from the tobacco raw material in the tobacco sheet of Example 2 was calculated as the ratio of the weight of the tobacco raw material to the total weight of the tobacco raw material (tobacco sample) and externally added components (guar gum, CMC, and glycerin), and was found to be 82.3 wt%.

[0094] Comparative Example (Preparation of Tobacco Formulation and Tobacco Sheet) 300 g of the tobacco sample (ground product) described in Example 1 above and 1,000 g of water were homogenized using a homogenizer (ROBOMICS, manufactured by Tokushu Kika Kogyo Co., Ltd.) to obtain a mixture. 1,300 g of the obtained mixture was mixed with 15 g of glycerin, 15 g of pulp (particle size: 900 μm (weighted average particle size)), and 15 g of guar gum as a binder to obtain a suspension (tobacco formulation). The obtained suspension was spread on a stainless steel plate and air-dried at room temperature to produce a slurry sheet (tobacco sheet) (thickness: 1 mm). The content of components derived from the tobacco raw material in the tobacco sheet of the comparative example was calculated as the ratio of the weight of the tobacco raw material to the total weight of the tobacco raw material (tobacco sample) and externally added components (glycerin, pulp, and guar gum), and was found to be 86.9 wt%.

[0095] (1) Measurement of Particle Size of Poorly Water-Soluble Substances 2.5 g (1 g solids weight) of the suspension obtained in Example 1 (Preparation of Tobacco Formulation and Tobacco Sheet) was weighed and used as a sample suspension. A portion of each slurry sheet obtained in Example 1 and Comparative Example (Preparation of Tobacco Formulation and Tobacco Sheet) was cut out to obtain 1 g of sample slurry sheets. 40 ml of water was added to each of 2.5 g (1 g solids weight) of the sample suspension in Example 1 and 1 g of the sample slurry sheets in Example 1 and Comparative Example, and the mixture was heated at 80°C for 30 minutes to obtain a mixture. The mixture was centrifuged at 5530 G for 5 minutes in a centrifuge (refrigerated centrifuge, manufactured by KUBOTA Corporation), and the supernatant was removed to obtain 0.5 g of precipitate. 40 ml of water was added to the resulting 0.5 g of precipitate, and the mixture was heated at 80°C for 30 minutes to obtain a mixture. The resulting mixture was centrifuged at 5530 G for 5 minutes using a centrifuge (refrigerated centrifuge, manufactured by KUBOTA Corporation), and the supernatant was removed to obtain 0.4 g of precipitate. The same process of adding water, heating and mixing, centrifuging, and removing the supernatant was repeated twice more to obtain 0.3 g of precipitate. 40 ml of 95% aqueous ethanol was added to the resulting 0.3 g of precipitate, followed by mixing to obtain a dispersion of the precipitate. The resulting dispersion was measured using a wet particle size analyzer (HORIBA Partica 960, Horiba, Ltd.), and the resulting particle size (D90) value was used as the measured particle size (primary particle size) of the poorly water-soluble substance. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0096] (2) Measurement of Water Content The water content in the suspension (tobacco formulation) obtained in Examples 1 and 2 (Preparation of Tobacco Formulation and Tobacco Sheet) was measured based on the IR moisture measurement method using an IR moisture meter (MB45, manufactured by OHAUS). The results are shown in Table 1.

[0097] (3) Measurement of the Content of Poorly Water-Soluble Substances 25 g (10 g solids) of the suspension obtained in Examples 1 and 2 (preparation of tobacco formulations and tobacco sheets) was weighed out and used as a sample suspension. 40 ml of 80°C hot water was added to 2.5 g (1 g solids) of each sample suspension in Examples 1 and 2, and the mixture was stirred for 30 minutes. The mixture was then centrifuged at 5530 G for 5 minutes using a centrifuge (refrigerated centrifuge, manufactured by KUBOTA). After centrifugation, the supernatant was removed to obtain 0.5 g of precipitate. The steps of adding hot water, mixing, centrifugation, and removing the supernatant were repeated three more times with respect to the resulting 0.5 g of precipitate, as described above, to obtain a precipitate. The resulting precipitate was then dried at 80°C for 30 minutes, and the weight of the resulting dried product was measured. The ratio (wt %) of the weight of the obtained dried material to the weight (1 g) of the solid content of the suspension used above was calculated, and the obtained value was taken as the content (wt %) of the poorly water-soluble substance in the suspension (solid content equivalent). The results are shown in Table 1. Because the slurry sheet is formed by removing only the water medium from the suspension, the content (wt %) of the poorly water-soluble substance in the suspension obtained as described above (solid content equivalent) can be considered to be equal to the content (wt %) of the poorly water-soluble substance in the slurry sheet.

[0098] (4) Measurement of Starch Content: 2.5 g (1 g solids weight) of the suspension obtained in Example 1 and Comparative Example (preparation of tobacco formulation and tobacco sheet) was weighed out and used as a sample suspension. 2.5 g (1 g solids weight) of each sample suspension in Example 1 and Comparative Example was homogenized and pulverized using a homogenizer (ROBOMICS, manufactured by Tokushu Kika Kogyo Co., Ltd.) to obtain a powder. 100 mg of the obtained powder was weighed out and placed in a 15 ml centrifuge tube (SUMILON (registered trademark), manufactured by Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd.), and 10 ml of room temperature MilliQ water was added. Ultrasonic extraction was performed at room temperature for 10 minutes using an ultrasonicator (BRANSONIC, manufactured by Emerson Japan Co., Ltd.) to obtain a mixture. The obtained mixture was centrifuged for 5 minutes at 4°C and 8000 rpm using a centrifuge (refrigerated centrifuge, manufactured by Kubota Corporation). After centrifugation, the supernatant was removed to obtain a precipitate. 7 ml of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was added to the obtained precipitate and stirred using a vortex mixer to obtain a suspension. The obtained suspension was subjected to a heat treatment (extraction treatment) at 100°C for 5 minutes, thereby dissolving the starch in the precipitate into DMSO. The suspension after extraction was quenched with ice water and then centrifuged at 3000G for 5 minutes using the above-mentioned centrifuge. After centrifugation, 5 ml of the supernatant was collected and placed in a 50 ml volumetric flask. The supernatant in the volumetric flask was then subjected to the same procedures as above: extraction at 100°C for 5 minutes, quenching with ice water, centrifugation at 3000G for 5 minutes, and collection and transfer of 5 ml of the supernatant into a 50 ml volumetric flask, three more times to obtain 20 ml of DMSO (in a volumetric flask) in which the starch had dissolved. 20 ml of the resulting DMSO was diluted to 100 ml with MilliQ water and stirred. 100 ml of the resulting sample was then transferred to a glass test tube. 500 μl of 5% phenol solution was added to the sample in the test tube, followed by the slow addition of 2.5 ml of concentrated sulfuric acid to decompose the starch in the sample into monosaccharides. The resulting solution was then stirred in a vortex mixer and allowed to stand for 20 minutes.After standing, the solution in the test tube was measured for absorbance at a wavelength of 490 nm using a spectrophotometer (SP-300, Optima Corporation). For a calibration curve, glucose dissolved in 5% phenol solution was used, and the absorbance was analyzed in the same manner. The glucose concentrations were 0 μg / ml, 10 μg / ml, 20 μg / ml, 50 μg / ml, and 100 μg / ml. Based on the absorbance measurements and the calibration curve, the ratio (wt%) of the weight of starch to the weight (1 g) of the solid content of the suspension used was calculated, and this was taken as the starch content (wt%). The results are shown in Table 1. Because a slurry sheet is formed by removing only the water medium from the suspension, the starch content (wt%) in the suspension obtained as described above (solid content equivalent) can be considered to be equal to the starch content (wt%) in the slurry sheet.

[0099]

[0100] The results of Examples 1 and 2 above demonstrate that tobacco sheets can be produced using the tobacco formulations of Examples 1 and 2 without the external addition of other water-insoluble substances such as pulp. When preparing the tobacco formulations of Examples 1 and 2, the starch contained in the tobacco raw material is extracted by boiling, resulting in the production of the water-insoluble substance as a residue of the tobacco raw material. The water-insoluble substance derived from the tobacco raw material thus obtained replaces other water-insoluble substances to improve the moldability and strength of the tobacco sheet, allowing tobacco sheets to be formed without the external addition of other water-insoluble substances. Because the tobacco formulations of Examples 1 and 2 do not require the external addition of other water-insoluble substances such as pulp, the amount of tobacco raw material and glycerin added can be increased, thereby increasing the design flexibility of the tobacco formulation and tobacco sheet. Furthermore, as shown in Table 1, the particle size (μm) of the water-insoluble substance was measured to be 22.4 μm for the suspension of Example 1 and 2 and 24.2 μm for the slurry sheet, demonstrating that the particle size (μm) was significantly reduced after the grinding and extraction process. In Example 1, the particle size of the poorly water-soluble substance is small, which is thought to increase the surface area that bonds the tobacco particles together, thereby improving the strength of the slurry sheet.

[0101] On the other hand, the tobacco formulation of the comparative example has pulp, a water-insoluble substance, added externally to produce a tobacco sheet. If pulp were not added externally to the tobacco formulation of the comparative example, the sheet shape would not be maintained, and tobacco sheet would not be produced. In the comparative example, the water-insoluble substance derived from the tobacco raw material has a large particle size because it has not undergone a crushing or extraction process. As a result, the surface area for bonding the tobacco particles together is insufficient, and it is necessary to add pulp to improve the strength of the slurry sheet.

[0102] Furthermore, the results in Table 1 show that the content of poorly water-soluble substances in the suspension of Example 2 (12% by weight) was lower than the content of poorly water-soluble substances in the suspension of Example 1 (30% by weight). In this regard, it is thought that because the boiling treatment was performed more frequently in Example 2 than in Example 1, more components such as starch could be extracted from the tobacco raw material, and as a result, the amount measured as poorly water-soluble substances decreased accordingly. The results of Examples 1 and 2 show that the amount of extracted components such as starch can be controlled by changing the conditions of the boiling treatment.

[0103] Furthermore, from the results in Table 1, it was confirmed that the starch content in the suspension of Example 1 was 3.04% by weight, which was higher than the starch content of the suspension of the Comparative Example, which was 2.47% by weight. This is thought to be because, compared to the suspension of the Comparative Example, which was not subjected to a boiling treatment, the suspension of Example 1 had a larger amount of starch extracted from the tobacco raw material and released into the suspension due to the boiling treatment. When the amount of starch contained in the suspension is large, as in Example 1, the starch functions as a binder that bonds together poorly water-soluble substances, making it possible to produce a tobacco sheet with greater strength.

[0104] As described above, the tobacco formulation of the present invention allows the production of tobacco sheets using tobacco raw materials without externally adding other poorly water-soluble substance raw materials.

[0105] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Heating device 11 Body 12 Heater 20 Non-combustion heated smoking article 20A Smoking segment 20B Connecting portion 20C Filter portion 21 Smoking composition sheet or material derived therefrom 22 Wrapper 23 Paper tube 24 Ventilation hole portion 25 First segment 25a First filling layer 25b Inner plug wrapper 26 Second segment 26a Second filling layer 26b Inner plug wrapper 27 Outer plug wrapper 28 Wrapper

Claims

1. (1) Poorly water-soluble substances derived from tobacco raw materials, (2) a starch extracted from said tobacco material or from other tobacco materials; and (3) Medium 1. A tobacco preparation comprising:

2. (1') a poorly water-soluble substance derived from tobacco raw materials, and (2') Starch extracted from the tobacco raw material or other tobacco raw materials. A tobacco sheet comprising:

3. The tobacco sheet according to claim 2 , wherein the starch is extracted from the tobacco raw material.

4. 4. The tobacco sheet according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the starch is a soluble starch.

5. The tobacco sheet according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the water-insoluble substance has a primary particle size of 100 μm or less.

6. The tobacco sheet according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the content of the starch in the tobacco sheet is 10% by weight or less.

7. The tobacco sheet according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the tobacco raw material from which the poorly water-soluble substance is derived contains tobacco leaves.

8. The tobacco sheet according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the tobacco raw material from which the poorly water-soluble substance is derived contains an alkaloid.

9. The tobacco sheet according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising an aerosol generating agent.

10. 10. The tobacco sheet of claim 9, wherein the aerosol generating agent comprises glycerin, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, or a mixture thereof.

11. The tobacco sheet according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising glucan.

12. 12. The tobacco sheet of claim 11, wherein the glucan comprises tamarind gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, gellan gum, pullulan, or a mixture thereof.

13. 4. The tobacco sheet according to claim 2 or 3, which does not contain pulp.

14. The tobacco sheet according to claim 2 or 3, which is a cast sheet.

15. The tobacco sheet according to claim 2, which is a molded product of the tobacco formulation according to claim 1.

16. A tobacco filler comprising the tobacco sheet according to claim 2 or 3.

17. A smoking article comprising the tobacco filler of claim 16.

18. 18. The smoking article of claim 17, which is a non-combustion heating smoking article.

19. The method for producing a tobacco formulation according to claim 1 , comprising the step of heating the tobacco raw material in the medium to extract the starch.

20. Preparing the tobacco formulation according to the method of claim 19; and The method for producing a tobacco sheet according to claim 2, comprising the steps of spreading the tobacco formulation on a substrate and drying it.