Modifying nicotine and nitrosamine levels in tobacco

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to tobacco and tobacco products having a reduced amount of nicotine and/or tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNA). More specifically, several ways to make tobacco plants that have reduced nicotine and TSNA levels have been discovered. Embodiments include tobacco harvested from said tobacco plants, cured tobacco from said tobacco plants, tobacco products made with said cured tobacco and methods of making these compositions.

1 . A tobacco product comprising a cured, genetically modified tobacco that comprises a reduced amount of nicotine and a collective content of N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), N′-nitrosoanatabine (NAT), N′-nitrosoanabasine (NAB), 4-(N-nitrosomethylamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) of less than 0.15 μg/g.  
     
     
         2 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein said cured, genetically modified tobacco is selected from the group consisting of Burley, Flue, and Oriental.  
     
     
         3 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein said cured, genetically modified tobacco is Burley.  
     
     
         4 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein said cured, genetically modified tobacco is Flue.  
     
     
         5 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein said cured, genetically modified tobacco comprises an exogenous quinolate phosphoribosyl transferase (QPTase) gene or a fragment thereof at least about 13 nucleotides in length.  
     
     
         6 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein said cured, genetically modified tobacco comprises an exogenous quinolate phosphoribosyl transferase (QPTase) gene or a fragment thereof at least about 20 nucleotides in length.  
     
     
         7 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein said cured, genetically modified tobacco comprises an exogenous quinolate phosphoribosyl transferase (QPTase) gene or a fragment thereof at least about 30 nucleotides in length.  
     
     
         8 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein said cured, genetically modified tobacco comprises an exogenous quinolate phosphoribosyl transferase (QPTase) gene or a fragment thereof at least about 50 nucleotides in length.  
     
     
         9 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein said cured, genetically modified tobacco comprises an exogenous quinolate phosphoribosyl transferase (QPTase) gene or a fragment thereof at least about 75 nucleotides in length.  
     
     
         10 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein said cured, genetically modified tobacco comprises an exogenous quinolate phosphoribosyl transferase (QPTase) gene or a fragment thereof at least about 100 nucleotides in length.  
     
     
         11 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein said cured, genetically modified tobacco comprises an exogenous quinolate phosphoribosyl transferase (QPTase) gene or a fragment thereof at least about 150 nucleotides in length.  
     
     
         12 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein said cured, genetically modified tobacco comprises an exogenous quinolate phosphoribosyl transferase (QPTase) gene or a fragment thereof at least about 200 nucleotides in length.  
     
     
         13 . The tobacco product of  claim 5 , wherein said exogenous quinolate phosphoribosyl transferase (QPTase) gene or a fragment thereof is in antisense orientation.  
     
     
         14 . The tobacco product of  claim 7 , wherein said exogenous quinolate phosphoribosyl transferase (QPTase) gene or a fragment thereof is in antisense orientation.  
     
     
         15 . The tobacco product of  claim 9 , wherein said exogenous quinolate phosphoribosyl transferase (QPTase) gene or a fragment thereof is in antisense orientation.  
     
     
         16 . The tobacco product of  claim 11 , wherein said exogenous quinolate phosphoribosyl transferase (QPTase) gene or a fragment thereof is in antisense orientation.  
     
     
         17 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein said tobacco product is selected from the group consisting of cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, snuff, chewing tobacco, gum, and lozenges.  
     
     
         18 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein said tobacco product is a cigarette.  
     
     
         19 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the amount of nicotine is less than 0.65 mg/g.  
     
     
         20 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the amount of nicotine is less than 0.35 mg/g.  
     
     
         21 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the amount of nicotine is less than 0.1 mg/g.  
     
     
         22 . A tobacco use cessation kit comprising the tobacco product of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         23 . A tobacco use cessation kit comprising the tobacco product of  claim 19 .  
     
     
         24 . A tobacco use cessation kit comprising the tobacco product of  claim 20 .  
     
     
         25 . A tobacco use cessation kit comprising the tobacco product of  claim 21 .  
     
     
         26 . A method of reducing the amount of a TSNA or a TSNA metabolite in a human that uses tobacco, comprising: 
 identifying a human that uses tobacco for a reduction in the amount of a TSNA or a TSNA metabolite; and    providing to said human the tobacco product of  claim 1 .    
     
     
         27 . A method of reducing the amount of a TSNA or a TSNA metabolite and nicotine in a human that uses tobacco, comprising: 
 identifying a human that uses tobacco for a reduction in the amount of a TSNA or a TSNA metabolite and nicotine; and    providing to said human the tobacco product of  claim 1 .    
     
     
         28 . A method of reducing the carcinogenic potential of side stream or main stream tobacco smoke in a human exposed to said side stream or main stream tobacco smoke, comprising: 
 identifying a human in need of a reduction in the carcinogenic potential of side stream or mainstream tobacco smoke, and providing said human the tobacco product of  claim 1 , whereby when said tobacco product undergoes pyrolysis, said pyrolysis of said product results in side stream or main stream smoke comprising a reduced amount of TSNAs.