Tobacco extract and method for producing same, tobacco material, tobacco rod, flavor inhaler, and smokeless tobacco

Abstract

Provided is a method for producing a tobacco extract, the method making it possible to efficiently obtain an extract containing high-purity neofitadiene or alkane from a tobacco raw material, with a simple process. The method for producing a tobacco extract includes: a step 1 of preparing a tobacco raw material; a step 2 of subjecting the tobacco raw material to solid-liquid extraction using an aprotic solvent and removing solid components to obtain an organic phase; a step 3 of removing the aprotic solvent from the organic phase to obtain a residue; and a step 4 of subjecting the residue to vacuum distillation to obtain a tobacco extract containing neofitadiene and a tobacco extract containing alkane.

Description

Tobacco extract and its manufacturing method, tobacco material, tobacco rod, flavor inhaler, and smokeless tobacco

[0001] The present invention relates to a tobacco extract and a method for producing the same, a tobacco material, a tobacco rod, a flavor inhaler, and smokeless tobacco.

[0002] Neophytadiene is a volatile component found in large quantities in tobacco leaves and is a diterpenoid with a molecular weight of 278.5. Neophytadiene is liquid at room temperature and has no odor on its own, but it is known to be a major component of smoke from burning tobacco. Neophytadiene is also known as an additive for electronic cigarettes, as it improves mouthfeel and enhances tobacco-like flavor (Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] Methods for extracting and purifying neophytadiene from tobacco leaves are known, for example, as disclosed in Patent Documents 3 to 6. However, considering the need for industrial mass production, these methods pose a problem in that they require large amounts of consumables such as organic solvents and stationary phases for chromatography. Furthermore, since there is no process for effectively removing colorants and alkaloids such as nicotine, it is necessary to devise ways to reduce their content before the final purification process.

[0004] Meanwhile, alkanes are the main constituents of the wax components of the epicuticle, the outermost layer of the leaf's epidermis, and are contained in tobacco leaves at 5-10 mg per 1000 square centimeters. Methods for extracting and purifying alkanes from tobacco leaves are known, such as the method disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1. However, in this method, components such as nicotine are eluted broadly, so these components remain until the final process. In other words, while the purity of the extract as a final product is generally used as an indicator, there may be concerns about undetectable contamination, such as that mentioned above, when using purification methods that achieve high purity.

[0005] JP 2012-529893 A European Patent Application Publication No. 2444384 Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 106501420 Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 110041303 Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 111233611 Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 114805004

[0006] Agricultural and Biological Chemistry, 44(9), 2110-2124, 1980

[0007] With the conventional methods described above, it is not easy to efficiently obtain an extract containing neophytadiene or alkanes from tobacco raw materials in a simple manner, and further improvements are desired.

[0008] The present invention aims to provide a method for producing a tobacco extract that can efficiently obtain a high-purity extract containing neophytadiene or alkanes from tobacco raw materials using a simple method, a tobacco extract produced by the method, a tobacco material containing the tobacco extract, a tobacco rod, a flavor inhaler, and smokeless tobacco.

[0009] The present invention includes the following embodiments.

[0010] [1] A method for producing a tobacco extract, comprising: step 1 of preparing a tobacco raw material; step 2 of subjecting the tobacco raw material to solid-liquid extraction using an aprotic solvent and removing solids to obtain an organic phase; step 3 of removing the aprotic solvent from the organic phase to obtain a residue; and step 4 of subjecting the residue to reduced pressure distillation to obtain a tobacco extract containing neophytadiene and a tobacco extract containing alkanes.

[0011] [2] The method according to [1], wherein the aprotic solvent is a non-water-soluble organic solvent.

[0012] [3] The method according to [2], wherein the water-insoluble organic solvent is a hydrocarbon having 5 or 6 carbon atoms.

[0013] [4] The method according to any one of [1] to [3], further comprising, between the step 2 and the step 3, a step 5 of subjecting the organic phase to liquid-liquid extraction using water or an aqueous acid solution, and removing the aqueous phase.

[0014] [5] The method according to [4], wherein the aqueous acid solution is an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid, citric acid, or oxalic acid.

[0015] [6] The method according to [4] or [5], wherein the pH of the aqueous acid solution is less than 7.

[0016] [7] The method according to any one of [1] to [6], further comprising, between the step 2 and the step 3, a step 6 of subjecting the organic phase obtained in the step 2 or the step 5 to normal phase chromatography using n-hexane as a mobile phase.

[0017] [8] A tobacco extract containing neophytadiene or an alkane, produced by the method according to any one of [1] to [7].

[0018] [9] The tobacco extract according to [8], wherein the tobacco extract containing neophytadiene contains 80% by mass or more of neophytadiene.

[0019]

[10] The tobacco extract according to [8], wherein the tobacco extract containing neophytadiene contains 90% by mass or more of neophytadiene.

[0020]

[11] The tobacco extract according to [8], wherein the tobacco extract containing alkanes contains 50% by mass or more of alkanes.

[0021]

[12] The tobacco extract according to [8], wherein the alkane has 25 to 35 carbon atoms.

[0022]

[13] A tobacco material comprising the tobacco extract according to any one of [8] to

[12] .

[0023]

[14] The tobacco material according to

[13] , which is a tobacco flavoring agent, a tobacco sheet, or tobacco shreds.

[0024]

[15] The tobacco material according to

[13] or

[14] , which contains 3500 ppm or more of neophytadiene and 5000 ppm or more of alkanes.

[0025]

[16] A tobacco rod comprising the tobacco material according to any one of

[13] to

[15] .

[0026]

[17] A flavor inhaler comprising the tobacco rod according to

[16] .

[0027]

[18] The flavor inhaler according to

[17] , which is a non-combustion heating type flavor inhaler or a non-combustion non-heating type flavor inhaler.

[0028]

[19] A smokeless tobacco comprising the tobacco material according to any one of

[13] to

[15] .

[0029] According to the present invention, there are provided a method for producing a tobacco extract that can efficiently obtain an extract containing high-purity neophytadiene or alkanes from tobacco raw materials in a simple manner, a tobacco extract produced by the method, a tobacco material containing the tobacco extract, a tobacco rod, a flavor inhaler, and a smokeless tobacco.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing an example of a method according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a non-combustion heating type flavor inhaler according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a non-combustion heating type flavor inhaler according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a tobacco capsule for the non-combustion non-heating type flavor inhaler according to the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a power supply unit for the non-combustion non-heating type flavor inhaler according to the present embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a cartridge for the non-combustion non-heating type flavor inhaler according to the present embodiment. FIG. 8 is a chromatogram of organic phase 1 obtained in step 2 of Example 1. FIG. 9 is a chromatogram of organic phase 3 obtained in step 6 of Example 1. FIG. 10 is a chromatogram of a fraction obtained at a heating temperature of 125° C. in step 4 of Example 1. FIG. 11 is a chromatogram of a fraction obtained at a heating temperature of 160° C. in step 4 of Example 1. FIG. 12 is a chromatogram of a residue obtained in step 4 of Example 1.

[0031] [Method for Producing Tobacco Extract] The method for producing a tobacco extract according to this embodiment includes the following steps: Step 1 of preparing a tobacco material; Step 2 of subjecting the tobacco material to solid-liquid extraction using an aprotic solvent and removing solids to obtain an organic phase; Step 3 of removing the aprotic solvent from the organic phase to obtain a residue; and Step 4 of subjecting the residue to reduced pressure distillation to obtain a tobacco extract containing neophytadiene and a tobacco extract containing alkanes.

[0032] In the tobacco extract production method according to this embodiment, the crude extract obtained from the tobacco raw material is subjected to reduced pressure distillation, thereby reducing the amount of organic solvent and stationary phase used and preliminarily removing tobacco-derived pigments and alkaloids that may be a concern in the purification process. Therefore, this method allows for the efficient production of a high-purity extract containing neophytadiene or alkanes from the tobacco raw material in a simple manner.

[0033] The method according to this embodiment may further include other steps in addition to steps 1 to 4. For example, between steps 2 and 3, step 5 may be further included, in which the organic phase from step 2 is subjected to liquid-liquid extraction using water or an aqueous acid solution, and the aqueous phase is removed. Furthermore, between steps 2 and 3, step 6 may be further included, in which the organic phase obtained in step 2 or step 5 is subjected to normal phase chromatography using n-hexane as the mobile phase. A flowchart of an example of the method according to this embodiment is shown in FIG. 1. Details of each step in the method according to this embodiment will be described below, but the method according to this embodiment is not limited to these.

[0034] (Step 1) In this step, a tobacco raw material is prepared. The tobacco raw material is not particularly limited as long as it contains tobacco components, and leaf tobacco can be used, for example. The type of leaf tobacco is not particularly limited, and examples include flue-cured, burley, oriental, native, other Nicotiana tabacum, and Nicotiana rustica varieties. One or more of these leaf tobacco varieties can be used. Among these, at least one leaf tobacco selected from the group consisting of flue-cured and burley is preferred, with flue-cured being more preferred, in terms of containing a large amount of neophytadiene and alkanes. The form of the leaf tobacco is not particularly limited, and finely powdered leaf tobacco is preferred in terms of improving extraction efficiency. Solid waste discarded from the leaf tobacco expansion process and finely powdered leaf tobacco discarded from leaf tobacco raw material factories can also be used as leaf tobacco.

[0035] (Step 2) In this step, the tobacco raw material from Step 1 is subjected to solid-liquid extraction using an aprotic solvent, and the solids are removed to obtain an organic phase. In this step, neophytadiene and alkanes contained in the tobacco raw material are extracted as a crude extract. As the aprotic solvent used as the extraction solvent, a water-insoluble organic solvent is preferred, from the viewpoint of being able to more selectively extract neophytadiene and alkanes, and a hydrocarbon having 5 or 6 carbon atoms is more preferred. Specifically, hexane or heptane is preferred as the aprotic solvent.

[0036] The amount of aprotic solvent added is preferably 100 parts by mass or more, and more preferably 300 to 1000 parts by mass, of the aprotic solvent per 100 parts by mass of the tobacco raw material. The extraction operation can be carried out by stirring the aprotic solvent containing the tobacco raw material, for example. The extraction temperature is preferably 20 to 50°C, and the extraction time is preferably 5 minutes or more, and more preferably 3 hours or more. The solid content, which is the extraction residue, can be removed by, for example, filtering using a stainless steel mesh to separate the organic phase and the solid content.

[0037] (Step 5) In this step, the organic phase from step 2 is subjected to liquid-liquid extraction using water or an aqueous acid solution, and the aqueous phase is removed. This step is optional in the method according to this embodiment, and if performed, it is performed between step 2 and step 3, which will be described later. However, since performing this step allows for more effective removal of alkaloids such as nicotine, it is preferable that the method according to this embodiment includes this step. The aqueous acid solution is preferably an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid, citric acid, or oxalic acid. The pH of the aqueous acid solution is preferably less than 7, more preferably 3 or less, and even more preferably 1 to 3, from the viewpoint of facilitating the migration of alkaloids such as nicotine into the aqueous layer. In this specification, the pH of the aqueous acid solution is a value measured using a benchtop pH meter (trade name, manufactured by HORIBA).

[0038] When the extraction solvent is water, the volume ratio of water to the organic phase in step 2 (organic phase:water) is preferably 1 to 100:100, more preferably 10 to 100:100. When the extraction solvent is an aqueous acid solution, the volume ratio of the organic phase to the aqueous acid solution in step 2 (organic phase:aqueous acid) is preferably 1 to 1000:100, more preferably 10 to 500:100, depending on the pH of the aqueous acid solution. The liquid-liquid extraction operation can be performed by stirring the mixture. For example, a mixer can be used in a batch system, or a countercurrent distribution extractor, such as a settler mixer or a multistage liquid-liquid extraction tower, can be used in a continuous system. The extraction temperature is preferably 0 to 30°C, and the extraction time is preferably 1 to 60 minutes. Furthermore, a salt such as sodium chloride may be added to the mixture during liquid-liquid extraction. A desiccant such as anhydrous sodium sulfate may be added to the extract obtained by separating and removing the aqueous phase to dehydrate the extract.

[0039] (Step 6) In this step, the organic phase obtained in step 2 or step 5 is subjected to normal phase chromatography using n-hexane as a mobile phase. This step is optional in the method according to this embodiment, and if performed, it is carried out between step 2 (step 5, if performed) and step 3, which will be described later. However, since performing this step enables more effective removal of impurities, it is preferable that the method according to this embodiment includes this step.

[0040] The organic phase obtained in step 2 or step 5 can be concentrated using an evaporator or the like before being subjected to normal phase chromatography. There are no particular limitations on the type of normal phase chromatography, and for example, a commercially available product such as silica gel (Wakosil C-300, manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) can be used. When using normal phase chromatography, the separation operation can be performed, for example, under the following conditions: Column: silica gel column chromatography (approximately 60 mm x 180 mm) Mobile phase: n-hexane When the separation operation is performed under the above conditions, the eluted fraction is fractionated using a mobile phase in an amount equal to to twice the volume of the silica gel used, and the fractionated fractions are collected, thereby obtaining the organic phase after being subjected to normal phase chromatography.

[0041] (Step 3) In this step, the aprotic solvent is removed from the organic phase obtained in the step 2, the step 5, or the step 6 to obtain a residue. The aprotic solvent can be removed using, for example, an evaporator.

[0042] (Step 4) In this step, the residue obtained in step 3 is subjected to vacuum distillation. This results in a tobacco extract containing neophytadiene as a fraction, and a tobacco extract containing alkanes as a residue. Vacuum distillation can be carried out using, for example, a glass tube oven or a short-path evaporator. The pressure during vacuum distillation is preferably 20 to 1000 Pa absolute. The temperature during vacuum distillation is preferably 120 to 230°C, although this depends on the pressure during distillation. For example, when the pressure during vacuum distillation is 20 Pa absolute, the temperature during vacuum distillation can be 120 to 150°C. Furthermore, when the pressure during vacuum distillation is 1000 Pa absolute, the temperature during vacuum distillation can be 190 to 230°C. The time for vacuum distillation depends on the apparatus and the pressure and temperature during distillation, but is preferably 1 minute to 6 hours, and more preferably 5 minutes to 3 hours.

[0043] [Tobacco Extract] The tobacco extract according to this embodiment is produced by the tobacco extract production method according to this embodiment, and contains neophytadiene or an alkane. As described above, the tobacco extract containing neophytadiene is obtained as a fraction of the reduced-pressure distillation in step 4, and the tobacco extract containing an alkane is obtained as a residue of the reduced-pressure distillation in step 4. The alkane can be an alkane having 25 to 35 carbon atoms. Because the tobacco extract according to this embodiment is produced by the tobacco extract production method according to this embodiment, it is highly pure and has low contents of pigments and alkaloids such as nicotine.

[0044] The neophytadiene-containing tobacco extract according to the present embodiment preferably contains 80% by mass or more of neophytadiene, more preferably 90% by mass or more, even more preferably 95% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 97% by mass or more. The neophytadiene-containing tobacco extract according to the present embodiment preferably contains 1% by mass or less of nicotine, more preferably 0.1% by mass or less, and particularly preferably is nicotine-free.

[0045] The alkane-containing tobacco extract according to this embodiment preferably contains 50% by mass or more of alkanes, and particularly preferably 55% by mass or more. Furthermore, the alkane-containing tobacco extract according to this embodiment preferably contains 1% by mass or less of nicotine, more preferably 0.1% by mass or less, and particularly preferably contains no nicotine. The neophytadiene and alkane contents in the tobacco extract can be measured by GC-MS analysis.

[0046] [Tobacco material] The tobacco material according to this embodiment includes the tobacco extract according to this embodiment. The tobacco material according to this embodiment may contain, for example, 3500 ppm or more of neophytadiene and 5000 ppm or more of alkanes. The tobacco material according to this embodiment is not particularly limited as long as it contains the tobacco extract according to this embodiment, and examples thereof include tobacco flavorings such as liquid flavors, tobacco sheets, and tobacco shreds.

[0047] A tobacco sheet is a sheet obtained by molding a composition containing aged tobacco leaves and the like. The aged tobacco leaves used for the tobacco sheet are not particularly limited, but examples include those that have been deboned and separated into lamina and midrib. Aged tobacco leaves refer to tobacco leaves that have undergone processes such as curing and long-term storage in a warehouse or the like. In this embodiment, the term "sheet" refers to a material having a pair of approximately parallel main and side surfaces. Tobacco sheets can be molded by known methods such as papermaking, casting, and rolling. Details of various tobacco sheets molded by these methods are disclosed in "Encyclopedia of Tobacco," Tobacco Research Center, March 31, 2009. The manner in which the tobacco extract according to this embodiment is added to the tobacco sheet is not limited.

[0048] For example, the tobacco extract according to the present embodiment may be dissolved in a solvent to prepare a tobacco flavoring agent solution, which may then be sprayed or impregnated onto a finished tobacco sheet, or the tobacco extract according to the present embodiment may be added when the tobacco sheet is molded. For example, in a paper-making method, water-soluble components are extracted from aged tobacco leaves and separated into an aqueous extract and a residue, a mixture of the fibrous residue and pulp is made into paper, and a concentrated solution of the aqueous extract is added to the paper-made sheet. The tobacco extract according to the present embodiment can be added to the aqueous extract. In a casting method, water, pulp, a binder, and ground aged tobacco are mixed to form a mixture, which is then cast. The tobacco extract according to the present embodiment can be added to this mixture. In a rolling method, water, pulp, a binder, and ground aged tobacco are mixed to form a mixture, which is then fed into multiple rolling rollers and rolled. The tobacco extract according to the present embodiment can be added to this mixture.

[0049] Furthermore, as described in WO 2014 / 104078, a nonwoven tobacco sheet can be obtained by mixing ground aged tobacco with a binder to form a mixture, sandwiching the mixture between nonwoven fabrics, and molding the laminate into a specific shape by heat welding. In this method, the tobacco extract according to this embodiment can be added to the mixture.

[0050] The tobacco sheet may contain an aerosol-generating substrate. The type of aerosol-generating substrate is not particularly limited, and extracts from various natural products or their components can be selected depending on the application. Specific examples of aerosol-generating substrates include polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbitol, xylitol, and erythritol, triacetin, 1,3-butanediol, and mixtures thereof. The content of the aerosol-generating substrate can be adjusted to various amounts depending on the form in which it is used in the tobacco product. For example, when the tobacco sheet contains an aerosol-generating substrate, from the viewpoint of obtaining a good flavor, the content of the aerosol-generating substrate is typically 5% by mass or more, preferably 10% by mass or more, and more preferably 15% by mass or more, relative to the total mass of the tobacco sheet. Also, typically, the content of the aerosol-generating substrate is 50% by mass or less, preferably 40% by mass or less, and more preferably 25% by mass or less.

[0051] Examples of tobacco shreds include aged tobacco leaves shredded to a predetermined size, the aforementioned tobacco sheets shredded to a predetermined size, or a mixture of these. The size is not limited, and examples include shreds of 0.5 to 2.0 mm in width and 3 to 10 mm in length. Tobacco shreds of this size are preferred for filling a filler, as described below. Other examples of tobacco shreds include strand-type shreds, which are processed tobacco leaves shredded to a width of 0.5 to 2.0 mm and a length longer than the aforementioned tobacco shreds, preferably approximately the same length as cigarette paper. The tobacco extract according to this embodiment may be added to tobacco shreds or to raw materials before shredding.

[0052] The tobacco shreds may contain the aerosol-generating base material. When the aerosol-generating base material is contained in the tobacco shreds, the content of the aerosol-generating base material is, from the viewpoints of generating a sufficient amount of aerosol and obtaining a good flavor, usually 5% by mass or more, preferably 10% by mass or more, and more preferably 15% by mass or more, relative to the mass of the tobacco shreds, and usually 50% by mass or less, preferably 40% by mass or less, and more preferably 25% by mass or less.

[0053] [Tobacco Rod, Flavor Inhaler] The tobacco rod according to the present embodiment includes the tobacco material according to the present embodiment. The flavor inhaler according to the present embodiment includes the tobacco rod according to the present embodiment. The flavor inhaler according to the present embodiment may be a non-combustion heating type flavor inhaler or a non-combustion non-heating type flavor inhaler.

[0054] In this embodiment, a "flavor inhaler" refers to an item through which a user inhales flavors. Flavor inhalers are broadly classified into "combustion-type flavor inhalers" that generate flavors through combustion and "non-combustion-type flavor inhalers" that generate flavors without combustion. Non-combustion-type flavor inhalers are further broadly classified into "non-combustion-heating-type flavor inhalers" that generate flavors through heating and "non-combustion-non-heating-type flavor inhalers" that generate flavors without heating. A combination of a device for generating aerosols (such as a heating device or an atomizing device) and a non-combustion-heating-type flavor inhaler is also referred to as a non-combustion-heating-type flavor inhalation system.

[0055] (Non-Combustion Heating Flavor Inhaler) FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of a non-combustion heating flavor inhaler according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the non-combustion heating flavor inhaler 20 includes a tobacco rod 20A, a cylindrical cooling section 20B having perforations on its circumference, and a filter section 20C. The non-combustion heating flavor inhaler 20 may include other components. The axial length of the non-combustion heating flavor inhaler 20 is not limited, but is preferably 40 to 90 mm, more preferably 50 to 75 mm, and even more preferably 50 to 60 mm. The circumferential length of the non-combustion heating flavor inhaler 20 is preferably 16 to 25 mm, more preferably 20 to 24 mm, and even more preferably 21 to 23 mm. For example, the tobacco rod 20A may be 20 mm long, the cooling section 20B may be 20 mm long, and the filter section 20C may be 7 mm long. The lengths of these individual components can be appropriately changed depending on manufacturing suitability, required quality, and the like. Although FIG. 2 shows an embodiment in which the first segment 25 is disposed, it is also possible to dispose the first segment 25 and to dispose only the second segment 26 downstream of the cooling section 20B.

[0056] (1) Tobacco Rod 20A The tobacco rod 20A can use, as the tobacco filler 21, tobacco shreds or a tobacco sheet containing the tobacco extract according to this embodiment. The method for filling the tobacco filler 21 into the cigarette paper 22 is not particularly limited; for example, the tobacco filler 21 may be wrapped in the cigarette paper 22, or the tobacco filler 21 may be filled into a tubular cigarette paper 22. When the tobacco has a longitudinal direction, such as a rectangular shape, the tobacco may be filled so that the longitudinal direction is in an unspecified direction within the cigarette paper 22, or may be aligned in the axial direction of the tobacco rod 20A or in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. When the tobacco rod 20A is heated, the tobacco components, aerosol-generating substrate, and water contained in the tobacco filler 21 vaporize and are available for inhalation.

[0057] (2) Cooling Unit 20B The cooling unit 20B is preferably configured as a tubular member. The tubular member may be, for example, a cardboard tube 23 formed by processing cardboard into a cylindrical shape. The cooling unit 20B may also be formed from a sheet of thin material that is wrinkled and then pleated, gathered, or folded to form a channel. Examples of such a material include sheet materials selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polylactic acid, cellulose acetate, and aluminum foil. The total surface area of ​​the cooling unit 20B is appropriately adjusted taking cooling efficiency into consideration, but may be, for example, 300 to 1000 mm ２ / mm. The cooling section 20B is preferably provided with perforations 24. The presence of the perforations 24 allows outside air to be introduced into the cooling section 20B during inhalation. As a result, the vaporized components of the aerosol generated by heating the tobacco rod 20A come into contact with the outside air, and as their temperature drops, they liquefy, forming an aerosol. The diameter (distance across) of the perforations 24 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0.5 to 1.5 mm. The number of perforations 24 is not particularly limited, and may be one or two or more. For example, a plurality of perforations 24 may be provided on the circumference of the cooling section 20B.

[0058] The cooling portion 20B may be rod-shaped with an axial length of, for example, 7 to 28 mm. For example, the axial length of the cooling portion 20B may be 18 mm. The cooling portion 20B may have a substantially circular axial cross-sectional shape and a diameter of 5 to 10 mm. For example, the diameter of the cooling portion may be approximately 7 mm.

[0059] (3) Filter portion 20C The configuration of the filter portion 20C is not particularly limited, and may be composed of one or more packed layers. The outside of the packed layer may be wrapped with one or more sheets of wrapping paper. The airflow resistance of the filter portion 20C can be appropriately changed depending on the amount, material, etc. of the packing filled in the filter portion 20C. For example, when the packing is cellulose acetate fiber, the airflow resistance can be increased by increasing the amount of cellulose acetate fiber filled in the filter portion 20C. When the packing is cellulose acetate fiber, the packing density of the cellulose acetate fiber is 0.13 to 0.18 g / cm. ３ The airflow resistance is a value measured using an airflow resistance measuring device (product name: SODIMAX, manufactured by SODIM).

[0060] The circumferential length of the filter part 20C is not particularly limited, but is preferably 16 to 25 mm, more preferably 20 to 24 mm, and even more preferably 21 to 23 mm. The length of the filter part 20C in the axial direction (horizontal direction in FIG. 2) can be selected from 4 to 10 mm, and the airflow resistance thereof is selected from 15 to 60 mmH. ２ The axial length of the filter portion 20C is preferably 5 to 9 mm, more preferably 6 to 8 mm. The cross-sectional shape of the filter portion 20C is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, circular, elliptical, polygonal, etc. Furthermore, a destructible capsule containing a fragrance, fragrance beads, or fragrance may be directly added to the filter portion 20C.

[0061] The filter portion 20C may include a center hole portion as the first segment 25. The center hole portion is composed of a first filling layer 25a with one or more hollow portions and an inner plug wrapper (inner wrapping paper) 25b that covers the filling layer. The center hole portion functions to increase the strength of the mouthpiece portion. The center hole portion may not have an inner plug wrapper 25b and its shape may be maintained by thermoforming. The first filling layer 25a may be, for example, a rod with an inner diameter of 5.0 to 1.0 mm, densely packed with cellulose acetate fibers and hardened with a triacetin-containing plasticizer at 6 to 20% by mass relative to the mass of cellulose acetate. Due to the high fiber packing density of the first filling layer 25a, during inhalation, air and aerosol flow only through the hollow portion and little flow within the first filling layer 25a. Because the first filling layer 25a of the center hole portion is a fiber-filled layer, the external feel during use is less likely to cause discomfort to the user. The filter portion 20C may also include a second segment 26. The second segment 26 is composed of a second packing layer 26a and an inner plug wrapper (inner wrapping paper) 26b that covers the packing layer.

[0062] The first segment 25 and the second segment 26 are connected by an outer plug wrapper (outer wrapping paper) 27. The outer plug wrapper 27 can be, for example, a cylindrical piece of paper. The tobacco rod 20A, the cooling section 20B, and the connected first segment 25 and second segment 26 are connected by a mouthpiece lining paper 28. These connections can be made, for example, by applying glue such as vinyl acetate glue to the inner surface of the mouthpiece lining paper 28 and wrapping the three components around it. These components may also be connected in multiple layers using multiple lining papers.

[0063] (Non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation system) An example of a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation system according to this embodiment is shown in Fig. 3. In Fig. 3, the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation system includes a non-combustion heating type flavor inhaler 20 and a heating device 10 that heats a tobacco rod 20A from the outside.

[0064] The heating device 10 includes a body 11, a heater 12, a metal tube 13, a battery unit 14, and a control unit 15. The body 11 has a cylindrical recess 16, and the heater 12 and metal tube 13 are disposed in a position corresponding to the tobacco rod 20A to be inserted therein. The heater 13 may be an electric resistance heater, and is heated by power supplied from the battery unit 14 in response to instructions from a control unit 15 that controls the temperature. The heat generated by the heater 12 is transferred to the tobacco rod 20A through the metal tube 13, which has high thermal conductivity. While FIG. 3 shows an embodiment in which the heating device 10 heats the tobacco rod 20A from the outside, it may also heat from the inside. The heating temperature of the heating device 10 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 400°C or less, more preferably 150 to 400°C, and even more preferably 200 to 350°C. The heating temperature refers to the temperature of the heater 12 of the heating device 10.

[0065] (Non-combustion, non-heating type flavor inhaler) Fig. 4 shows one aspect of a non-combustion, non-heating type flavor inhaler according to this embodiment. The non-combustion, non-heating type flavor inhaler 30 has a power supply unit 30D, a cartridge 30E, and a tobacco capsule 30F. The non-combustion, non-heating type flavor inhaler 30 has a shape extending from a non-suction end u (upstream) to a mouth end d (downstream). The cartridge 30E is detachable from the power supply unit 30D. Furthermore, the tobacco capsule 30F is detachable from the cartridge 30E.

[0066] (1) Tobacco Capsule Fig. 5 shows an example of a tobacco capsule 30F. As shown in Fig. 5, the tobacco capsule 30F is a tobacco rod and has a flavor source 300 therein. The flavor source 300 includes the tobacco material according to this embodiment. The tobacco capsule 30F is connected to a cartridge 30E. Specifically, a portion of the tobacco capsule 30F is housed within the cartridge 30E.

[0067] The tobacco capsule 30F has a housing 310 that houses the flavor source 300, a mesh body 320, a nonwoven fabric 330, and a cap 340. Aerosol atomized by the atomization unit 220 (described later) is introduced into the housing 310 through the mesh body 320, and is imparted with flavor by coming into contact with the flavor source 300. The aerosol is then inhaled by the user through the nonwoven fabric 330. In this way, the non-combustion, non-heating type flavor inhaler 30 can impart flavor to the aerosol without heating the flavor source 300. Furthermore, substantially no aerosol is generated from the flavor source 300.

[0068] In the direction of the aerosol flow, the length of the tobacco capsule 30F (housing body 310) is preferably 40 mm or less, and more preferably 25 mm or less. Furthermore, in the direction of the aerosol flow, the length is preferably 1 mm or more, and more preferably 5 mm or more. In the direction perpendicular to the direction of the aerosol flow, the maximum length of the housing 310 of the tobacco capsule 30F (housing body 310) is preferably 20 mm or less, and more preferably 10 mm or less. Furthermore, in the direction perpendicular to the direction of the aerosol flow, the maximum length of the tobacco capsule 30F (housing body 310) is preferably 1 mm or more, and more preferably 3 mm or more.

[0069] The tobacco-containing flavor source 300 is composed of raw material pieces that impart flavor to the aerosol. The lower limit of the raw material piece size is preferably 0.2 to 1.2 mm, and more preferably 0.2 to 0.7 mm. The smaller the size of the raw material pieces constituting the flavor source 300, the greater the specific surface area, thereby facilitating the release of flavor components. The raw material pieces constituting the flavor source 300 can be, for example, shredded tobacco containing the tobacco extract according to this embodiment, or a molded product obtained by molding the tobacco material according to this embodiment into a granular form. The flavor source 300 may also contain flavorings derived from plants other than tobacco (e.g., mint, herbs, etc.) or menthol. Furthermore, the tobacco-containing flavor source 300 may also contain a flavoring agent. Examples of flavoring agents include materials that impart sweetness, sourness, saltiness, umami, bitterness, astringency, richness, spiciness, harshness, astringency, and the like. Examples of materials that impart sweetness include sugars, sugar alcohols, and sweeteners. Examples of sugars include monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, etc. Examples of sweeteners include natural sweeteners, synthetic sweeteners, etc.

[0070] The raw material pieces are obtained, for example, by sieving in accordance with JIS Z 8815 using a stainless steel sieve conforming to JIS Z 8801. For example, the raw material pieces are sieved using a stainless steel sieve with 0.71 mm openings by dry mechanical shaking for 20 minutes to obtain raw material pieces that pass through the stainless steel sieve with 0.71 mm openings. Next, the raw material pieces are sieved using a stainless steel sieve with 0.212 mm openings by dry mechanical shaking for 20 minutes to remove the raw material pieces that pass through the stainless steel sieve with 0.212 mm openings. In other words, the raw material pieces that make up the flavor source 300 are raw material pieces that pass through the stainless steel sieve (mesh opening = 0.71 mm) that defines the upper limit but do not pass through the stainless steel sieve (mesh opening = 0.212 mm) that defines the lower limit. Therefore, the lower limit of the size of the raw material pieces constituting the flavor source 300 is defined by the opening size of the stainless steel sieve that defines the lower limit. Also, the upper limit of the size of the raw material pieces constituting the flavor source 300 is defined by the opening size of the stainless steel sieve that defines the upper limit.

[0071] From the viewpoint of providing a good flavor, the amount of flavor source 300 contained in the container 310 is preferably 300 mg or more, and more preferably 350 mg or more.

[0072] (2) Power Supply Unit An example of a power supply unit 30D is shown in FIG. 6. The power supply unit 30D has a battery 110. The battery 110 may be a disposable battery or a rechargeable battery. The initial output voltage of the battery 110 is preferably in the range of 1.2 V to 4.2 V. The battery capacity of the battery 110 is preferably in the range of 100 mAh to 1000 mAh.

[0073] (3) Cartridge An example of a cartridge 30E is shown in Figures 7 and 8. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of an example of cartridge 30E, and Figure 8 is a diagram showing its internal structure. Cartridge 30E has a reservoir 210, an atomizing section 220, a flow path forming body 230, an outer frame 240, and an end cap 250. Cartridge 30E has a first flow path 200X, which serves as an aerosol flow path, located downstream of atomizing section 220.

[0074] The reservoir 210 stores the aerosol source 200. The reservoir 210 is located around the flow path former 230 in a cross section perpendicular to the aerosol flow direction (direction from the non-suction end to the suction end (upstream to downstream)). The reservoir 210 is located in the gap between the flow path former 230 and the outer frame 240. The reservoir 210 is formed, for example, from a porous body such as a resin web or cotton. The reservoir 210 may also be formed from a tank that stores the liquid aerosol source 200. Examples of the aerosol source 200 include glycerin and propylene glycol.

[0075] The atomizing unit 220 atomizes the aerosol source 200 using power supplied from the battery 110 without combustion. The atomizing unit 220 is composed of a heating wire (coil) wound at a predetermined pitch. The atomizing unit 220 is preferably composed of a heating wire having a resistance value in the range of 1.0 to 3.0 Ω. The predetermined pitch is equal to or greater than a value at which the heating wires do not come into contact, and is preferably smaller than that. The predetermined pitch is preferably, for example, 0.40 mm or less. The predetermined pitch is preferably constant to stabilize atomization of the aerosol source 200. The predetermined pitch is the distance between the centers of adjacent heating wires.

[0076] The flow path forming body 230 has a cylindrical shape that forms a first flow path 200X extending along the aerosol flow direction. The outer frame body 240 has a cylindrical shape that houses the flow path forming body 230. The outer frame body 240 extends downstream of the end cap 250 and houses a portion of the tobacco capsule 30F. The end cap 250 is a cap that closes the gap between the flow path forming body 230 and the outer frame body 240 from the downstream side. The end cap 250 prevents the aerosol source 200 stored in the reservoir 210 from leaking toward the tobacco capsule 30F.

[0077] [Smokeless Tobacco] The smokeless tobacco according to this embodiment includes the tobacco material according to this embodiment. Examples of the smokeless tobacco according to this embodiment include heated tobacco and E-cigarette.

[0078] Specific examples of this embodiment will be described below, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0079] [Example 1] (Step 1) Pulverized tobacco leaves discharged in a cigarette manufacturing process were obtained. The average particle size (D50) of the pulverized product was about 0.2 to 5 mm.

[0080] (Step 2) 500 g of the pulverized product was subjected to solid-liquid extraction using hexane. The pulverized product and hexane were mixed in a weight ratio of 1:3.5 (pulverized product:hexane) and immersed at 20°C for 48 hours. The solid content was then removed by filtration to obtain organic phase 1. The results of analyzing organic phase 1 by GC-MS are shown in Figure 9.

[0081] (Step 5) The organic phase 1 was subjected to liquid-liquid extraction using an acid aqueous solution containing 0.1% by mass of sulfuric acid and 10% by mass of sodium chloride and having a pH of 2. The volume ratio of the organic phase 1 to the acid aqueous solution (organic phase 1:acid aqueous solution) was 100:100. The extraction temperature was 20°C, and the extraction time was 1 hour. The liquid-liquid extraction was performed using a separatory funnel, and an organic phase 2 was obtained by removing the aqueous phase.

[0082] (Step 6) The organic phase 2 was concentrated using an evaporator (trade name: R-300, manufactured by Nippon Buchi), and the concentrate was subjected to normal phase chromatography using n-hexane as the mobile phase. Specifically, silica gel (Wakosil C-300, manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) was used for normal phase chromatography, and the separation operation was performed under the following conditions: Column: Silica gel column chromatography (approximately 60 mm x 180 mm) Mobile phase: n-hexane The concentrate had a volume of approximately 10% of the silica gel, and hexane was used as the mobile phase in an amount 150% by volume of the silica gel. The mobile phase was passed through and all of the eluate obtained was collected, thereby obtaining organic phase 3 after normal phase chromatography. The results of analyzing organic phase 3 by GC-MS are shown in Figure 10.

[0083] (Step 3) The aprotic solvent (n-hexane) was distilled off from the organic phase 3 using an evaporator to obtain about 2.6 g of a residue.

[0084] (Step 4) 1.0 g of the residue was placed in a glass tube oven (trade name: GTO-1000, manufactured by Shibata Chemical Industries, Ltd.) and subjected to reduced pressure distillation under conditions such that substances with boiling points of 350 to 400°C (calculated at atmospheric pressure) were evaporated. Specifically, 1.0 g of the residue was placed in a 10 ml glass container and distilled under reduced pressure of 30 Pa absolute, at a heating temperature of 125 to 160°C for a heating time of 1 hour, yielding 0.06 g of a fraction recovered in a φ30 mm glass cooling bulb.

[0085] The obtained fraction was a colorless, transparent liquid at room temperature. The fraction was diluted with n-hexane and analyzed by GC-MS, resulting in the chromatograms shown in Figure 11 (fraction obtained at a heating temperature of 125°C) and Figure 12 (fraction obtained at a heating temperature of 160°C). The main peak in Figures 11 and 12 is neophytadiene (RT 39.27 min, m / z = 278), with a peak area ratio of 97.7% at a heating temperature of 125°C and 86.9% at a heating temperature of 160°C. Meanwhile, the obtained residue was a white solid at room temperature. The residue was dissolved in n-hexane and analyzed by GC-MS, resulting in the chromatogram shown in Figure 13. The main peak in Figure 13 was alkanes with carbon numbers of 25 to 35. The peak area ratio of alkanes was 58.0%. The GC-MS analysis conditions used in this example are as follows:

[0086] Oven 40°C (3 min) → 4°C / min → 280°C (20 min) Run time 83 min Injection volume 1 μl Injection mode Split (10:1) Injection port temperature 270°C Septum purge flow rate 5 ml / min Gas saver Off Transfer line temperature 280°C Column HP-5MS (30 m * 0.25 mm * 0.25 μm) Column flow rate 1 ml / min (constant flow mode) Solvent waiting time 4 min Gain factor 1 Measurement mode Scan Mass range 26-450 Threshold 50 Sampling rate 2 MS ion source temperature 230°C MS quadrupole temperature 150°C

[0087] Under the GC-MS analysis conditions, alkaloids such as nicotine are detected near R.T. 25 min. However, in the chromatograms shown in Figures 11 to 13, no peaks corresponding to alkaloids such as nicotine were observed, and the peaks were below the quantitation limit (0.005 mg / ml). From these findings, it was found that the method according to this embodiment can obtain a tobacco extract containing neophytadiene and a tobacco extract containing alkanes, both of which are highly pure and from which alkaloids and pigments have been sufficiently removed.

[0088] The present invention includes the following embodiments.

[0089] [1] A method for producing a tobacco extract, comprising: step 1 of preparing a tobacco raw material; step 2 of subjecting the tobacco raw material to solid-liquid extraction using an aprotic solvent and removing solids to obtain an organic phase; step 3 of removing the aprotic solvent from the organic phase to obtain a residue; and step 4 of subjecting the residue to reduced pressure distillation to obtain a tobacco extract containing neophytadiene and a tobacco extract containing alkanes.

[0090] [2] The method according to [1], wherein the aprotic solvent is a non-water-soluble organic solvent.

[0091] [3] The method according to [2], wherein the water-insoluble organic solvent is a hydrocarbon having 5 or 6 carbon atoms.

[0092] [4] The method according to any one of [1] to [3], further comprising, between the step 2 and the step 3, a step 5 of subjecting the organic phase to liquid-liquid extraction using water or an aqueous acid solution, and removing the aqueous phase.

[0093] [5] The method according to [4], wherein the aqueous acid solution is an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid, citric acid, or oxalic acid.

[0094] [6] The method according to [4] or [5], wherein the pH of the aqueous acid solution is less than 7.

[0095] [7] The method according to any one of [1] to [6], further comprising, between the step 2 and the step 3, a step 6 of subjecting the organic phase obtained in the step 2 or the step 5 to normal phase chromatography using n-hexane as a mobile phase.

[0096] [8] A tobacco extract containing neophytadiene or an alkane, produced by the method according to any one of [1] to [7].

[0097] [9] The tobacco extract according to [8], wherein the tobacco extract containing neophytadiene contains 80% by mass or more of neophytadiene.

[0098]

[10] The tobacco extract according to [8], wherein the tobacco extract containing neophytadiene contains 90% by mass or more of neophytadiene.

[0099]

[11] The tobacco extract according to [8], wherein the tobacco extract containing alkanes contains 50% by mass or more of alkanes.

[0100]

[12] The tobacco extract according to [8], wherein the alkane has 25 to 35 carbon atoms.

[0101]

[13] A tobacco material comprising the tobacco extract according to any one of [8] to

[12] .

[0102]

[14] The tobacco material according to

[13] , which is a tobacco flavoring agent, a tobacco sheet, or tobacco shreds.

[0103]

[15] The tobacco material according to

[13] or

[14] , which contains 3500 ppm or more of neophytadiene and 5000 ppm or more of alkanes.

[0104]

[16] A tobacco rod comprising the tobacco material according to any one of

[13] to

[15] .

[0105]

[17] A flavor inhaler comprising the tobacco rod according to

[16] .

[0106]

[18] The flavor inhaler according to

[17] , which is a non-combustion heating type flavor inhaler or a non-combustion non-heating type flavor inhaler.

[0107]

[19] A smokeless tobacco comprising the tobacco material according to any one of

[13] to

[15] .

[0108] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Heating device 11 Body 12 Heater 13 Metal tube 14 Battery unit 15 Control unit 16 Recess 17 Ventilation hole 20 Non-combustion, non-heating flavor inhaler 20A Tobacco rod portion 20B Cooling portion 20C Filter portion 21 Tobacco filler 22 Cigarette paper 23 Paper tube 24 Perforation 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 Lining paper 30 Non-combustion, non-heating flavor inhaler 30D Power supply unit 30E Cartridge 30F Tobacco capsule u Non-smoking end d Mouthing end 110 Battery 200 Aerosol source 210 Reservoir 220 Atomization portion 230 Flow path forming body 240 Outer frame 240 250 End cap 200X First flow path 300 Flavor source 310 Container 320 Mesh body 330 Nonwoven fabric 340 Cap

Claims

1. Step 1 of preparing tobacco raw material; Step 2: subjecting the tobacco raw material to solid-liquid extraction using an aprotic solvent and removing solids to obtain an organic phase; Step 3: removing the aprotic solvent from the organic phase to obtain a residue; Step 4: subjecting the residue to vacuum distillation to obtain a tobacco extract containing neophytadiene and a tobacco extract containing alkanes; A method for producing a tobacco extract, comprising:

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aprotic solvent is a non-aqueous organic solvent.

3. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the water-insoluble organic solvent is a hydrocarbon having 5 or 6 carbon atoms.

4. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step 5 between step 2 and step 3, of subjecting the organic phase to liquid-liquid extraction with water or an aqueous acid solution, and removing the aqueous phase.

5. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the aqueous acid solution is an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid, citric acid, or oxalic acid.

6. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the pH of the aqueous acid solution is less than 7.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, between step 2 and step 3, step 6 of subjecting the organic phase obtained in step 2 or step 5 to normal phase chromatography using n-hexane as a mobile phase.

8. A tobacco extract containing neophytadiene or an alkane, produced by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The tobacco extract according to claim 8 , wherein the neophytadiene-containing tobacco extract contains 80% by mass or more of neophytadiene.

10. The tobacco extract according to claim 8 , wherein the tobacco extract containing neophytadiene contains 90% by mass or more of neophytadiene.

11. The tobacco extract according to claim 8, wherein the tobacco extract containing alkanes contains 50% by mass or more of alkanes.

12. The tobacco extract according to claim 8, wherein the alkane has a carbon number of 25 to 35.

13. A tobacco material comprising the tobacco extract of claim 8.

14. The tobacco material according to claim 13, which is a tobacco flavoring agent, a tobacco sheet, or tobacco shreds.

15. The tobacco material according to claim 13, comprising neophytadiene at 3500 ppm or more and alkanes at 5000 ppm or more.

16. A tobacco rod comprising the tobacco material of claim 13.

17. A flavor inhaler comprising the tobacco rod of claim 16.

18. The flavor inhaler according to claim 17, which is a non-combustion and heating type flavor inhaler or a non-combustion and non-heating type flavor inhaler.

19. A smokeless tobacco comprising the tobacco material of claim 13.