Method of processing tobacco and its by-products

Abstract

A method of processing tobacco and its by-products, comprising the steps of, preparing a blend of the tobacco and its by-products; charging an extruder with the blend; heating the blend to a temperature comprised between 10° C. and 170° C.; applying a pressure to the blend of between 0 bar and 40 bar; said heating and applying a pressure reducing ammonia content and causing Maillard reactions in the blend; and extruding said blend from the extruder to obtain an extruded product, the extruded product having reduced ammonia content.

1 . A method of processing tobacco and its by-products, comprising the steps of,
 preparing a blend of the tobacco and its by-products, wherein a content of by-products is between 5 and 20 wt % of the tobacco and tobacco by-products;   charging an extruder with the blend;   adding water to the blend so that the blend has a moisture content of between 5 wt % and 20 wt %   heating the blend, after water has been added to the blend, to a temperature comprised between 10° C. and 170° C.;   applying a pressure to the blend of between 0 bar and 40 bar; said heating and applying a pressure reducing nitrosamines and ammonia content and wherein the amount of water added to the blend, the temperature to which the blend is heated and the pressure applied to the blend pressure applied is such that selected components in the blend undergo Maillard reactions; and   extruding said blend from the extruder to obtain an extruded product, the extruded product having less nitrosamines and ammonia and nitrosamines content than the blend, the duration of the extrusion process being between about 1 and 3 minutes.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein, the extruded product has a reduced nitrosamines and ammonia content of less than 0.3%. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said heating comprises heating the blend to a temperature comprised between 100° C. and 150° C., and preferably to a temperature of 130° C. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said applying a pressure is performed between 5 bar and 20 bar, and preferably at about 12 bar. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the steps of heating, applying a pressure, and extruding the blend, are carried out simultaneously. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of cooling the extruded product. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the step of cooling the extruded tobacco comprises trailing the extruded product through air. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the step of cooling the extruded product is carried out by pressurized air which is provided by a pneumatic means, wherein the pressurized air is also used to move the extruded product to another processing stage. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein said another processing stage is sieving the extruded tobacco to eliminate the fines or powder. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of storing tobacco and its by-products raw materials, which are useable to provide said tobacco and its by-products for processing, in one or more silos. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of processing tobacco and its by-products raw materials to provide said tobacco for processing. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein step of processing the tobacco and its by-products raw materials comprises milling the tobacco raw materials. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein step of processing the tobacco and its by-products raw materials comprises sieving the tobacco and its by-products raw materials. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12   claim 12 , wherein the step of processing tobacco and its by-products raw materials, comprises milling the tobacco and its by-products raw materials and sieving the milled tobacco and its by-products raw materials, so as to provide tobacco and its by-products of which has a particle size less than 500 microns, preferably less than 250 microns, and more preferably less than 50 microns, and to reduce the amount of impurities within the tobacco and its by-products. 
     
     
         15 . Use of tobacco product comprising tobacco and tobacco by-products processed by a method comprising the steps of,
 preparing a blend of the tobacco and its by-products, wherein a content of by-products is between 5 and 20 wt % of the tobacco and tobacco by-products;   charging an extruder with the blend;   adding water to the blend so that the blend has a moisture content of between 5 wt % and 20 wt %   heating the blend, after water has been added to the blend, to a temperature comprised between 10° C. and 170° C.;   applying a pressure to the blend of between 0 bar and 40 bar; said heating and applying a pressure reducing nitrosamines and ammonia content and wherein the amount of water added to the blend, the temperature to which the blend is heated and the pressure applied to the blend pressure applied is such that selected components in the blend undergo Maillard reactions; and   extruding said blend from the extruder to obtain an extruded product, the extruded product having less nitrosamines and ammonia and nitrosamines content than the blend, the duration of the extrusion process being between about 1 and 3 minutes;   in cigarettes, cigarillos or cigars.   
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled)