Tobacco filler of low nitrogen content

Abstract

A process for manufacturing a smoking material with reduced levels of nitrogenous compounds by contacting a tobacco material with an aqueous solvent, separating the aqueous solvent from the tobacco fiber portion, mixing the tobacco fiber portion with a cellulose containing material, and optionally adding back the aqueous solvent which may have been treated and/or concentrated.

1 . A method of making a smoking material with reduced levels of nitrogenous compounds comprising: 
 (a) contacting a tobacco material with an aqueous solvent to provide an aqueous tobacco extract and a tobacco fiber portion;    (b) separating said aqueous tobacco extract from said tobacco fiber portion; and    (c) mixing said tobacco fiber portion with a cellulose containing material.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 (d) mixing said tobacco fiber portion and said cellulose containing material with an inert material.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said inert material is selected from the group consisting of CaCO 3 , MgO, MgCO 3 , chitosan, liposan, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said inert material comprises up to about 20% of said smoking material.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said smoking material has up to 70% tobacco.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said cellulose containing material is selected from the group consisting of wood pulp, bleached wood pulp, flax, any plant cellulosic material, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said tobacco material is contacted with said aqueous solvent at a concentration of approximately 1 part of said tobacco material for every 11 to 15 parts of said aqueous solvent.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said separation of said aqueous tobacco extract from said tobacco fiber portion is accomplished by centrifugation.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said separation of said aqueous tobacco extract from said tobacco fiber portion is accomplished by filtration.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said tobacco material is contacted with said aqueous solvent at a temperature range of about 60° C. to 90° C. for about 0.25 to 1 hour.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said tobacco material includes flue cured tobacco.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said tobacco material includes burley tobacco.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said tobacco material includes burley tobacco and flue cured tobacco in a ratio of about 1 to 1.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 (e) processing said tobacco fiber portion and said cellulose containing material into a reconstituted tobacco sheet.    
     
     
         15 . A method of making a smoking material with reduced levels of nitrogenous compounds comprising: 
 (a) contacting a tobacco material with an aqueous solvent to provide an aqueous tobacco extract and a tobacco fiber portion;    (b) separating said aqueous tobacco extract from said tobacco fiber portion;    (c) refining said tobacco fiber portion forming a refined tobacco material; and    (d) mixing said refined tobacco material with a cellulose containing material.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said refining of said tobacco fiber portion is followed by a step of digesting said refined tobacco material.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said digesting of said refined tobacco material comprises contacting said refined tobacco material with a solution containing about 1.25% to 12.0% sodium hydroxide.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said refined tobacco material and said sodium hydroxide solution are contacted at a ratio of about 1 part of refined tobacco material for each part of sodium hydroxide solution.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said digesting of said refined tobacco material is at a temperature of from about 170° F. to about 190° F. for about 30 min to 4 hours.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said digesting of said refined tobacco material comprises contacting said refined tobacco material with a solution containing about 1.25% to 12.0% potassium hydroxide.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said refined tobacco material and said potassium hydroxide solution are contacted at a ratio of about 1 part of refined tobacco material for each part of potassium hydroxide solution.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said digesting of said refined tobacco fiber portion is at a temperature of from about 170° F. to about 190° F. for about 30 min to 4 hours.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said digesting of said refined tobacco fiber portion comprises autoclaving said refined tobacco fiber portion at a temperature of about 120° C. and at a pressure of about 17 to 27 psig for about 15 to 30 minutes.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 (e) mixing said refined tobacco material and said cellulose containing material with an inert material.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein said inert material is selected from the group consisting of CaCO 3 , MgO, MgCO 3 , chitosan, liposan, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24  wherein said inert material comprises up to about 20% of said smoking material.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said smoking material has up to 70% tobacco.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said cellulose containing material is selected from the group consisting of wood pulp, bleached wood pulp, flax, any plant cellulosic material, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 (e) processing said refined tobacco material and said cellulose containing material into a reconstituted tobacco sheet.    
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 (e) contacting said refined tobacco material and said cellulose containing material after said mixing with a selected portion of said tobacco extract.    
     
     
         31 . A method of making a tobacco containing material with reduced levels of nitrogenous compounds comprising: 
 (a) contacting a tobacco material with a first aqueous solvent to provide an aqueous tobacco extract and a tobacco fiber portion;    (b) separating said aqueous tobacco extract from said tobacco fiber portion;    (c) contacting at a temperature from about 170° F. to 190° F. said tobacco fiber portion with a solution containing a compound selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide, wherein said solution contains said compound in a concentration about 1.25% to 12% (w/v) of said solution;    (d) separating said solution from said tobacco fiber portion; and    (e) mixing said tobacco fiber portion with cellulose fibers.    
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising: 
 (f) contacting said tobacco fiber portion with a portion of said aqueous tobacco extract.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising: 
 (f) treating a portion of said aqueous tobacco extract with an adsorbent; and    (g) contacting said tobacco fiber portion with a portion of said treated aqueous tobacco extract.    
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising: 
 (f) mixing said tobacco fiber portion and said cellulose fibers with an inert material.    
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein said inert material is selected from the group consisting of CaCO 3 , MgO, MgCO 3 , chitosan, liposan, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34  wherein said inert material comprises up to about 20% of said tobacco containing material.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31  wherein said tobacco containing material has up to 70% tobacco.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising: 
 (f) mixing said tobacco fiber portion and said cellulose fibers with a binder;    (g) mixing said tobacco fiber portion, cellulose fibers, and binder with a humectant; and    (h) making sheets via a bandcast process.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising: 
 (f) making sheets via a paper making process.