Smokeless tobacco composition incorporating a botanical material

Abstract

A smokeless tobacco product configured for insertion into the mouth of a user of the product is provided, the smokeless tobacco product including a tobacco material mixed with at least one botanical material, wherein the botanical material comprises at least about 0.1% of the total dry weight of the smokeless tobacco product. One exemplary product is in the form of a snus product contained within a water-permeable pouch, which includes at least about 50% of a pasteurized and fermented particulate tobacco material, based on the total dry weight of the smokeless tobacco product, and a botanical material in particulate form. The botanical material and the smokeless tobacco product can be characterized based on antioxidant content using the ORAC index or the FRAP index. An exemplary product has an ORAC index value of at least about 50 (μmol TE)/g or a FRAP index value of at least about 80 (μmol/Fe 2+ )/g.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A smokeless tobacco product configured for insertion into the mouth of a user of the product, the smokeless tobacco product comprising a tobacco material and at least one botanical material, wherein the botanical material comprises at least about 0.1% of the total dry weight of the smokeless tobacco product. 
     
     
         2 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco formulation is contained within a water-permeable pouch. 
     
     
         3 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the botanical material has an ORAC index value of about 250 (μmol TE)/g or greater. 
     
     
         4 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the botanical material has an ORAC index value of about 500 (μmol TE)/g or greater. 
     
     
         5 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the botanical material has an ORAC index value of about 1000 (μmol TE)/g or greater. 
     
     
         6 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the botanical material has an FRAP index value of about 250 (μmol/Fe 2+ )/g or greater. 
     
     
         7 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the botanical material has an FRAP index value of about 500 (μmol/Fe 2+ )/g or greater. 
     
     
         8 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the botanical material has an FRAP index value of about 1000 (μmol/Fe 2+ )/g or greater. 
     
     
         9 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the smokeless tobacco product has an ORAC index value of at least about 50 (μmol TE)/g or an FRAP index value of at least about 80 (μmol/Fe 2+ )/g. 
     
     
         10 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the smokeless tobacco product has an ORAC index value of at least about 75 (μmol TE)/g or an FRAP index value of at least about 100 (μmol/Fe 2+ )/g. 
     
     
         11 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the botanical material is selected from the group consisting of rosemary, oregano, sage, hibiscus, clove, rose hip, yerba mate, cocoa, turmeric, guayusa, honeybush, green tea, black tea, rooibos, yerba santa,  bacopa monniera , gingko biloba, withania somnifera, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the botanical material is a tea or a tisane material. 
     
     
         13 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein both the tobacco material and the botanical material are in particulate form. 
     
     
         14 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the tobacco material and the botanical material are in the form of an oil or aqueous extract. 
     
     
         15 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the botanical material comprises at least about 1% of the total dry weight of the smokeless tobacco product. 
     
     
         16 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the botanical material comprises at least about 5% of the total dry weight of the smokeless tobacco product. 
     
     
         17 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more additional components selected from the group consisting of flavorants, fillers, binders, pH adjusters, buffering agents, salts, sweeteners, colorants, disintegration aids, humectants, and preservatives. 
     
     
         18 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the product is in the form of a snus product contained within a water-permeable pouch and comprises at least about 50% of a pasteurized and fermented particulate tobacco material, based on the total dry weight of the smokeless tobacco product, and wherein the botanical material is in particulate form. 
     
     
         19 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 18 , wherein the botanical material is selected from the group consisting of rosemary, oregano, sage, hibiscus, clove, rose hip, yerba mate, cocoa, turmeric, guayusa, honeybush, green tea, black tea, rooibos, yerba santa,  bacopa monniera , gingko biloba, withania somnifera, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 18 , wherein the smokeless tobacco product has an ORAC index value of at least about 50 (μmol TE)/g or an FRAP index value of at least about 80 (μmol/Fe 2+ )/g. 
     
     
         21 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the botanical material is either (i) a shredded or particulate botanical material present in an amount of at least about 1% of the total dry weight of the smokeless tobacco product; or (ii) a botanical material extract present in any amount of at least about 0.1% of the total dry weight of the smokeless tobacco product. 
     
     
         22 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the botanical material is selected from the group consisting of honeybush, rooibos, yerba mate, and combinations thereof.