Tobacco products and processes

Abstract

A curing process for providing cured tobacco. Tobacco in green or yellow form can be cured by first placing that tobacco in intimate contact with at least one sugar and/or salt, and subjecting that tobacco to curing conditions. The resulting cured tobacco so provided can be used for the production of tobacco products, and in particular, smokeless tobacco products.

1 . A method of curing tobacco, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a tobacco material;   contacting the surface of said tobacco material with an amount of a curing additive comprising an amount of at least one sugar; and   curing the tobacco material under conditions of temperature and for a time sufficient to produce cured tobacco.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said curing additive further comprises an amount of at least one salt. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said amount of sugar is sufficient to interact chemically with said tobacco. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said sugar is selected from the group comprising sucrose, fructose, glucose, rhamnose, xylose, maltose or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said salt is selected from the group comprising sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, ammonium chloride or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said sugar is in the form of a syrup. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said sugar is in the form of an aqueous solution. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said salt is in the form of an aqueous solution. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the ratio of said salt to said sugar is about 9 to 1. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the ratio of said salt to said sugar is about 3 to 1. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the ratio of said salt to said sugar is about 1 to 1. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the ratio of said salt to said sugar is about 1 to 9. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the ratio of said salt to said sugar is about 1 to 3. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said amount of said curing additive is at least about 5 percent of the dry weight of said tobacco. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said amount of said curing additive is at least about 10 percent of the dry weight of said tobacco. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said amount of said curing additive does not exceed about 20 percent of the dry weight of said tobacco. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said amount of said curing additive does not exceed about 10 percent of the dry weight of said tobacco. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of separating at least a portion of said curing additive from said cured tobacco. 
     
     
         19 . A method of curing tobacco, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a tobacco material;   contacting the surface of said tobacco material with an amount of a mixture of at least one sugar and at least one salt; and   curing the tobacco material under conditions of temperature and for a time sufficient to produce cured tobacco.