Process for making a continuous structure of an encapsulated material

Abstract

A method for providing an encapsulated flavorant or chemesthetic agent in a smoking article includes forming an emulsion including: (i) a first aqueous solution, comprising one or more cross-linkable polysaccharides; and (ii) a hydrophobic additive comprising one or more flavorants or chemesthetic agents. The method also includes extruding the emulsion into a second aqueous solution in the form of an elongated structure, cross-linking at least a portion of the one or more cross-linkable polysaccharides, removing the cross-linked elongated structure from the second aqueous solution, introducing the cross-linked elongated structure into a filter, or into a rod including a smoking composition, or both; and forming the filter or the rod of the smoking composition into a smoking article. The method can include a drying step.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A smoking article comprising:
 (a) a rod comprising a smokable composition; and   (b) one or more cross-linked elongated structures wherein menthol is encapsulated in at least one cross-linked polysaccharide.   
     
     
         2 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , wherein said smoking article is a cigarette, and wherein said smokable composition comprises tobacco or a tobacco substitute. 
     
     
         3 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more cross-linked elongated structures are disposed in said rod of said smokable composition. 
     
     
         4 . The smoking article of  claim 2 , wherein the cigarette further comprises a filter disposed adjacent to said rod. 
     
     
         5 . The smoking article of  claim 4 , wherein said filter comprises particles of carbon. 
     
     
         6 . The smoking article of  claim 4 , wherein said one or more cross-linked elongated structures are disposed in said filter and said at least one cross-linked polysaccharide is selected from the group consisting of pectins, alginates, carageenans, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , wherein said elongated structure is a strand having an average diameter of about 0.5 mm to about 1.5 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , wherein said strand comprises a solid shell surrounding an interior comprising said menthol and a random pore structure. 
     
     
         9 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , wherein said solid shell has a thickness ranging between about 10 μm and about 50 μm. 
     
     
         10 . A smokable material comprising:
 (a) tobacco; and   (b) one or more cross-linked elongated structures wherein menthol is encapsulated in at least one cross-linked polysaccharide.   
     
     
         11 . The smokable material of  claim 10 , wherein said smoking article is a cigarette, and wherein said smokable composition comprises tobacco or a tobacco substitute and said cross-linked elongated structure is selected from the group consisting of threads, strands, ribbons, and sheets. 
     
     
         12 . The smokable material of  claim 10 , wherein said one or more cross-linked elongated structures are disposed in said rod of said smokable composition and said at least one cross-linked polysaccharide is selected from the group consisting of pectins, alginates, carageenans, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The smokable material of  claim 11 , wherein the cigarette further comprises a filter disposed adjacent to said rod. 
     
     
         14 . The smokable material of  claim 13 , wherein said filter comprises particles of carbon. 
     
     
         15 . The smokable material of  claim 10 , wherein said one or more cross-linked elongated structures are disposed in said filter and said cross-linked elongated structure is selected from the group consisting of threads, strands, ribbons, and sheets. 
     
     
         16 . The smokable material of  claim 10 , wherein said elongated structure is a strand having an average diameter of about 0.5 mm to about 1.5 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The smokable material of  claim 10 , wherein said strand comprises a solid shell surrounding an interior comprising said menthol and a random pore structure. 
     
     
         18 . The smokable material of  claim 10 , wherein said solid shell has a thickness ranging between about 10 μm and about 50 μm. 
     
     
         19 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , wherein the encapsulated menthol is made by:
 (a) forming an emulsion comprising:   (i) a first aqueous solution, comprising one or more cross-linkable polysaccharides; and   (ii) a hydrophobic additive comprising one or more flavorants or chemesthetic agents;   (b) extruding said emulsion into a second aqueous solution in the form of an elongated structure, said second aqueous solution comprising one or more metal cations;   (c) cross-linking at least a portion of said one or more cross-linkable polysaccharides, thereby forming a cross-linked elongated structure comprising cross-linked polysaccharide and said hydrophobic additive encapsulated therein;   (d) removing said cross-linked elongated structure from said second aqueous solution;   (e) introducing said cross-linked elongated structure into a filter, or into a rod comprising a smoking composition, or both; and   (f) forming said filter or said rod of said smoking composition into a smoking article.   
     
     
         20 . The smokable material of  claim 10 , wherein the encapsulated menthol is made by:
 (a) forming an emulsion comprising:   (i) a first aqueous solution, comprising one or more cross-linkable polysaccharides; and   (ii) a hydrophobic additive comprising one or more flavorants or chemesthetic agents;   (b) extruding said emulsion into a second aqueous solution in the form of an elongated structure, said second aqueous solution comprising one or more metal cations;   (c) cross-linking at least a portion of said one or more cross-linkable polysaccharides, thereby forming a cross-linked elongated structure comprising cross-linked polysaccharide and said hydrophobic additive encapsulated therein; and   (d) removing said cross-linked elongated structure from said second aqueous solution.