Dissolvable-chewable tobacco tablet

Abstract

A tobacco tablet that includes a solid solution of soluble fiber and one or more sugar alcohols, the solid solution having a glass transition temperature of less than 40° C., and tobacco dispersed in the solid solution such that the tobacco is released from the tablet when the tablet is chewed or dissolved within an oral cavity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dissolvable-chewable tobacco tablet comprising:
 a solid solution of soluble fiber and one or more sugar alcohols, the solid solution having a glass transition temperature of less than 40° C.; and   tobacco dispersed in the solid solution such that the tobacco is released from the tablet when the tablet is chewed or dissolved within an oral cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The tablet of  claim 1 , wherein the solid solution comprises at least 20 weight percent of soluble fiber. 
     
     
         3 . A dissolvable-chewable tobacco tablet comprising:
 a solid solution comprising:
 at least 20 weight percent soluble fiber, and 
 at least 20 weight percent of one or more sugar alcohols; and 
 tobacco dispersed in the solid solution such that the tobacco is released from the tablet when the tablet is chewed or dissolved within an oral cavity. 
   
     
     
         4 . The tablet of  claim 3 , wherein the solid solution has a glass transition temperature of less than 40° C. 
     
     
         5 . The tablet of  claim 1 , wherein the solid solution has a glass transition temperature of between −50° C. and 40° C. 
     
     
         6 . The tablet of  claim 5 , wherein the solid solution has a glass transition temperature of between −20° C. and 10° C. 
     
     
         7 . The tablet of  claim 1 , further comprising oil dispersed in the solid solution. 
     
     
         8 . The tablet of  claim 7 , wherein the tablet comprises 2-15 weight percent of oil. 
     
     
         9 . The tablet of  claim 7 , wherein the oil is selected from the group consisting of partially hydrogenated oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, corn oil, cotton seed oil, olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, mustard oil, almond oil, beech nut oil, cashew oil, hazelnut oil, macadamia oil, pecan oil, pine nut oil, pistachio oil, walnut oil, grapefruit seed oil, lemon oil, orange oil, pumpkin oil, watermelon seed oil, citrus oils, oils from melons and gourd seeds, flaxseed oil, cocoa butter. 
     
     
         10 . The tablet of  claim 1 , further comprising a plasticizer dispersed in the solid solution, wherein the plasticizer comprises propylene glycol, triacetin, glycerin, vegetable oil, triglycerides, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The tablet of  claim 1 , wherein the soluble fiber is a dietary fiber. 
     
     
         12 . The tablet of  claim 1 , wherein the soluble fiber comprises maltodextrin. 
     
     
         13 . The tablet of  claim 12 , wherein the tablet comprises at least 20 weight percent maltodextrin. 
     
     
         14 . The tablet of  claim 1 , wherein the soluble fiber comprises a digestion resistant soluble fiber. 
     
     
         15 . The tablet of  claim 14 , wherein the soluble fiber is a digestion resistant maltodextrin. 
     
     
         16 . The tablet of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sugar alcohols comprises is selected from the group consisting of mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, erythritol, isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, maltitol syrup, and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates [HSH]. 
     
     
         17 . The tablet of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sugar alcohols comprise sorbitol. 
     
     
         18 . The tablet of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sugar alcohols comprises mannitol. 
     
     
         19 . The tablet of  claim 1 , further comprising an antioxidant. 
     
     
         20 . The tablet of  claim 1 , the tablet having a water content of between 0.5 weight percent and 7 weight percent. 
     
     
         21 . The tablet of  claim 1 , wherein the tablet is shield shaped. 
     
     
         22 . The tablet of  claim 1 , wherein the tablet is part of a sheet structure configured for subdivision into individual tablets. 
     
     
         23 . The tablet of  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco has a particle size of 200 micrometers or less. 
     
     
         24 . The tablet of  claim 23 , wherein the tobacco has a particle size of between 25 micrometers and 125 micrometers. 
     
     
         25 . The tablet of  claim 1 , wherein the tablet comprises at least 10 weight percent tobacco. 
     
     
         26 . The tablet of  claim 1 , wherein the tablet comprises between 1 and 40 weight percent tobacco. 
     
     
         27 . The tablet of  claim 1 , further comprising a color additive. 
     
     
         28 . The tablet of  claim 27 , wherein the color additive is TiO2. 
     
     
         29 . The tablet of  claim 1 , wherein the solid solution comprises between 30 weight percent and 50 weight percent of soluble fiber and between 30 weight percent and 50 weight percent of the one or more sugar alcohols. 
     
     
         30 . A method of forming a dissolvable-chewable tobacco tablet:
 forming a molten mixture of soluble fiber, one or more sugar alcohols, tobacco or a derivative thereof, and water while maintaining a mixture temperature of less than 150° C., the molten mixture including at least 20 weight percent of soluble fiber, at least 20 weight percent of one or more sugar alcohols, and less than 15 weight percent water; and   portioning the molten mixture into a plurality of dissolvable-chewable tobacco tablets.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the molten mixture is formed in an extruder. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising mixing the molten mixture with a plasticizer prior to portioning the molten mixture into a plurality of tablets. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising cutting the molten mixture into individual tablets sized to be at least partially received in an oral cavity of an adult tobacco consumer. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising coating at least one individual tablet.