Rolled sheet, tobacco filler, smoking product, and method for producing rolled sheet

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a rolled sheet that can be formed, using a tobacco raw material, without externally attaching a raw material of another poorly-water-soluble substance other than tobacco.　Provided is a rolled sheet that includes (1) a poorly-water-soluble substance derived from a tobacco raw material, and (2) a starch extracted from the tobacco raw material or from another tobacco raw material.

Description

Rolled sheet, tobacco filler, smoking article, and method for manufacturing rolled sheet

[0001] The present invention relates to a rolled sheet, a tobacco filler, a smoking article, and a method for manufacturing the rolled 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 a tobacco sheet. Known methods for producing such tobacco sheets include a papermaking process, a slurry (cast) process, a rolling process, and an extrusion molding process. Among these tobacco sheets, rolled sheets (laminated sheets) produced by a rolling process have the advantage of being able to contain a high amount of tobacco components.

[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 material, 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, particularly a rolled sheet, that is not dependent on particle size can be produced using tobacco raw material as a plant, without the external addition of a poorly water-soluble substance such as a fiber material other than tobacco. An object of the present invention is to provide a rolled sheet that can be formed using tobacco raw material, without the external addition of a poorly water-soluble substance other than tobacco.

[0009] The above problems are solved by the present invention as follows. [1] A rolled sheet comprising (1) a poorly water-soluble substance derived from tobacco raw materials, and (2) a starch extracted from the tobacco raw materials or other tobacco raw materials. [2] The rolled sheet according to [1], wherein the starch is extracted from the tobacco raw materials. [3] The rolled sheet according to [1] or [2], wherein the starch is a soluble starch. [4] The rolled sheet according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the poorly water-soluble substance has a primary particle size of 50 μm or less. [5] The rolled sheet according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the starch content in the rolled sheet is 10% by weight or less. [6] The rolled sheet according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the tobacco raw materials from which the poorly water-soluble substance is derived include tobacco leaves. [7] The rolled sheet according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the tobacco raw materials from which the poorly water-soluble substance is derived include an alkaloid. [8] The rolled sheet according to any one of [1] to [7], further comprising an aerosol-generating agent. [9] The rolled sheet according to [8], wherein the aerosol-generating agent comprises glycerin, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, or a mixture thereof.

[10] The rolled sheet according to any one of [1] to [9], which does not contain any binder other than the starch.

[11] The rolled sheet according to any one of [1] to

[10] , which does not contain pulp.

[12] A tobacco filler comprising the rolled sheet according to any one of [1] to

[11] .

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

[12] .

[14] The smoking article according to

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

[15] A method for producing the rolled sheet according to any one of [1] to

[11] , comprising the steps of: heating tobacco raw materials in a medium to extract starch and prepare a tobacco formulation; and rolling and drying the tobacco formulation.

[0010] The present invention provides a rolled sheet that can be formed using tobacco raw materials without externally adding any other poorly water-soluble material other than tobacco.

[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 this embodiment includes: (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. For example, as shown in Example 1 (Preparation of Tobacco Formulation and Rolled Sheet) below, 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. 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 rolled 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 after it has been 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 this embodiment, the starch may be extracted from a tobacco raw material contained in a tobacco formulation, or may be extracted from another tobacco raw material not contained in a tobacco formulation. That is, in one aspect, the tobacco formulation comprises tobacco raw material X and starch extracted from X, in another aspect, tobacco raw material X and starch extracted from tobacco raw material Y other than X, and in yet another aspect, 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 combined in any manner. A starch content of 1% by weight or more can increase the strength of the rolled 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 rolled 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 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 this embodiment can be produced, for example, as shown in (Preparation of Tobacco Formulation and Rolled Sheet) in [Example 1] below, by mixing a tobacco raw material with a medium to obtain a mixture, and then subjecting the mixture to a boiling treatment and an extraction treatment to extract starch from the tobacco raw material. Furthermore, the tobacco formulation may further contain components such as an air-prone generator and tobacco powder, which are described in "(Other Components)" under "2. Rolled Sheet" below.

[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 this embodiment 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. Therefore, the poorly water-soluble substance derived from the tobacco raw material has a high affinity with starch, etc., and separately added additives, etc. As a result, the tobacco preparation of this embodiment can be formed, for example, into a rolled sheet with excellent strength.

[0032] 2. Rolled Sheet The rolled sheet (laminated 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 substance contained in the rolled 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 rolled 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 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 rolled sheet 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, 45% by weight or less, 40% 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 rolled sheet can be arbitrarily combined. The rolled sheet can be formed by removing the medium from the tobacco formulation. Therefore, as described in "(3) Measurement of the content of poorly water-soluble substance" in the [Examples] below, the content (% by weight) of the poorly water-soluble substance in the tobacco formulation (solid content equivalent) can be considered to be equal to the content (% by weight) of the poorly water-soluble substance in the rolled sheet. The content of poorly water-soluble substances in the rolled sheet can also be calculated based on the above-mentioned Prosky method.

[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 rolled 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 rolled 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 rolled 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 rolled 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 rolled sheet can be arbitrarily combined. A starch content of 1% by weight or more can increase the strength of the rolled 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 rolled sheet is within the above-mentioned range between the lower and upper limits, the amount of starch functioning as a binder is appropriate, and the structure of the resulting rolled sheet can be maintained. The rolled 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 (solids content equivalent) can be considered to be equal to the starch content (wt %) in the rolled sheet.

[0038] The rolled sheet can contain components derived from the tobacco raw material. The components derived from the tobacco raw material can include the above-mentioned poorly water-soluble substances derived from the tobacco raw material and starch extracted from the tobacco raw material. The lower limit of the content of the components derived from the tobacco raw material in the rolled sheet is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint 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 the tobacco raw material in the rolled 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 the tobacco raw material in the rolled sheet can be arbitrarily combined. The content of the components derived from the tobacco raw material in the rolled sheet can be calculated as the ratio of the weight of the tobacco raw material to the total weight of the used tobacco raw material and externally added components.

[0039] (Other Components) The rolled 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 rolled sheet is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of the amount of smoke 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 rolled 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 rolled sheet is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of sheet formability, it is preferably 2 to 9 wt %, more preferably 3 to 7 wt %, and most preferably 4 to 6 wt %.

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

[0042] If no additives are preferred, the rolled sheet may contain no pulp. Even if the rolled sheet contains pulp as an impurity, the pulp content in the rolled sheet may be 3% by weight or less, 1% by weight or less, or 0.5% by weight or less.

[0043] The rolled sheet can further contain tobacco fine powder in addition to the components derived from the tobacco raw material described above. Tobacco fine powder refers to aged tobacco leaves crushed to a predetermined particle size. Such tobacco fine powder can be added directly to a tobacco formulation or rolled sheet without undergoing the boiling and extraction treatments of the tobacco raw material described above. The content of tobacco fine powder in the rolled sheet is not particularly limited, but a high content of tobacco fine powder can contribute to the tobacco-derived smoking taste. On the other hand, if the content of tobacco fine powder is too high, the content of components derived from the tobacco raw material subjected to the boiling and extraction treatments will be relatively low, resulting in poor binding properties for maintaining the shape of the rolled sheet. From this perspective, the content of tobacco fine powder in the rolled sheet is preferably 10 to 80% by weight, more preferably 30 to 70% by weight, and most preferably 50 to 70% by weight.

[0044] Details of the rolled sheet are disclosed in "Encyclopedia of Tobacco, Tobacco Research Center, March 31, 2009."

[0045] The rolled sheet of the present invention is not particularly limited, but can be a molded product of the tobacco formulation described in the above section "1. Tobacco formulation."

[0046] 3. Manufacturing Method (Method for Manufacturing Tobacco Formulation) The tobacco formulation of this embodiment is preferably manufactured by a method including a step of heating tobacco raw materials in a medium to extract the above-described starch. The tobacco formulation may be one described in the above section "1. Tobacco Formulation."

[0047] (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.

[0048] (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.

[0049] (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.

[0050] (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.

[0051] (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.

[0052] (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.

[0053] 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.

[0054] The method for producing a tobacco formulation may further include a step of adding components including an aerosol-generating agent, a binder, tobacco powder, or a combination of two or more of these. The aerosol-generating agent or binder may be those described in "(Other Components)" in "2. Rolled Sheet" above.

[0055] The method for producing a tobacco formulation may not include a step of adding pulp. In the present application, a rolled sheet can be formed from the tobacco formulation without externally adding pulp.

[0056] (Method for Producing Rolled Sheet) A rolling method can be employed as a method for producing the rolled sheet of the present invention.

[0057] The method for producing a rolled sheet of the present invention can include the steps of preparing a tobacco formulation using the above-mentioned method, and rolling and drying the tobacco formulation. If the tobacco raw material is ground in the step of preparing the tobacco formulation, the method for producing a rolled sheet does not need to include the step of grinding the tobacco formulation.

[0058] <Method for Forming Rolled Sheet (Rolling Method)> Examples of methods for forming rolled sheets by rolling include methods that include the following steps: (1) A step of mixing water, an optional pulp, an optional binder, and ground aged tobacco, such as the tobacco fine powder, to obtain a mixture (homogenization step); (2) A step of feeding the mixture into a plurality of rolling rollers and rolling it; (3) A step of peeling the rolled product from the rolling rollers with a doctor knife, transferring it to a net conveyor, and drying it in a dryer. When forming rolled sheets by this method, the surfaces of each rolling roller may be heated or cooled, and the rotation speed of each rolling roller may be adjusted, depending on the purpose. Furthermore, by adjusting the spacing between each rolling roller, a rolled sheet of the desired basis weight can be obtained.

[0059] The shape of the rolled sheet can be adjusted as needed, but in one embodiment, the thickness is 50 to 500 μm. The rolled sheet can be chopped to produce shreds or strands, or pulverized to produce powder.

[0060] 4. Tobacco filler and smoking article The tobacco filler of the present invention includes the rolled sheet described above. The smoking article of the present invention includes the tobacco filler described above. The smoking article of the present invention may be a non-combustion heat-smoking article.

[0061] In this application, the term "smoking article" refers to an inhalable article that allows a user to enjoy a flavor by inhaling. Smoking articles can be broadly divided into combustible smoking articles, such as conventional cigarettes, and non-combustible smoking articles.

[0062] Examples of combustion-type smoking articles include cigarettes, pipes, pipes, cigars, and cigarillos.

[0063] 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.

[0064] 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.

[0065] 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.

[0066] 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.

[0067] 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.

[0068] 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.

[0069] 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.

[0070] 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.

[0071] 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.

[0072] The smoking segment 20A comprises a smoking composition sheet or material derived therefrom 21 and a wrapper 22 wrapped therearound.

[0073] 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.

[0074] 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.

[0075] 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.

[0076] 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.

[0077] 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.

[0078] 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.

[0079] 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.

[0080] 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.

[0081] 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.

[0082] 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.

[0083] Example 1 Preparation of Tobacco Formulation and Rolled 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

[0084] The boiled mixture in the pressure cooker was further heated at 119°C for 0.5 hours to obtain a mixture. The water content of the mixture thus obtained was measured using an IR moisture meter (MB45, manufactured by OHAUS) based on the IR moisture measurement method, and was found to be 77.1% by weight.

[0085] 70 g of the mixture (water weight: 54 g, solids weight: 16 g) was collected from the pressure cooker, and 160 g of tobacco fine powder (composition: flue-cured tobacco: 93 wt %, Oriental tobacco: 7 wt %) and 19 g of glycerin were added. The mixture was then stirred for 2 minutes in a mixer (Kenmix KM250, manufactured by Aikosha Co., Ltd.) to obtain a mixture. The resulting mixture was then kneaded using an extruder (Single Dome Grand DG-L1, manufactured by Dalton Co., Ltd.). This kneading process was repeated a total of four times to obtain a kneaded product (tobacco preparation).

[0086] The kneaded product (tobacco preparation) obtained as described above was passed through a calendar roll (manufactured by Yuri Roll Co., Ltd.) and formed into a sheet, which was then dried at 80°C for 5 minutes in a hot air dryer to produce a rolled sheet (thickness: 0.25 mm). The contents of components derived from the tobacco sample (tobacco raw material) and the contents of the added tobacco fine powder in the rolled sheet of Example 1 can be calculated to be 8% by weight and 82% by weight, respectively. Therefore, the total content of components derived from the tobacco sample and tobacco fine powder in the rolled sheet of Example 1 can be calculated to be 90% by weight.

[0087] Comparative Example (Preparation of Tobacco Preparation and Rolled Sheet) 70 g of the tobacco sample (ground product) described in Example 1 above was collected, and 160 g of tobacco fine powder (composition: flue-cured tobacco: 93% by weight, Oriental tobacco: 7% by weight), 8 g of pulp, 8 g of CMC (carboxymethyl cellulose), 110 g of water, and 19 g of glycerin were added. The mixture was stirred for 2 minutes in a mixer (Kenmix KM250, manufactured by Aikosha Co., Ltd.) to obtain a mixture. The resulting mixture was then kneaded using an extruder (Single Dome Grand DG-L1, manufactured by Dalton Co., Ltd.). This kneading process was repeated a total of four times to obtain a kneaded product (tobacco preparation).

[0088] The kneaded product (tobacco preparation) obtained as described above was passed through a calendar roll (manufactured by Yuri Roll Co., Ltd.) and formed into a sheet, which was then dried at 80°C for 5 minutes in a hot air dryer to produce a rolled sheet (thickness: 0.25 mm). The contents of components derived from the tobacco sample (tobacco raw material) and the contents of the added tobacco fine powder in the rolled sheet of the comparative example can be calculated to be 26% by weight and 60% by weight, respectively. Therefore, the total content of components derived from the tobacco sample and tobacco fine powder in the rolled sheet of the comparative example can be calculated to be 86% by weight.

[0089] (1) Measurement of Particle Size of Poorly Water-Soluble Substances 2.5 g (1 g solids weight) of the kneaded product obtained in Example 1 (Preparation of Tobacco Formulation and Rolled Sheet) was weighed and used as a sample kneaded product. A portion of each rolled sheet obtained in Example 1 and Comparative Example (Preparation of Tobacco Formulation and Rolled Sheet) was cut off to obtain 1 g of sample rolled sheet. 40 ml of water was added to each of 2.5 g (1 g solids weight) of the sample kneaded product in Example 1 and 1 g of the sample rolled sheet 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 each precipitate. 40 ml of water was added to each of the resulting 0.5 g precipitates, 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 each 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.

[0090] (2) Measurement of Water Content The water content of the kneaded product (tobacco formulation) obtained in Example 1 (Preparation of Tobacco Formulation and Rolled Sheet) was measured using an IR moisture meter (MB45, manufactured by OHAUS) based on the IR moisture measurement method. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0091] (3) Measurement of the Content of Poorly Water-Soluble Substances 2.5 g (1 g solids weight) of the kneaded product obtained in Example 1 (Preparation of Tobacco Formulation and Rolled Sheet) was weighed and used as a sample kneaded product. 40 ml of 80°C hot water was added to 2.5 g (1 g solids weight) of this sample kneaded product of Example 1, and the mixture was heated for 30 minutes to obtain a mixed solution. The resulting mixed solution was centrifuged at 5530 G for 5 minutes using a centrifuge (refrigerated centrifuge, manufactured by KUBOTA Corporation). After centrifugation, the supernatant was removed to obtain 0.5 g of precipitate. The steps of adding hot water, heating, centrifugation, and removing the supernatant were repeated three more times for the resulting 0.5 g of precipitate, as described above, to obtain a precipitate. The resulting precipitate was 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 product to the weight (1 g) of the solid content of the kneaded product used above was calculated, and the obtained value was taken as the content (wt %) of the poorly water-soluble substance in the kneaded product (converted to solid content). The results are shown in Table 1. Since the rolled sheet is formed by removing only the water medium from the kneaded product, the content (wt %) of the poorly water-soluble substance in the kneaded product obtained as described above (converted to solid content) can be considered to be equal to the content (wt %) of the poorly water-soluble substance in the rolled sheet.

[0092] (4) Measurement of Starch Content: 2.5 g (1 g solids weight) of the kneaded product of Example 1 was weighed out and used as the sample kneaded product of Example 1. Furthermore, 1 g of the rolled sheet of the comparative example was weighed out, and 2 g of water was added to obtain 3 g (1 g solids weight) of the sample mixed solution of the comparative example. Each of the sample kneaded product of Example 1 and the sample mixed solution of the comparative example (1 g solids weight) was homogenized using a homogenizer (ROBOMICS Tokushu KIKA KYOGO Co. LTD) and pulverized 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 ultrasonic device (BRANSONIC, manufactured by Emerson Japan Co., Ltd.) to obtain a mixed solution. The resulting mixture was centrifuged at 4°C and 8000 rpm for 5 minutes using a centrifuge (refrigerated centrifuge, manufactured by KUBOTA). After centrifugation, the supernatant was removed to obtain a precipitate. 7 ml of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was added to the resulting precipitate and stirred using a vortex mixer to obtain a suspension. The resulting 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 rapidly cooled with ice water and then centrifuged at 3000 G for 5 minutes using the above-mentioned centrifuge. After centrifugation, 5 ml of the supernatant was collected and placed in a 50 ml measuring flask. The supernatant in the volumetric flask was then subjected to the same extraction process as above: 5 minutes at 100°C, rapid cooling with ice water, 5 minutes of centrifugation at 3000G, and 5 ml of the supernatant was collected and poured into a 50 ml volumetric flask. Each of these steps was repeated three more times to obtain 20 ml of DMSO (in the volumetric flask) containing dissolved starch. 20 ml of the resulting DMSO was then brought to 100 ml with MilliQ water and stirred, after which 100 ml of the resulting sample was transferred to a glass test tube. 500 μl of 5% phenol solution was added to the sample in the test tube, and then 2.5 ml of concentrated sulfuric acid was slowly added to decompose the starch in the sample into monosaccharides.The resulting solution was then stirred using a vortex mixer and allowed to stand for 20 minutes. The absorbance of the solution in the test tube after standing was measured 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 starch weight to the solids weight (1 g) of the kneaded product or rolled sheet used was calculated, and this was taken as the starch content (wt%). The results are shown in Table 1. Because the rolled sheet is formed by removing only the water medium from the kneaded product, the starch content (wt%) in the kneaded product obtained as described above (in terms of solids) can be considered to be equal to the starch content (wt%) in the rolled sheet.

[0093]

[0094] The results of Example 1 above demonstrate that the tobacco formulation of Example 1 can be used to produce a rolled sheet without the external addition of pulp. When preparing the tobacco formulation of Example 1, the starch contained in the tobacco raw material is extracted by a boiling process, resulting in a water-insoluble substance being obtained as a residue of the tobacco raw material. The water-insoluble substance derived from the tobacco raw material thus obtained replaces pulp to improve the moldability and strength of the rolled sheet, allowing the rolled sheet to be formed without the external addition of pulp. Furthermore, as shown in Table 1, the particle diameter (μm) of the water-insoluble substance was measured to be 22.4 μm for the kneaded product of Example 1 and 24.2 μm for the rolled sheet, demonstrating that these values ​​were extremely small. This is because the kneaded product or rolled sheet of Example 1 contained a tobacco sample whose particle diameter had been reduced through a crushing and extraction process as the water-insoluble substance. It is believed that the reduced particle diameter of the water-insoluble substance in Example 1 increases the surface area for bonding tobacco particles together, thereby improving the strength of the rolled sheet.

[0095] On the other hand, the tobacco formulation of the Comparative Example is externally added with pulp, a poorly water-soluble substance, in order to produce a rolled sheet. If pulp were not externally added to the tobacco formulation of the Comparative Example, the sheet shape would not be maintained, and therefore a rolled sheet could not be produced. As described above, the total content (86 wt%) of components derived from the tobacco sample and tobacco fine powder in the rolled sheet of the Comparative Example is lower than the total content (90 wt%) in the rolled sheet of Example 1. The rolled sheet of the Comparative Example could not increase the tobacco content any further due to the use of pulp, and therefore the tobacco-derived smoking taste was inferior. As described above, the mixed liquid or rolled sheet of Example 1 has the following advantages over the Comparative Example: no external addition of pulp is required; the tobacco content can be increased; and a crushing process is not required when producing a rolled sheet.

[0096] Furthermore, from the results in Table 1, it was confirmed that the starch content (solid content equivalent) in the kneaded product of Example 1 was 3.04 wt %, which is higher than the starch content in the rolled sheet of the Comparative Example: 2.47 wt % (corresponding to the starch content (solid content equivalent) in the kneaded product as described above). This is thought to be because, compared to the mixed liquid of the Comparative Example, which was not subjected to a boiling treatment, the kneaded product of Example 1 had more starch extracted from the tobacco raw material and released into the kneaded product due to the boiling treatment. When the kneaded product contains a large amount of starch, as in Example 1, the starch functions as a binder that bonds together poorly water-soluble substances, making it possible to produce a rolled sheet with greater strength.

[0097] (5) Evaluation of palatability quality Each rolled sheet obtained by the above-mentioned Example 1 and Comparative Example (Preparation of tobacco formulation and rolled sheet) was packed into a wrapper to form a smoking segment. Combustible tobacco smoking articles were manufactured using each of the obtained smoking segments according to a standard method. The palatability quality of each combustible tobacco smoking article prepared in this manner was evaluated by 10 well-trained panelists. The palatability quality of each smoking article was evaluated by each panelist using the five-point scale in Table 2 below, and the average score of the five panelists was calculated. In the scale in Table 2 below, a score of 3 was assigned to an item that was equivalent to the Comparative Example. When the average value had a value to one decimal place, the score was calculated by rounding off the value to one decimal place. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

[0098]

[0099]

[0100] The results in Table 3 show that the rolled sheet of Example 1 has superior palatability quality characteristics compared to the rolled sheet of the Comparative Example. As described above, the rolled sheet of Example 1, unlike the rolled sheet of the Comparative Example, does not require the external addition of pulp and can increase the tobacco content, which is thought to be the reason for the superior palatability quality.

[0101] As described above, in the present invention, a rolled sheet can be produced using tobacco raw materials without externally adding any other poorly water-soluble material raw materials other than tobacco.

[0102] 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, and (2) Starch extracted from the tobacco raw material or other tobacco raw materials. The rolled sheet includes:

2. 2. The rolled sheet according to claim 1, wherein the starch is extracted from the tobacco material.

3. 3. The rolled sheet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the starch is a soluble starch.

4. 3. The rolled sheet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the water-insoluble substance has a primary particle size of 50 μm or less.

5. 3. The rolled sheet according to claim 1, wherein the content of the starch in the rolled sheet is 10% by weight or less.

6. The rolled sheet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tobacco raw material from which the poorly water-soluble substance is derived contains tobacco leaves.

7. 3. The rolled sheet according to claim 1, wherein the tobacco raw material from which the poorly water-soluble substance is derived contains an alkaloid.

8. 3. The rolled sheet according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an aerosol generating agent.

9. 9. The rolled sheet of claim 8, wherein the aerosol generating agent comprises glycerin, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, or a mixture thereof.

10. 3. The rolled sheet according to claim 1 or 2, which does not contain any binder other than the starch.

11. 3. The rolled sheet according to claim 1 or 2, which does not contain pulp.

12. A tobacco filler comprising the rolled sheet according to claim 1 or 2.

13. A smoking article comprising the tobacco filler of claim 12.

14. The smoking article of claim 13, which is a non-combustion heating smoking article.

15. A step of heating the tobacco raw material in a medium to extract starch and prepare a tobacco formulation; rolling and drying the tobacco formulation; The method for producing a rolled sheet according to claim 1 or 2, comprising: