R.j. Reynolds Tobacco Company

Luis Rosete Monsalud, Jr

Darrell Eugene Holton, Jr

John-Paul Mua

Melissa Ann Clark

John Howard Robinson

James Neil Figlar

Barbara Walker Arzonico

Alan Benson Norman

Rodney Dean Schluter

The invention provides a process for preparing a tobacco composition suitable for use as a smokeless tobacco composition, the process including: providing a slurry comprising water and a tobacco material, the slurry comprising at least about 75% by weight water, based on the total weight of the slurry; heating the slurry to a temperature of at least about 60&#xb0; C. for a time sufficient to pasteurize the tobacco material; adding an amount of a base to the slurry sufficient to raise the pH of the slurry to at least about 8.5, thereby forming a pH-adjusted slurry; and continuing to heat the pH-adjusted slurry to a temperature of at least about 60&#xb0; C. for a time sufficient for the pH of the slurry to drop at least about 0.5 pH unit following the adding step.

Smokeless tobacco composition

Growing community of inventors

Kernersville, NC, United States of America

Luis Rosete Monsalud, Jr