A method for treating tobacco material, the method comprising: providing a tobacco material, fermenting the tobacco material to obtain fermented tobacco material, the fermenting step including: # incubating the tobacco material under anaerobic conditions; # stopping the
fermentation when at least one of the following conditions is satisfied: # the content of
Lactic Acid is more than 10 times, preferably more than 20 times, more preferably more than 50 times, more preferably more than 70 times, preferably more than 80 times an initial amount of
Lactic Acid in the tobacco material, # the content of Reducing Sugars is lower than 0.5, preferably lower than 0.4, more preferably below 0.2, more preferably below 0.1 an initial amount or Reducing Sugars in the tobacco material, # the content of Indole-3
Lactic Acid is more than 5 times, preferably more than 10 times, preferably more than 20 times, an initial amount of Indole-3 Lactic Acid in the tobacco material, # the content of
caffeic acid is more than 4 times, preferably more than 10 times, preferably more than 20 times, an initial amount of
caffeic acid in the tobacco material. # the content of
quinic acid is more than 2 times, preferably more than 4 times, an initial amount of
quinic acid in the tobacco material, # the content of
asparagine is lower than 0.5, preferably lower than 0.4, preferably lower than 0.3 an initial amount or
asparagine in the tobacco material, # the content of
Glutamine is lower than 0.5, preferably lower than 0.4 an initial amount or
Glutamine in the tobacco material, # the content of L-
Ornithine is more than 10 times, preferably more than 20 times, preferably more than 50 times, preferably more than 100 times an initial amount of L-
Ornithine in the tobacco material, # the content of L-
Leucine is more than 2 times, preferably more than 4 times, an initial amount of L-
Leucine in the tobacco material, # the content of L-
Lysine is more than 2 times, preferably more than 6 times, an initial amount of L-
Lysine in the tobacco material, # the
fermentation index is more than 50, preferably more than 100, more preferably more than 250, more preferably more 400, wherein the
fermentation index is obtained dividing the ratio between the content of Lactic Acid in the treated tobacco material and the content of Lactic Acid in the non-fermented tobacco material by the ratio between the content of Reducing Sugars in the treated tobacco material and the content of Reducing Sugars in the non-fermented tobacco material.