Treatment of tobacco material

Abstract

A method is provided for treating a tobacco material. The method comprises treating tobacco material with a combination of protease enzymes with different optimal operating conditions and adjusting the operating conditions during the enzyme incubation period. Also provided is a tobacco material which has been treated by such a method or a derivative thereof, and a smoking article which comprises a tobacco material treated by such a method.

1 . A method for treating a tobacco material, the method comprising;
 treating a tobacco material using a combination of protease enzymes with different optimal operating conditions; and   adjusting operating conditions during an enzyme incubation period from an optimal temperature and/or a pH of one protease enzyme to an optimal temperature and/or pH of another protease enzyme.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method results in a reduction in a protein content of the treated tobacco material compared to the protein content of the untreated tobacco material. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  1 , wherein adjusting the operating conditions comprises adjusting the pH of the one protease enzyme. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein adjusting the pH of the one protease enzyme comprises decreasing the pH of the one protease enzyme. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein adjusting the pH of the one protease enzyme comprises increasing the pH of the one protease enzyme. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein adjusting the operating conditions comprises adjusting the temperature of the one protease enzyme. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein adjusting the temperature of the one protease enzyme comprises adjusting the temperature of the one protease enzyme from a lower temperature to a higher temperature. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein adjusting the temperature of the one protease enzyme comprises adjusting the temperature of the one protease enzyme from a higher temperature to a lower temperature. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the combination of protease enzymes comprises enzymes with two different optimal operating conditions. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the combination of protease enzymes comprises enzymes with three different optimal operating conditions. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a protein content of a treated tobacco material is reduced by at least 50% compared to a protein content of an untreated tobacco material. 
     
     
         12 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the decreasing the pH of the one protease enzyme is by the addition of an acid. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the increasing the pH of the one protease enzyme is by the addition of an alkali. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the protein content of the treated tobacco material is reduced by at least 60% compared to the protein content of the untreated tobacco material. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the protein content of the treated tobacco material is reduced by at least 70% compared to the protein content of the untreated tobacco material. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the protein content of the treated tobacco material is reduced by at least 80% compared to the protein content of the untreated tobacco material. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the protein content of the treated tobacco material is reduced by at least 90% compared to the protein content of the untreated tobacco material.