Burley tobacco products having reduced nitrosamine content

Abstract

A method of treating tobacco to reduce the content of, or prevent formation of, harmful nitrosamines which are normally found in tobacco is disclosed. The method includes the step of subjecting at least a portion of the plant, while the portion is uncured and in a state susceptible to having the amount of nitrosamines reduced or formation of nitrosamines arrested, to a controlled environment capable of providing a reduction in the amount of nitrosamines or prevention of the formation of nitrosamines, for a time sufficient to reduce the amount of or substantially prevent the formation of at least one nitrosamine, wherein the controlled environment is provided by controlling at least one of humidity, rate of temperature change, temperature, airflow, CO level, CO 2 level, O 2 level, and arrangement of the tobacco plant. Tobacco products and an apparatus for producing such tobacco products are also disclosed.

1 . A tobacco product comprising cured non-green or yellow Burley tobacco suitable for human consumption, substantially free of organic liquids used to extract expanded organic materials and having a collective content of N′-nitrosonornicotine, 4-(N-nitrosomethylamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone, N′-nitrosoanatabine and N′-nitrosoanabasine which is 0.05 μg/g or less.  
   
   
       2 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein said tobacco suitable for human consumption is cured yellow tobacco.  
   
   
       3 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , which is a product selected from the group consisting of cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, snuff and tobacco-containing gum and bits.  
   
   
       4 . A tobacco product comprising cured non-green or yellow Burley tobacco suitable for human consumption, in leaf form and having a collective content of N′-nitrosonornicotine, 4-(N-nitrosomethylamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone, N′-nitrosoanatabine and N′-nitrosoanabasine which is 0.05 μg/g or less.  
   
   
       5 . The tobacco product of  claim 4 , wherein said tobacco suitable for human consumption is cured yellow tobacco.  
   
   
       6 . The tobacco product of  claim 4 , which is a product selected from the group consisting of cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, snuff and tobacco-containing gum and bits.  
   
   
       7 . A tobacco product comprising cured non-green or yellow Burley tobacco suitable for human consumption, substantially free of organic liquids used to extract expanded organic materials and having a content of 4-(N-nitrosomethylamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone which is 0.002 μg/g or less.  
   
   
       8 . The tobacco product of  claim 7 , wherein said content of 4-(N-nitrosomethylamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone is 0.001 μg/g or less.  
   
   
       9 . The tobacco product of  claim 7 , wherein said tobacco suitable for human consumption is cured yellow tobacco.  
   
   
       10 . A tobacco product comprising cured non-green or yellow Burley tobacco suitable for human consumption, in leaf form and having a content of 4-(N-nitrosomethylamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone which is 0.002 μg/g or less.  
   
   
       11 . The tobacco product of  claim 10 , wherein said content of 4-(N-nitrosomethylamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone is 0.001 μg/g or less.  
   
   
       12 . The tobacco product of  claim 10 , wherein said tobacco suitable for human consumption is cured yellow tobacco.  
   
   
       13 . A tobacco product comprising cured non-green or yellow United States Burley tobacco suitable for human consumption, substantially free of organic liquids used to extract expanded organic materials and having a collective content of N′-nitrosonornicotine, 4-(N-nitrosomethylamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone, N′-nitrosoanatabine and N′-nitrosoanabasine which is less than 0.2 μg/g.  
   
   
       14 . The tobacco product of  claim 13 , wherein said collective content is 0.15 μg/g or less.  
   
   
       15 . The tobacco product of  claim 14 , wherein said collective content is 0.1 μg/g or less.  
   
   
       16 . The tobacco product of  claim 15 , wherein said collective content is 0.05 μg/g or less.  
   
   
       17 . The tobacco product of  claim 13 , wherein said tobacco suitable for human consumption is cured yellow tobacco.  
   
   
       18 . The tobacco product of  claim 13 , which is a product selected from the group consisting of cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, snuff and tobacco-containing gum and bits.  
   
   
       19 . A tobacco product comprising cured non-green or yellow United States Burley tobacco suitable for human consumption, in leaf form and having a collective content of N′-nitrosonornicotine, 4-(N-nitrosomethylamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone, N′-nitrosoanatabine and N′-nitrosoanabasine which is less than 0.2 μg/g.  
   
   
       20 . The tobacco product of  claim 19 , wherein said collective content is 0.15 μg/g or less.  
   
   
       21 . The tobacco product of  claim 20 , wherein said collective content is 0.1 μg/g or less.  
   
   
       22 . The tobacco product of  claim 21 , wherein said collective content is 0.05 μg/g or less.  
   
   
       23 . The tobacco product of  claim 19 , wherein said tobacco suitable for human consumption is cured yellow tobacco.  
   
   
       24 . The tobacco product of  claim 19 , which is a product selected from the group consisting of cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, snuff and tobacco-containing gum and bits.