JP7639828B2 - Method for processing tobacco material, device for processing tobacco material, processed tobacco material and uses thereof - Google Patents

Description

The present invention provides a method for processing tobacco material. It also provides an apparatus for processing tobacco material. It also provides processed tobacco material, as well as products containing the same.

Various methods and devices are known for expanding tobacco material to improve its fill value.

In a first aspect of the present invention, a method of processing tobacco material is provided, the method comprising combining pre-cut and/or pre-expanded stems with blades to form an initial combination of stems and blades, cutting the initial combination of stems and blades, expanding the combination of stems and blades, and intermittently contacting the expanded combination of stems and blades with a heated surface to produce a processed tobacco material.

In some embodiments, the initial combination of petioles and blades includes at least about 5% to 99% by weight of the blades and/or at least about 1% to about 95% by weight of the petioles.

In some embodiments, the expanded petiole and blade combination is agitated so that it is in intermittent contact with a heated surface.

In some embodiments, the temperature of the heated surface is at least about 100°C to about 300°C prior to contact with the tobacco material.

In some embodiments, the temperature of the heated surface is at least about 120°C to about 250°C prior to contact with the tobacco material, or at least about 150°C to about 300°C prior to contact with the tobacco material.

In some embodiments, the expanded stem and blade combination is contacted with a heated surface, heating the tobacco material to a peak temperature of about 120°C to about 230°C.

In some embodiments, the heated surface is a heated metal surface.

In some embodiments, the treated tobacco material has an oven volatiles (OV) moisture content of 0 to about 10%.

In some embodiments, the expanded petiole and blade combination has a moisture content of at least 5% OV before it is intermittently contacted with a heated surface. In some embodiments, the expanded petiole and blade combination has a moisture content of about 5% to about 25% OV or about 12% to about 16% OV before it is intermittently contacted with a heated surface.

In some embodiments, the expanded petiole and blade combination is contacted intermittently with the heated surface for at least about 1 minute to about 15 minutes. In some embodiments, the expanded petiole and blade combination is contacted intermittently with the heated surface for at least about 2 minutes to about 10 minutes. In some embodiments, the expanded petiole and blade combination is contacted intermittently with the heated surface for at least about 2 minutes 30 seconds to about 5 minutes.

In some embodiments, at least one of water and steam is added to the expanded petiole and blade combination while it is intermittently in contact with the heated surface to increase the moisture content. In some embodiments, at least one of water and steam is repeatedly added to the expanded petiole and blade combination while it is intermittently in contact with the heated surface to increase the moisture content.

In some embodiments, the method of the present invention is a continuous process.

In some embodiments, the expanded petiole and blade combination is agitated by at least one selected from the group consisting of a screw mechanism, a dual screw mechanism, airflow, and a rotating drum.

In some embodiments, the fill value of the treated tobacco is at least about 5% or at least about 15% greater than the fill value of the expanded petiole and lamina combination immediately prior to intermittently contacting the expanded petiole and lamina combination with the heated surface. In some embodiments, the fill value of the treated tobacco is about 30% to about 50% greater than the fill value of the initial combination of petiole and lamina.

In some embodiments, the sugar content of the treated tobacco is about 20% to about 95% less than the sugar content of the initial combination of the petiole and blade. In some embodiments, the sugar content of the treated tobacco is about 60% to about 90% less than the sugar content of the initial combination of the petiole and blade.

In some embodiments, the nicotine content of the treated tobacco is about 10% to about 80% less than the nicotine content of the initial combination of the stem and blade. In some embodiments, the nicotine content of the treated tobacco is about 35% to about 70% less than the nicotine content of the initial combination of the stem and blade.

In some embodiments, the ammonia content of the treated tobacco is about 30% to about 99% less than the ammonia content of the initial combination of the stem and blade. In some embodiments, the ammonia content of the treated tobacco is about 50% to about 90% less than the ammonia content of the initial combination of the stem and blade.

In some embodiments, the combination of cut petioles and blades is expanded by exposing the cut petioles and blades to an expansion agent, which in some embodiments is selected from the group consisting of liquid carbon dioxide, solid carbon dioxide, steam, liquid nitrogen, liquid short chain ( _C5 or _C6 ) carbohydrates, or mixtures thereof.

In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for carrying out the method according to the first aspect, the apparatus including a module for intermittently contacting the expanded petiole and blade combination with a heated surface, the module including a heated surface arranged for intermittently contacting the expanded petiole and blade combination.

In some embodiments, the apparatus of the present invention includes a means for agitating the expanded petiole and blade combination. In some embodiments, the means for agitating the expanded petiole and blade combination includes at least one of the group consisting of a screw mechanism, a dual screw mechanism, an airflow, and a rotating drum.

In some embodiments, the temperature of the heated surface is at least about 100°C to about 300°C prior to contact with the tobacco material. In some embodiments, the temperature of the heated surface is at least about 120°C to about 250°C prior to contact with the expanded petiole and blade combination, or the temperature of the heated surface is at least about 150°C to about 300°C prior to contact with the expanded petiole and blade combination.

In some embodiments, the expanded petiole and blade combination is heated to a peak temperature of about 120°C to about 230°C by contacting the expanded petiole and blade combination with a heated surface.

In some embodiments, the heated surface is a heated metal surface. In some embodiments, the heated surface is heated by a heating medium, the heating medium being water, oil, steam, electricity, or a combination thereof.

In a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a processed tobacco material, which is obtained or obtainable by a method according to the first aspect.

In some embodiments, the treated tobacco material has reduced amounts of one or more of the group consisting of sugars, nicotine and ammonia compared to the amounts in the initial combination of the petiole and blade.

In some embodiments, the sugar content of the treated tobacco is about 20% to about 95% or about 60% to about 90% less than the sugar content of the initial combination of the petiole and blade.

In some embodiments, the nicotine content of the treated tobacco material is about 10% to about 80% or about 35% to about 70% less than the nicotine content of the initial combination of the stem and blade.

In some embodiments, the ammonia content of the treated tobacco material is about 30% to about 99% or about 50% to about 90% less than the ammonia content of the initial combination of the petiole and blade.

In some embodiments, the fill value of the treated tobacco is at least about 25% or at least about 30% higher than the fill value of the initial combination of the petiole and lamina. In some embodiments, the fill value of the treated tobacco is about 30% to about 50% higher than the fill value of the initial combination of the petiole and lamina.

In a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tobacco industry product comprising a treated tobacco material according to the third aspect.

In a fifth aspect of the present invention there is provided the use of a processed tobacco material according to the third aspect for the manufacture of a tobacco industry product.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
1 illustrates a process flow diagram of an exemplary method. 1 shows a simplified illustration of tobacco material passing through an apparatus for treating the tobacco material.

The present invention is directed to improving the processing of tobacco material in preparation for incorporation into tobacco industry products. As discussed below, tobacco industry products include smoking articles such as combustion-based cigarettes as well as tobacco heating products. Tobacco industry products also include non-smoking articles incorporating tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes.

After harvesting, tobacco material can be treated in various ways to provide the material for consumption. One of these is drying, the purpose of which is to remove moisture from the tobacco material. Another process is expanding the tobacco material, the purpose of which is to increase the filling value of the tobacco. Yet another process or series of treatments has the purpose of improving the organoleptic and/or taste characteristics of the tobacco material.

The present invention aims to achieve all of these benefits in a simple and relatively fast process while producing a processed tobacco material that has a high degree of consistency or uniformity in color, particle size and burn properties, even though the starting material includes stems and blades.

As used herein, the term "tobacco material" includes any part, e.g., leaves or stems, and associated by-products, of any species of the genus Nicotiana. Preferably, tobacco material for use in the present invention is from a Nicotiana species.

Any type, style and/or variety of tobacco may be processed. Examples of tobacco that may be used include, but are not limited to, Virginia, Burley, Comum and Maryland tobaccos and blends of these varieties. Those skilled in the art will recognize that processing of different types, styles and/or varieties may result in tobaccos having different organoleptic properties.

The tobacco material may be pretreated according to conventional practices.

The tobacco material to be treated may include and/or consist of cured tobacco. As used herein, the term "cured tobacco" means tobacco that has been cured but has not been subjected to further processing steps to alter the taste and/or flavor of the tobacco material. Cured tobacco may be blended with other styles, varieties and/or types. Cured tobacco does not contain or consist of shred tobacco.

Cigarettes typically contain blends of different types of tobacco. Three major types of tobacco are commonly used in these blends: Virginia, Burley, and Oriental. These major types of tobacco are further differentiated into subgroups according to where the tobacco was grown, what part of the tobacco plant it comes from, and other characteristics related to the tobacco's perceived quality, such as color, maturity, and uniformity. Different types and different subgroups have different characteristics. These three major tobacco species and subgroups have different taste characteristics and different nicotine contents.

The whole tobacco leaf contains the central petiole (or midrib) and the leaf (bladder). These parts of the leaf are usually separated by mechanical threshing.

Threshing and sorting is repeated until all the petioles and blades have been separated. They are then processed separately. The petioles usually undergo conditioning to make them more water-rich than untreated leaves. The petioles are then cut before being dried.

After threshing and sorting, the moisture content of the blades may vary and it is important to process the blades to ensure that the moisture content is uniform. First the blades are dried and then cooled. They are then sent into a high humidity chamber where they absorb moisture and reach equilibrium. The blades are then packaged and stored until they are used.

The physical characteristics of the leaf blade and petiole are very important. The leaf blade has a more brittle structure and the petiole feels more fibrous, woody and tough.

It is often desirable to include both the leaf blades and stems in a blend for incorporation into a smoking article. Typically these materials are processed separately following the separation and pre-treatment described above before being blended for inclusion in a smoking article.

Further processing of the leaf blade involves cutting. The petiole is often processed so that its physical characteristics resemble those of the leaf blade. Such processing often involves rolling, cutting and/or swelling.

Nonetheless, in most cases, when viewing a smoking article containing a blend of stems and blades, the stem component is visually identifiable. The stem component provides a rough, pungent quality to the smoke produced when the smoking article is burned, as compared to smoking material consisting of only the blades.

Combining the Petiole and Blade The first step in the method of processing tobacco material of the present invention is to combine the tobacco petiole and blade. For convenience and clarity, the combination of petiole and blade formed by this step is referred to herein as the "initial combination of petiole and blade."

The petiole has already been cut and/or already expanded before being combined with the leaf blade.

In some embodiments, the petiole is conventionally treated prior to being combined with the leaf blade. In some embodiments, the moisture content of the petiole is about 18% to about 45% OV.

Unless otherwise stated, all references to moisture content in this specification refer to oven volatiles (OV). Volatiles are defined as the percentage of volatiles in the total mass of the solid material. This includes water and all other volatile components. Oven volatiles is the mass of volatiles that are removed. Moisture content (OV) is measured as the mass loss when the sample is dried in a forced air oven at a controlled temperature of 110°C ± 1°C for 3 hours ± 0.5 minutes. After drying, the sample is allowed to cool in a desiccator at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes.

If the petioles were pre-cut, in some embodiments they were cut to a width in the range of 0.08-0.3 mm.

If the petioles are pre-expanded, the expansion may be by any conventional expansion process. Conventional petiole expansion techniques include, for example, the petiole steaming (STS) process, steam tunnels, the chopped petiole process, and a process commonly referred to as chopped petiole rolling (CRES).

Traditionally, the lamina is processed encompassing all known processes and principles common to the tobacco industry. In some embodiments, the lamina is conditioned and has a moisture content of about 20% to about 30% OV. The lamina may also be blended and already cased.

In some embodiments, the petioles and blades are combined, mixed or blended to form a relatively homogenous mixture.

In some embodiments, the combination of petioles and blades may include at least about 5% of the blades to about 99% or less of the blades and/or at least about 1% of the petioles to about 95% or less of the blades. In some embodiments, the combination of petioles and blades includes about 5% of the petioles and 95% of the blades to about 50% of the petioles and 50% of the blades.

In some embodiments, the stem and blade combination further comprises reconstituted tobacco material. Reconstituted tobacco is often processed to be leaf grade and therefore may be processed with the stem and blade according to the present invention.

Cutting the Stem and Blade Combination A further step in the tobacco processing method of the present invention involves cutting the initial stem and blade combination.

Cutting may be performed using any conventional cutting method and/or device.

In some embodiments, the initial combination of stems and blades is cut to a width of at least about 0.2 mm. In some embodiments, the mixture is cut to a width of about 2 mm or less. Typically, the blades are cut to a width of 0.6 mm to 1.1 mm for use in combustible smoking articles (very fine, 0.25 mm wide blades for hand-rolled cigarette tobacco), and the stems are cut to a width of 0.12 mm to 0.25 mm. The wider the cut, the firmer the resulting product will be, and therefore more likely to survive subsequent processing steps at an acceptable particle size. However, a wider cut width produces fewer particles. This process is determined in part by the fill value of the final product, in addition to taste, so the ideal combination of particle sizes must be determined. The present invention provides the potential to exceed the traditional range of cut widths for blades at widths of 2 mm or less, and thus provide the potential to achieve even greater fill values for the resulting tobacco.

Expansion of the Petiole and Lamina Combination A further step in the method of treating tobacco material of the present invention involves expanding the petiole and lamina combination.

Cut tobacco can be expanded to reduce the mass of tobacco burned in a cigarette. Many low ISO tar producing cigarette brands use some percentage of expanded tobacco in the overall blend.

In a method according to the invention, the combination of cut petioles and blades is subjected to an expansion step to expand the cut petioles and blades. In some embodiments, the expansion results in an expanded material having a fill value, measured at a normalized moisture content of 14.5% oven volatiles (OV), that is at least about 10% greater than the fill value of the combination of petioles and blades prior to expansion.

In some embodiments, the expansion process begins with a combination of cut petioles and blades that have a moisture content of about 20% to about 40% OV prior to the expansion process.

In some embodiments, the expansion process begins with a combination of cut petioles and blades that have a fill value of about 3.5 to about 7 ml/g prior to the expansion process, as measured at a normalized moisture content of 14.5% oven volatiles (OV).

In some embodiments, the expansion step utilizes conventional expansion techniques. Various methods have been proposed to expand tobacco, including impregnating the tobacco with a gas or steam under pressure and then releasing the pressure, which allows the gas to expand the tobacco cells and increase the volume of the processed tobacco. This includes the use of conventional lamina expansion techniques such as the expansion process used to make Dry Ice Expanded Tobacco (DIET), the Flash Tower Drying INCOM (Inert Gas Compression) process, and the IMPEX process, which involves impregnating the tobacco with a hydrocarbon solution and using a steam tunnel in combination with a drying technique.

In some embodiments, the method of the present invention involves soaking the tobacco in a liquid, such as water or a relatively volatile organic liquid, after which the liquid is removed and the tobacco is expanded. A well-known conventional expansion technique uses dry ice, resulting in what is known as dry ice expanded tobacco or DIET. This process involves immersing the tobacco in liquid carbon dioxide before heating it. The gaseous carbon dioxide forces the tobacco to expand.

Other methods that may be used include treating tobacco with solid materials that, when heated, decompose to generate gases that act to expand the tobacco. Other methods include treating tobacco with gas-containing liquids, such as carbonated water, under pressure to impregnate the tobacco with the liquid. The impregnated tobacco is then heated or decompressed to release the gases and expand the tobacco. Additional techniques for expanding tobacco have been developed, including treating tobacco with gases that form solid chemical reactants within the tobacco, such as carbon dioxide and ammonia to form ammonium carbonate. These solid chemical reactants are then decomposed by heating to generate gases within the tobacco that, when released, expand the tobacco. Tobacco may also be expanded by various heat treatments or microwave energy. Freeze drying of the tobacco may be employed to increase volume. Combinations of cut stems and blades may also be expanded using continuous drying techniques, such as air drying and fluidized bed drying.

In some embodiments, the expansion step comprises exposing the combination of cut petioles and blades to an expansion agent, which may be selected from the group consisting of liquid carbon dioxide, solid carbon dioxide, steam, liquid nitrogen, liquid short chain ( _C5 or _C6 ) carbohydrates, or mixtures thereof.

In some embodiments, the expanded petiole and blade combination is dry ice expanded tobacco (DIET).

Such conventional expansion techniques are known to increase fill value by at least about 10%. After an expansion process using one of the conventional expansion techniques described above, the cut petiole and blade combination has an expansion fill value of at least about 4 ml/g (3.5 ml/g infeed fill value) to at least about 8 ml/g (7 ml/g infeed fill value) when measured at a normalized moisture content of 14.5% oven volatiles (OV). These expansion figures are conservative and represent the minimum expansion effect of known conventional expansion and drying processes. In practice, the expansion effect of known expansion techniques is potentially more significant. For example, the expanded petiole and blade combination may have a fill value of about 5 ml/g to about 10 ml/g, e.g., about 5 ml/g to about 9 ml/g, e.g., about 5 ml/g to about 8 ml/g, e.g., about 5 ml/g to about 7 ml/g, when measured at a normalized moisture content of 14.5% oven volatiles (OV).

In some embodiments, the expansion step expands the cut stem and blade combination to provide an expanded tobacco material having a fill value that is at least about 12%, at least about 15%, at least about 20%, at least about 25%, at least about 30%, at least about 35%, at least about 40%, at least about 50%, at least about 60%, at least about 70%, at least about 80%, at least about 90%, or at least about 100% greater than the fill value of the stem and blade combination before expansion, as measured at a normalized moisture content of 14.5% oven volatiles (OV).

In some embodiments, the moisture content of the expanded petiole and blade combination is from about 5% to about 25% OV, such as from about 5% to about 20% OV, for example from about 10% to about 15% OV.

Intermittent Contact with a Heated Surface In a further step of the tobacco treatment method of the present invention, the combination of stem and blade is intermittently contacted with a heated surface to produce a treated tobacco material.

It has been discovered that exposing the tobacco to a hot surface not only dries the tobacco material to very low moisture content (based on oven volatiles), but in some embodiments, the methods of the present invention lead to one or more of the following desired chemical or physical changes:
- a significant improvement in the sensory properties of the treated materials,
- a significant reduction in sugar content, for example of 20% to 90% in the case of treated cut petioles and treated cut leaf blades,
- a significant reduction in the amount of nicotine, for example of 10% to 70% in the case of treated cut petioles and treated cut leaf blades,
- a significant reduction in the ammonia analysis, for example by 20% to 90% in the case of treated cut petioles and treated cut leaf blades; and
-Significant increase in loading value, between 15% and 50% for treated materials.

The process of intermittently contacting the combination of stems and blades with a heated surface produces chemical changes within the tobacco material. In at least some embodiments, these changes improve the organoleptic properties of the treated tobacco.

The organoleptic properties of tobacco materials are traditionally enhanced by a variety of different processes. Tobacco materials may be cured to prepare leaves for consumption. Tobacco materials may be further processed, for example by aging or fermentation, to enhance the organoleptic properties of the tobacco. However, these steps are time consuming and can result in variable quality of the resulting tobacco material. Processing to enhance or add flavor and aroma to the tobacco material at later stages of tobacco processing involves the addition of one or more additives to the tobacco and can require additional processing steps and equipment, which can be costly and time consuming.

The combination of the petiole and blade is exposed to high temperatures for repeated short periods of time by intermittently contacting the heated surface. In some embodiments, this intermittent contact may be accomplished by stirring the tobacco. The temperature of the heated surface, and therefore the temperature to which the tobacco is exposed, is significantly greater than about 100°C, and in some embodiments is at least about 150°C. Thus, intermittent contact is important to ensure that the tobacco does not burn from continuous exposure to such a hot surface for extended periods of time.

In some embodiments, the intermittent contact of the tobacco with the heated surface results in the surface of the tobacco material being burned or charred, which is the result of sudden exposure to high temperatures. This not only has a drying effect, but also treats the tobacco differently than the gentle curing processes known in the art.

In some embodiments, the amount of oxygen surrounding the tobacco during processing may be reduced. This has the effect of reducing the risk of "hot spots" forming as a result of exposure to heated surfaces and reducing the risk of burning the tobacco. Such reduced oxygen levels therefore allow the tobacco to be processed at higher temperatures using conventional processes and equipment. In some embodiments, the amount of oxygen is reduced by adding steam.

While not wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is believed that the process of the present invention is divided into two stages. In the first stage, the tobacco material is dried as a result of exposure to heat which removes volatile components, including water, in the steam distillation of certain tobacco materials. In the second stage, an effect referred to herein as "scorching" occurs. It is during this second stage that the major chemical changes within the tobacco occur.

Brief contact between the tobacco and the heated surface and localized charring of the tobacco is presumed to lead to an increase in Maillard and caramelization reaction products, many of which are known to contribute desirable organoleptic properties. The Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction between amino acids and sugars that are present in the tobacco starting material but are only seen in small amounts in the treated tobacco material. It is a non-enzymatic reaction that typically occurs at temperatures of about 140-165°C. In addition to imparting a pleasing effect to the organoleptic properties of the Maillard reaction products, this reaction is also responsible for the browning of the material. Tobacco treated according to embodiments of the present invention has been observed to be a darker brown color than the tobacco starting material.

In some embodiments, the treatment of tobacco material by intermittent contact of the tobacco material with a heated surface as described herein produces tobacco with enhanced flavor characteristics or enhanced organoleptic characteristics (compared to the flavor characteristics of tobacco that is untreated or that is treated using only a conventional curing process), meaning that off-notes or harshness are reduced while maintaining the tobacco taste characteristics found after conventional tobacco treatment. As used herein, the terms "enhance" or "enhance" refer to an improved or improved taste or taste quality as identified by a skilled smoker in relation to flavor or organoleptic characteristics. This may include, but does not necessarily include, an enhancement of taste.

References herein to the organoleptic properties of a tobacco material refer to the organoleptic properties of the tobacco material itself, for example when held in the mouth of a consumer. References may also refer to the organoleptic properties of the smoke produced by burning the tobacco material, or the vapour produced by heating the tobacco material. In some embodiments, the processed tobacco material provides a tobacco product comprising the tobacco material that has the desired organoleptic properties when used or consumed.

In some embodiments, the methods of the present invention have the unexpected advantage of mitigating the negative sensory effects of the stalk on the overall performance of the blend. Contributing to mouth-coating, cellulosic and "stewy" tastes are considered negative aspects of the overall profile of the stalk.

Furthermore, it is believed that the surface charring has a physical effect on the tobacco material, causing the individual cells of the plant material to expand as their internal moisture rapidly heats up and evaporates.

In some embodiments, the temperature of the heated surface is in the range of about 100° C. to about 300° C. In some embodiments, the temperature is at least about 105° C., 110° C., 115° C., 120° C., 125° C., 130° C., 135° C., 140° C., 145° C., 150° C., 155° C., 160° C., 165° C., 170° C., 175° C., 180° C., 185° C., 190° C., 195° C., or at least about 200° C. In some embodiments, the temperature of the heated surface is about 295°C, 290°C, 285°C, 280°C, 275°C, 270°C, 265°C, 260°C, 255°C, 250°C, 245°C, 240°C, 235°C, 230°C, 225°C, 220°C, 215°C, 210°C, 205°C or less, or about 200°C or less. In some embodiments, the heated surface has a temperature of at least about 120°C to about 250°C or a temperature of at least about 150°C to about 300°C.

When referring to the temperature of the heated surface, we mean the temperature before contact with the tobacco material, because contact with the tobacco material and the drying process will cool the heated surface. Thus, the exact temperature of the heated surface during the drying process will depend on how much "drying work" is being done. For example, in the initial stage, when water is being evaporated from the tobacco, more energy is utilized, leading to the heated surface being overcooled. It is therefore the temperature of the heated surface before contact with the tobacco that can be easily and accurately measured.

In some embodiments, the temperature of the heated surface is controlled to minimize variation during processing. For example, a feedback mechanism is used to ensure that the temperature is maintained within an acceptable range, and the surface is heated when the temperature drops as a result of processing the tobacco material.

In some embodiments, the temperature of the heated surface is suitably adjusted depending on the type of tobacco material being treated. One reason this is suitable is because different tobacco materials have different starting moisture contents and therefore the treatment involves removing different amounts of moisture and volatiles.

In some embodiments, the heated surface is a metal, such as stainless steel or any other suitable steel or metal type having sufficient heat transfer properties. In other embodiments, the heated surface is formed from any material having sufficient heat transfer properties that it can be heated to the temperatures used in the methods described herein. For example, a surface made of ceramic may be used.

The heated surface may be indirectly heated by a heating medium, such as a heating medium selected from the group consisting of oil, water, or steam. In some embodiments, thermal oil is the preferred heating medium. Alternatively or additionally, the heated surface may be directly heated. In some embodiments, the heated surface is electrically heated.

When the tobacco material is in intermittent and repeated contact with the heated surface, the tobacco material heats up. If the heated surface is hot, the temperature of the tobacco increases significantly. In some embodiments, the treatment method of the present invention results in an increase in the temperature of the tobacco material to a peak temperature in the range of about 120°C to about 230°C. In some embodiments, the peak temperature of the tobacco material is at least about 125°C, 130°C, 135°C, 140°C, 145°C, 150°C, 155°C, 160°C, 165°C, 170°C, 175°C, 180°C, 185°C, 190°C, 195°C, 200°C, 205°C, 210°C, 215°C, or at least about 220°C. In some embodiments, the peak temperature of the tobacco is about 225° C. or less, 220° C. or less, 215° C. or less, 210° C. or less, 195° C. or less, 190° C. or less, 185° C. or less, 180° C. or less, 175° C. or less, 170° C. or less, 165° C. or less, 160° C. or less, 155° C. or less, 150° C. or less, 145° C. or less, 140° C. or less, 135° C. or less, 130° C. or less, or about 125° C. or less. The temperature of the tobacco is measured with a suitable measuring device, such as an infrared thermometer or an electrical resistance thermometer.

In some embodiments, the tobacco material is heated under an inert atmosphere.

In some embodiments, an inert gas such as nitrogen, saturated steam, carbon dioxide, or a mixture thereof is added to the apparatus to regulate the amount of oxygen and induce the desired chemical reactions during processing.

In some embodiments, intermittent contact of the tobacco material with the heated surface has a drying effect, reducing the moisture content of the tobacco material. In some embodiments, the moisture content of the treated tobacco material is between 0% and about 10% oven volatiles (OV). In other words, the moisture content of the treated tobacco material is not greater than about 10% OV. In some embodiments, the moisture content of the treated tobacco material is 9.5% or less, 9% or less, 8.5% or less, 8% or less, 7.5% or less, 7% or less, 6.5% or less, 6% or less, 5.5% or less, 5% or less, 4.5% or less, 4% or less, 3.5% or less, 3% or less, 2.5% or less, 2% or less, 1.5% or less, 1% or less, or about 0.5% OV or less. In some embodiments, the moisture content of the treated tobacco material is about 2% OV or less.

In some embodiments, the tobacco material has a moisture content of at least about 5% OV immediately prior to the step of intermittently contacting the tobacco material with the heated surface. In some embodiments, the moisture content of the tobacco material immediately prior to the step of intermittently contacting the tobacco material with the heated surface is at least about 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, or at least about 24% OV. In some embodiments, the moisture content of the tobacco material immediately prior to the step of intermittently contacting the tobacco material with the heated surface is no more than about 25%, 24%, 23%, 22%, 21%, 20%, 19%, 18%, 17%, 16%, 15%, 14%, 13%, 12%, 11%, 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, or no more than about 6% OV. In some embodiments, the moisture content of the tobacco material immediately prior to the step of intermittently contacting the tobacco material with the heated surface is at least about 5% to about 25% OV or at least about 5% to about 20% OV. In some embodiments, the moisture content of the tobacco material immediately prior to the step of intermittently contacting the tobacco material with the heated surface is at least about 12% to about 16% OV.

Thus, in some embodiments, the tobacco material that is treated by intermittent contact with a heated surface has a moisture content, meaning that the tobacco material is already dry. In some embodiments, the primary purpose of treating this tobacco by intermittent contact with a heated surface is not to further reduce the moisture content of the tobacco material, but to effect physical and chemical changes in the tobacco through surface charring that occurs upon brief contact with the high temperature of the heated surface. In some embodiments, this effect is achieved without burning or substantially burning the tobacco as a result of contact with the heated surface.

In some embodiments, the moisture content of the tobacco material may be adjusted by adding moisture during the process of intermittently contacting the tobacco material with the heated surface. Moisture may be introduced into the tobacco during processing in the form of water or steam, which may be sprayed onto the tobacco material while it is intermittently contacting the tobacco material with the heated surface.

In some embodiments, the introduction of moisture increases the moisture content of the tobacco material by 2% to 5% OV. In some embodiments, moisture is introduced at different points or locations during the process.

As this wetting of the tobacco occurs during the treatment process, the moisture content is again reduced as the moistened tobacco comes into contact with the heated surface. The method of the present invention may include multiple additions of moisture such that the moisture content of the tobacco material repeatedly fluctuates up and down during treatment.

In some embodiments, the process includes repeatedly and intermittently contacting the tobacco material with one or more heated surfaces for a treatment time of at least about 1 minute to about 15 minutes. In some embodiments, the tobacco is intermittently contacted with the heated surfaces for at least about 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 5 minutes, 6 minutes, 7 minutes, 8 minutes, 9 minutes, 10 minutes, 11 minutes, 12 minutes, 13 minutes, or at least about 14 minutes. In some embodiments, the tobacco is intermittently contacted with the heated surfaces for about 14 minutes or less, 13 minutes or less, 12 minutes or less, 11 minutes or less, 10 minutes or less, 9 minutes or less, 8 minutes or less, 7 minutes or less, 6 minutes or less, 5 minutes or less, 4 minutes or less, 3 minutes or less, or about 2 minutes or less. In some embodiments, the tobacco material is in contact with the heated surfaces for a total of at least about 2 minutes to about 10 minutes, or at least about 2.5 minutes to about 5 minutes.

In some embodiments, the intermittent contact may include direct and continuous contact of the tobacco with the heated surface for up to about 5 seconds. In some embodiments, the average duration of direct and continuous contact is from about 0.1 seconds to about 3 seconds.

By intermittent contact of the tobacco material with the heated surface, it is meant that any part of the tobacco material is in direct contact with the heated surface only temporarily. In some embodiments, this means that the tobacco material moves relative to the heated surface, preventing the tobacco material from dwelling in a particular position in contact with the heated surface for too long and/or preventing the same part of the tobacco material from remaining in direct contact with the heated surface for an extended period of time. Extending the contact time of the same part of the tobacco material with the heated surface can lead to combustion of the tobacco material, which can have a detrimental effect on the physical and chemical properties of the tobacco material, rendering the treated material unsuitable for further use, for example, in tobacco industry products.

In some embodiments, the step of intermittently contacting the tobacco with the heated surface includes agitating the tobacco material as it is treated. In some embodiments, an apparatus is provided that includes a means for agitating the tobacco material.

In some embodiments, the tobacco material is preferably agitated by tumbling the tobacco material. This may be accomplished, for example, by picking, lifting, and dropping the tobacco to be treated to create a tumbling motion of the tobacco material.

In some embodiments, the rotational movement of the tobacco material may be accomplished by a mechanism such as one including one or more screws. In such a configuration, the screw includes a helical surface surrounding a rotating shaft, the helical surface being configured to pick up the tobacco material. As the shaft rotates, the helical surface picks up at least a portion of the tobacco material to be treated. This tobacco material is then transported and lifted by the rotating helical surface until the rotation of the screw causes the tobacco material to drop off the screw (by gravity). In some embodiments, the one or more screws may be arranged to move the tobacco material through the treatment chamber and agitate the tobacco material. Such an arrangement allows for continuous processing of the tobacco. In some embodiments, the helical surface and/or the shaft of the screw may be heated to provide a heated surface used to process the tobacco. When two screws are used to move the tobacco material, the screws may be arranged in parallel and positioned to contact and move all of the tobacco to be processed. In some embodiments, the screws may include additional paddles to assist in picking up and transporting the tobacco material. These paddles may also be heated surfaces used to process the tobacco material.

In other embodiments, the tobacco material may be agitated in a rotating drum. The inside of the drum may be a chamber in which the tobacco is processed. The tobacco is located inside the drum and is picked up and lifted from the bottom of the drum as the drum rotates. The tobacco material may be made easier to pick up by having a drum with an inner surface that can maintain contact with the tobacco material, such as a rough surface or protrusions such as paddles that scoop the tobacco material. As the drum rotates, the tobacco in contact with the inner surface of the drum is lifted until the rotation of the drum causes the tobacco to fall off the wall of the drum (by gravity) and back to the bottom of the drum. This results in tumbling and mixing of the tobacco material. Irregularities in the inner surface of the drum help control how long the tobacco material remains in contact with the drum wall. The irregularities may be used to ensure that the tobacco material does not remain in contact with the drum as it falls (slides back to the wall), enhancing the tumbling motion of the tobacco material. The speed of rotation also affects the tumbling motion in the same way as the orientation of the rotation axis. In some embodiments, the inner surface of the drum may be a heated surface used to process the tobacco. The drum may rotate about a horizontal or substantially horizontal axis. In other embodiments, rotation about an inclined axis allows the tobacco to maintain contact with the inner surface of the drum for a longer period and also moves the tobacco material longitudinally. Longitudinal movement of the tobacco as a result of rotation of the drum may additionally or alternatively be effected by appropriately positioned and angled protrusions on the inner surface of the drum.

In other embodiments, the tobacco material may be agitated by the air flow. For example, the tobacco material may be lifted and moved by the air flow.

In some embodiments, the tobacco material is not agitated by the flow of air through the apparatus. In some embodiments, the apparatus for processing tobacco material does not include a means for drawing air through the apparatus for agitating the tobacco material.

In some embodiments, the step of intermittently contacting the tobacco with the heated surface is part of a continuous process. For example, tobacco starting material is continuously fed into the apparatus, processed, and exits the apparatus as processed tobacco. In other embodiments, the method of the present invention is a batch process, in which batches of tobacco starting material are fed into the apparatus, processed to produce batches of processed tobacco material, and removed before a new batch is processed.

Additional Processing Steps In some embodiments, after combining, cutting, expanding, and intermittent contact with a heated surface, the treated tobacco may be conditioned. For example, in some embodiments, moisture may be added to the treated tobacco material. In some embodiments, this is accomplished by exposing the treated tobacco material to water and/or steam. In some embodiments, the moisture content is increased to about 10% OV or from about 10 to about 20% OV.

In some embodiments, after processing, the treated tobacco may be cooled. In some embodiments, this involves the use of a cooling belt, where ambient or chilled air is passed through the bed of treated tobacco. In other embodiments, the tobacco material may be cooled by one or more of the following processes: standing, passing through cooling cylinders, air lifting, and cooling via a fluidized bed.

The flow chart in FIG. 1 outlines an example process for processing tobacco material. The tobacco starting material may be subjected to pre-processing, such as conventional primary production derivatization (PMD) processes, if necessary. In the case of petioles, this may include, for example, one or more of conditioning the raw petioles, followed by rolling, drying, and blending. In some embodiments, pre-processing of the blades may include slicing, conditioning, casing (if necessary), cutting, drying, cooling, and blending.

Optionally, the pretreated petioles are cut and/or expanded. Cutting and/or expanding may be accomplished using conventional methods and equipment such as those described herein.

The cut and/or expanded petioles are then combined with the leaf blades. This combining step involves mixing or blending to obtain a somewhat homogenized mixture of materials prior to further processing steps.

The petiole and blade combination is then cut, which may also be done using conventional methods and equipment.

The cut petiole and blade combination is then expanded. This expansion may be accomplished using one or more conventional expansion methods and devices.

The expanded material is then fed to a processing unit where it is processed by intermittent contact with a heated surface. During this processing, the tobacco material may be agitated to create intermittent contact with the heated surface.

Once the treatment of the tobacco material by intermittent contact with the heated surface is complete, the treated tobacco material may be conditioned, if necessary. In one possible embodiment, this conditioning involves adding water or steam to the treated tobacco material to increase its moisture content, for example to the range of 14.5% OV.

The process parameters are sufficiently mild for the treated tobacco material to maintain some or all of the physical characteristics of the tobacco material. For example, the tobacco material remains sufficiently intact after treatment to permit handling and/or processing for incorporation into a tobacco-containing product, such as a smoking article. This allows the tobacco material to be subjected to standard processing handling in the same manner as conventional tobacco that has not been subjected to the treatments described herein.

Apparatus An illustrative example of an apparatus suitable for carrying out the steps of intermittently contacting the tobacco material being treated with the methods described herein with a heated surface is shown in Figure 2. In this embodiment, the apparatus 1 includes two screws 2 of a dual screw configuration. It is believed that this configuration allows every portion of the tobacco material to come into contact with the heated surface for a period of time, on the order of a few seconds, as a result of the agitation or turbulence generated by the screws of the apparatus.

The tobacco material 8 is processed in the apparatus 1, which includes a conventional conveying screw 2 having a helical surface 3 and a shaft 4, which moves the tobacco material through a processing chamber 7 of the apparatus 1. The screw 2 rotates, and the shaft 4 of the screw 2 is rotated by a drive mechanism 11 which includes a motor.

In some embodiments, the combined, cut, and expanded stem and blade combination passes through the tobacco inlet 5 into the processing chamber 7 where a rotating screw picks up, tumbles, and moves the tobacco material through the processing chamber toward the tobacco outlet 6.

For example, a mass of tobacco material 8 enters the treatment chamber 7 through the tobacco inlet 5. As the screw 2 rotates, the tobacco material is picked up, some of which comes into direct contact with the helix surface 3 and potentially also into contact with the shaft 4 of the screw 2. The tobacco material is dragged along the screw 2 as it is transported and tumbled through the treatment chamber 7, and is then lifted and dropped by the screw 2. Tobacco lifted by the rotating screw or screws is then dropped onto the mass of tobacco material 8 being transported through the chamber 7, causing the mass to be constantly mixed and moved, such that different parts of the mass are in contact with the screw 2 at different times.

In the illustrated embodiment, the surfaces of the screw 2 are heated and are in intermittent contact with the tobacco material in accordance with the tobacco processing of the present invention.

The screw 2 has a metal surface that is heated by a heating medium supplied to the device 1 via a heating medium pipe 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the heating medium is thermal oil that is heated to the desired temperature.

Only a portion of the tobacco material being treated is in direct contact with the heated surfaces at any one time. As the tobacco is conveyed, it is tumbled and mixed, providing agitation and turbulence of the tobacco material and the desired intermittent contact with the heated surface or surfaces. Individual contact times are not expected to exceed a few seconds at a time. The motive force of the tobacco flow ensures uniform treatment of the entire tobacco mass induced by the screw configuration.

In the illustrated apparatus, the treatment chamber may be divided into different temperature zones 9. These zones represent different sections of the screw, which are heated separately. Thus, the apparatus of the present invention may be configured to have surfaces heated to various temperatures. In some embodiments, it may be desirable to control the drying and charring stages of treatment by exposing the tobacco to heated surfaces having different temperatures at different points during the treatment process.

Uses of the Treated Tobacco The treated tobacco according to the invention may be used in tobacco industry products. Tobacco industry products refer to any item manufactured or sold by the tobacco industry and typically include: a) tobacco for cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, pipes or rolling tobacco and other homemade tobacco products (whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes), b) non-smoking products such as snuff, snus, hard tobacco and non-combustion heating (HnB) products incorporating tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes, and c) aerosol generating devices such as inhalers, e-cigarettes, hybrid devices including aerosol generating materials or a combination of consumables thereof, other nicotine delivery systems such as lozenges and gums. This example is not exclusive, but merely illustrative of the range of products manufactured and sold by the tobacco industry.

The treated tobacco material may be incorporated into a smoking article. As used herein, the term "smoking article" includes smokable products such as cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos and also non-combustion heating products, whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes.

The treated tobacco material may be used for hand-rolled cigarettes, homemade tobacco products and/or pipe tobacco.

The treated tobacco material may be incorporated into a "smokeless tobacco product," which is used herein to mean any tobacco product that is not intended to be burned. This includes any smokeless tobacco product that is designed to be placed in the user's oral cavity for a limited period of time and that is intended to come into contact with the user's saliva while in the oral cavity.

The treated tobacco material may be blended with one or more tobacco materials before being incorporated into a smoking article or smokeless tobacco product or before being used for rolling cigarettes, homemade tobacco products or pipe tobacco.

Example 1
Tobacco stems are conventionally processed up to the point where they are cut, the width of the cut stems being 0.21 mm and the moisture content being 33% OV.

The blades are processed conventionally up to the point where they are conditioned to a moisture content of 24%-26% OV. The blades are blended, retaining the casing.

The cut petioles and blades are combined and cut together to a width of 1 mm.

The material for this treatment consisted of 60% leaf blades and 40% unexpanded cut petioles.

This mixture is then subjected to a conventional expansion process, resulting in an expanded dry product with a moisture content of 13%-15% OV after associated drying and re-ordering.

This already expanded blend is then transferred to a so-called "surface-toasting" process where it is intermittently brought into contact with a heated surface.

Cut and expanded petioles and leaf blades are used as feed material and are processed by the method of the present invention using the apparatus shown in Figure 2.

The process can be described as exposing tobacco particles to a hot metal surface for a few seconds before the individual particles fall back into the entire mass of tobacco material being treated.

The residence time of the tobacco particle mass in the device (and therefore the processing time) is between 1 and 5 minutes. The heated metal surface is heated by a jacket, which is similar to the screw, which brings the heated surface to the desired temperature via synthetic oil.

The numbers and parameters listed in Table 1 below reflect the individual temperatures during the process when the heating medium (oil) temperature is set at 230°C.

The tobacco is tested in a process with a residence time (or processing time) of about 3 minutes and a tobacco processing rate of about 35 kg/h of tobacco with a moisture content of about 14.5% OV.

The process can be divided into two distinct stages. During the first stage, the tobacco particles lose their moisture. At a heating medium (oil) temperature of 230°C, the tobacco particles reach a moisture content of 0% OV after about 2 minutes. The second stage occurs during the remaining stages of the treatment, an effect called "scorching". It is during this second stage that the main chemical changes of the tobacco material occur.

The browning process causes a reduction in the nicotine content of the treated tobacco (e.g., a reduction of more than 35% at a heating medium temperature of 230°C) while also causing a significant reduction in the total sugar and ammonia content of the tobacco (e.g., a reduction of more than 60%).

Furthermore, the case-scorching process also causes the tobacco material to change significantly throughout the process. These changes have been shown to translate into changes in the organoleptic properties of the treated material, which are discernible in the smoke that is produced when the treated tobacco is burned, for example, in a cigarette. The organoleptic properties of the smoke have been described in very positive terms by experienced smokers, indicating that the tobacco treatment leads to the production of treated materials with beneficial and desirable properties, both in terms of the reduction of some undesirable tobacco constituents and the enhancement of organoleptic properties. These changes are also manifested in a darkening or browning of the color or appearance of the tobacco after case-scorching.

Furthermore, the combination of the stem and blade results in a very high degree of uniformity in terms of color and particle size of the processed material. This allows for very stable combustion characteristics of combustion-based products, for example. The stem portion of the processed blend literally disappears in the final material, which is desirable for many products such as tobacco for pipes, hand-rolled cigarettes or homemade tobacco products.

Furthermore, the combination of processes results in a product with a higher fill value, i.e., increased tobacco volume per mass, compared to conventional products.

The normalized fill value of the 60% blade/40% petiole mixture was measured to be 6.75 ml/g before the surface-burning treatment, and after the surface-burning treatment and associated re-ordering treatment, the normalized fill value was 8.10 ml/g.

Example 2
This process was similar to that used in Example 1, except that the infeed material consisted of already expanded petioles combined with leaf blades before being combined and cut.

The material used in this process consists of 60% leaf blade and 40% expanded cut petiole.

The moisture content of this expanded petiole is 22% to 24% OV.

The cut petioles and blades are combined and cut together to a width of 0.9 mm.

This mixture is then subjected to a conventional expansion process, resulting in an expanded dry product with a moisture content of 14%-15% OV after associated drying and re-ordering.

The numbers and parameters listed in Table 2 below reflect the individual temperatures during the process when the heating medium (oil) temperature is set at 230°C.

The tobacco is tested in a process with a residence time (or processing time) of about 3 minutes and a tobacco processing rate of about 30 kg/h of tobacco with a moisture content of about 14.5% OV.

The browning process causes a reduction in the nicotine content of the treated tobacco (e.g., a reduction of more than 40% at a heating medium temperature of 230°C) while also causing a significant reduction in the total sugar and ammonia content of the tobacco (e.g., a reduction of more than 70%).

The normalized fill value of the 60% blade/40% petiole mixture was measured to be 7.95 ml/g before the surface-burning treatment, and after the surface-burning treatment and associated re-ordering treatment, the normalized fill value was 9.60 ml/g.

To address various problems and advance the technology, the entire disclosure exemplifies various embodiments in which the claimed inventions may be practiced to provide superior methods, apparatus, processed tobacco and extracts therefrom. The advantages and features of the disclosure are merely representative examples of embodiments, and are not exhaustive or exclusive. They are provided merely to aid in the understanding and teaching of the claimed features. Of course, the advantages, embodiments, examples, features, structures, and/or other aspects of the disclosure should not be construed as limiting the disclosure to the claims as set forth herein or to the equivalents of the claims, but rather, other embodiments may be utilized or modified without departing from the scope and/or spirit of the disclosure. Various embodiments may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, or other combinations. The disclosure also includes other inventions not currently claimed but which may be claimed in the future.

Claims (37)

combining a pre-cut and/or pre-expanded petiole with a leaf blade to form an initial combination of petiole and leaf blade;
Severing the initial combination of petiole and blade;
Inflating the petiole and blade combination;
and intermittently contacting the expanded stem and blade combination with a heated surface to produce a treated tobacco material. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial combination of petioles and blades comprises about 5% to about 99% blades by weight. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the initial combination of petioles and blades comprises about 1% to about 95% petioles by weight. The method of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the expanded combination of petiole and blade is agitated so that it is in intermittent contact with a heated surface. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the temperature of the heated surface is about 100°C to about 300°C before contacting the tobacco material. The method of claim 5, wherein the temperature of the heated surface is from about 120°C to about 250°C before contacting the tobacco material. The method of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the tobacco material is heated to a peak temperature of about 120°C to about 230°C by contacting the expanded stem and blade combination with a heated surface. The method of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the heated surface is a heated metal surface. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the treated tobacco material has an oven volatiles (OV) moisture content of 0 to about 10%. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the expanded petiole and blade combination has a moisture content of at least 5% OV before it is intermittently contacted with the heated surface. The method of claim 10, wherein the expanded petiole and blade combination has a moisture content of about 5% to about 25% OV before it is intermittently contacted with the heated surface. The method of claim 11, wherein the expanded petiole and blade combination has a moisture content of about 12% to about 16% OV before it is intermittently contacted with the heated surface. The method of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the expanded combination of petiole and blade is intermittently contacted with a heated surface for about 1 minute to about 15 minutes. The method of claim 13, wherein the expanded petiole and blade combination is intermittently contacted with a heated surface for about 2 minutes to about 10 minutes. The method of claim 14, characterized in that the expanded petiole and blade combination is intermittently contacted with a heated surface for about 2 minutes 30 seconds to about 5 minutes. The method of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one of water and steam is added to the expanded petiole-lamina combination while it is intermittently contacted with a heated surface to increase the moisture content. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of water and steam is repeatedly added to the expanded petiole-lamina combination while it is intermittently contacted with a heated surface to increase the moisture content. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the steps of the method are performed continuously, and the tobacco material is treated continuously from the time it is introduced until it is discharged. The method of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the combination of expanded petioles and blades is agitated by at least one selected from the group consisting of a screw mechanism, a dual screw mechanism, airflow, and a rotating drum. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the fill value of the treated tobacco is at least about 5% or at least about 15% greater than the fill value of the expanded petiole-bladder combination immediately prior to intermittently contacting the expanded petiole-bladder combination with the heated surface. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the fill value of the treated tobacco is about 30% to about 50% greater than the fill value of the initial combination of the petiole and blade. The method of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sugar content of the treated tobacco is about 20% to about 95% less than the sugar content of the initial combination of the petiole and blade. The method of claim 22, characterized in that the sugar content of the treated tobacco is about 60% to about 90% less than the sugar content of the initial combination of the petiole and blade. The method of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the nicotine content of the treated tobacco is about 10% to about 80% less than the nicotine content of the initial combination of the petiole and blade. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the nicotine content of the treated tobacco is about 35% to about 70% less than the nicotine content of the initial combination of the stem and blade. The method of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the ammonia content of the treated tobacco is about 30% to about 99% less than the ammonia content of the initial combination of the petiole and blade. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the ammonia content of the treated tobacco is about 50% to about 90% less than the ammonia content of the initial combination of the stem and blade. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the combination of the cut petiole and the leaf blade is expanded by exposing the cut petiole and the leaf blade to an expanding agent. 30. The method of claim 28, wherein the blowing agent is selected from the group consisting of liquid carbon dioxide, solid carbon dioxide, steam, liquid nitrogen, liquid short chain ( _C5 or _C6 ) carbohydrates or mixtures thereof. Apparatus for carrying out the method of any one of claims 1 to 29, comprising a module for intermittently contacting the expanded petiole and blade combination with a heated surface, the module including a heated surface adapted for intermittently contacting the expanded petiole and blade combination. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising means for agitating the expanded petiole and blade combination. 32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the means for agitating the expanded petiole and blade combination includes at least one of the group consisting of a screw mechanism, a dual screw mechanism, an airflow, and a rotating drum. The device of claim 30 or 31, wherein the temperature of the heated surface is about 100°C to about 300°C before contacting the tobacco material. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the temperature of the heated surface prior to contact with the expanded petiole and blade combination is between about 120°C and about 250°C. The apparatus of claim 30 or 31, characterized in that the expanded petiole and blade combination is heated to a peak temperature of about 120°C to about 230°C by contacting the expanded petiole and blade combination with a heated surface. The apparatus of claim 30 or 31, characterized in that the heated surface is a heated metal surface. The apparatus of claim 30 or 31, characterized in that the heated surface is heated by a heating medium, the heating medium being water, oil, steam, a material that is heated by electrical current, or a combination thereof.

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