Treatment of tobacco material

Abstract

A method is provided for treating a tobacco material, wherein the method comprises treating the tobacco material with subcritical water. 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:
 receiving a tobacco material; and   treating the tobacco material with subcritical water at a pressure from about 10×10 6  Pa (1500 psi) to about 12×10 6  Pa (1700 psi).   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the treating includes removing one or more polyphenols from the tobacco material. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the treating includes removing one or more proteins from the tobacco material. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the treating is carried out at a temperature from about 125° C. to about 175° C. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , the method further comprising submerging the tobacco material in subcritical water. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein treating the tobacco material with subcritical water is a static treatment. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the submerging is a first submerging, the method further comprising a first separating of the tobacco material from the subcritical water after the first submerging. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , the method further comprising:
 a second submerging of the tobacco material in subcritical water after the first separating; and   a second separating of the tobacco material from the subcritical water after the second submerging.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , the method further comprising:
 a third submerging of the tobacco material in subcritical water after the second separating; and   a third separating of the tobacco material from the subcritical water after the third submerging.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , tobacco material is separated from the subcritical water by filtration. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , the method further comprising drying the treated tobacco material. 
     
     
         12 . A tobacco material that has been treated by the method according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . A smoking article a comprising the tobacco material according to  claim 12 . 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein, in the first separating and in the second separating, the tobacco material is separated from the subcritical water by filtration. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein, in the first separating, in the second separating, and in the third separating, the tobacco material is separated from the subcritical water by filtration.