Smokeless tobacco composition

Abstract

A smokeless tobacco product includes a powdered or granular smokeless tobacco formulation that is contained within a moisture-permeable packet or pouch. The smokeless tobacco formulation includes finely ground particles of tobacco in powder-like form and other ingredients such as sweeteners, binders, colorants, pH adjusters, fillers, flavoring agents, disintegration aids, antioxidants and preservatives. The container has the form of a pouch or bag, such as is the type commonly for the manufacture of snus products. The container is intended to be placed in the mouth of the tobacco user, in order that the dry tobacco formulation within the container may be enjoyed by the user. After the tobacco user is finished using the smokeless tobacco product, the container is removed from the user's mouth for disposal. Alternatively, the container is dissolvable or dispersible in the mouth of the user.

1 . A smokeless tobacco product for insertion into the mouth of a user of that product, the product comprising: 
 a tobacco formulation including granular tobacco and    a water-permeable sealed pouch containing the tobacco formulation.    
     
     
         2 . The tobacco product of  claim 1  wherein the sealed pouch is soluble in water, dispersible in water, or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The tobacco product of  claim 1  wherein the pouch contains about 50 mg to about 500 mg of tobacco formulation, on a dry weight basis.  
     
     
         4 . The tobacco product of  claim 1  wherein the pouch contains about 100 mg to about 400 mg of tobacco formulation, on a dry weight basis.  
     
     
         5 . The tobacco product of  claim 1  wherein the tobacco formulation has a moisture content, prior to use, of less than about 20 weight percent.  
     
     
         6 . The tobacco product of  claim 1  wherein the tobacco formulation has a moisture content of less than about 10 weight percent.  
     
     
         7 . The tobacco product of  claim 1  wherein the tobacco formulation includes a disintegration aid.  
     
     
         8 . The tobacco product of  claim 7  wherein the disintegration aid is selected from the group consisting of microcrystalline cellulose, croscarmellose sodium, crospovidone, sodium starch glycolate, and pregelatinized corn starch.  
     
     
         9 . The tobacco product of  claim 1  wherein the tobacco formulation includes a buffering agent.  
     
     
         10 . The tobacco product of  claim 9  wherein the buffering agent is selected from the group consisting of metal hydroxides, metal carbonates, and metal bicarbonates.  
     
     
         11 . The tobacco product of  claim 1  wherein the tobacco formulation includes an artificial sweetener, a natural sweetener, or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         12 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , comprising a sweetener selected from the group consisting of fructose, sucrose, glucose, maltose, mannose, galactose, lactose, sucralose, saccharin, aspartame, and acesulfame K.  
     
     
         13 . The tobacco product of  claim 1  wherein the tobacco formulation includes a filler.  
     
     
         14 . The tobacco product of  claim 13  wherein the filler is selected from the group consisting of grains, maltodextrin, dextrose, calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, corn starch, lactose, manitol, xylitol, sorbitol, and finely divided cellulose.  
     
     
         15 . The tobacco product of  claim 1  wherein the tobacco formulation includes an antioxidant.  
     
     
         16 . The tobacco product of  claim 15  wherein the antioxidant is selected from the group consisting of ascorbic acid, grape seed extract, grape seed oil, polyphenol-containing materials, green tea extract, black tea extract, peanut endocarb, and potato peel.  
     
     
         17 . The tobacco product of  claim 1  wherein the granular tobacco is sized to pass through a screen of 20 Tyler mesh.  
     
     
         18 . The tobacco product of  claim 1  wherein the granular tobacco is sized to pass through a screen of 60 Tyler mesh.  
     
     
         19 . The tobacco product of  claim 1  wherein the granular tobacco is sized to pass through a screen of 150 Tyler mesh.  
     
     
         20 . The tobacco product of  claim 1  wherein the granular tobacco is sized to pass through a screen of 200 Tyler mesh.  
     
     
         21 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the tobacco formulation and the water-permeable sealed pouch includes at least one flavoring agent.  
     
     
         22 . A smokeless tobacco product comprising: 
 a tobacco formulation including ground tobacco lamina, sucralose, titanium dioxide, calcium carbonate, mannitol, powdered cellulose, pregelatinized corn starch, povidone, and potassium hydroxide; and    a water-permeable sealed pouch containing the tobacco formulation.