R.j. Reynolds Tobacco Company

Edward Bernasek

Harvey J Young

Jackie L White

Gary R Shelar

Michael D Shannon

William M Hildebolt

Barry Smith Fagg

Richard L Blakley

Walter R Young, Jr

Aju N Lekwauwa

William L Clapp

Edward J Stephen Sohn

Kenneth A Bridle

The present invention relates to a method for providing a reconstituted tobacco material. The process includes contacting tobacco material with a liquid having an aqueous character to provide a mixture (slurry). The slurry is then contacted with a pectin release agent. The tobacco material having released tobacco pectins is then formed into a predetermined shape. The formed slurry having released tobacco pectins is subjected to conditions sufficient to crosslink the released tobacco pectins (e.g., contacting with a crosslinking agent). The formed slurry having crosslinked tobacco pectins is dried to provide a reconstituted tobacco material.

Method for providing a reconstituted tobacco material

Reconstituted tobacco has phosphate salts incorporated therein. Tobacco is extracted with water to yield an insoluble portion and an aqueous portion containing water soluble tobacco components. The aqueous portion is contacted with diammonium hydrogen orthophosphate and adjusted to a pH of about 6.5. The extract then is applied to the insoluble portion which has been formed into a sheet-like shape. The resulting tobacco composition is dried to yield a reconstituted tobacco material.

Tobacco reconstitution process

The flavor substances of the present invention are prepared by toasting (heating) natural tobacco in an inert atmosphere at a temperature of at least about 225.degree. C., fractionating the volatiles and collecting at least a portion of the fractionated materials as the flavor substances. This fractionating and/or collecting can be conducted by condensation, liquid-liquid extraction, sorption (adsorption and/or absorption) and the like, with either a solid or liquid sorbent medium. Either the sorbent medium containing the trapped volatiles or the volatiles themselves may be used as the flavor substances of the present invention.

Flavor substances for smoking articles

The flavor substances of the present invention are prepared by toasting (heating) natural tobacco in an inert atmosphere at a temperature of at least about 225.degree. C., condensing at least a portion of the volatiles driven-off during the toasting, and collecting the a portion of the uncondensed volatiles by sorption (adsorption and/or absorption) on a solid or liquid sorbent medium. Either the sorbent medium containing the trapped volatiles or the volatiles themselves may be used as the flavor substances of the present invention.

Reconstituted tobacco has phosphate salts incorporated therein. Tobacco is extracted with water to yield an insoluble portion and an aqueous portion containing water soluble tobacco components. The aqueous portion is adjusted to a pH of about 7, and contacted with diammonium hydrogen orthophosphate. The extract then is applied to the insoluble portion which has been formed into a sheet-like shape. The resulting tobacco composition is dried to yield a reconstituted tobacco material.

Tobacco material having a reduced protein content is provided by first extracting water soluble components from tobacco. The extracted residue then is subjected to enzyme treatment using an enzyme which can decompose water insoluble protein molecules to smaller sized water soluble molecular components. The enzyme treated extracted tobacco material then is isolated. The extracted tobacco components then can be reapplied to the protein reduced tobacco material. The tobacco material so processed is use as smokable material for cigarette manufacture.

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Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America

Edward Bernasek