Peroxides to limit biofilms and tobacco-specific nitrosamines

Abstract

Methods of making reconstituted tobacco include contacting a mixture including tobacco pulp with one or more fluid streams including one or more peroxides (e.g., hydrogen peroxide), recovering one or more fluids from the tobacco pulp mixture, and reusing the recovered fluids in at least one subsequent tobacco pulp contacting step. In some cases, methods provided herein can recover one or more fluids including one or more peroxides, such that the at least one subsequent tobacco pulp contacting step includes contacting tobacco pulp with a fluid including one or more peroxides.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method of making reconstituted tobacco comprising:
 contacting a mixture including tobacco pulp with a first fluid stream including one or more peroxides, the first fluid steam including between 100 ppm and 5,000 ppm of the one or more peroxides;   recovering at least one recovered fluid from the mixture, the at least one recovered fluid including at least one of the one or more peroxides; and   contacting tobacco pulp with the at least one recovered fluid.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more peroxides comprise hydrogen peroxide. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more fluid streams comprise at least 60 ppm hydrogen peroxide. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more fluid streams comprise at least 500 ppm hydrogen peroxide. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the recovered fluid has a peroxide concentration within 50 percent plus or minus of a peroxide concentration of the one or more fluid streams. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the recovered fluid has a peroxide concentration within 10 percent plus or minus of a peroxide concentration of the one or more fluid streams. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 adding fresh fluids to the recovered fluid prior to contacting tobacco pulp with the recovered fluid.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 adding one or more fresh peroxides to the recovered fluid prior to contacting tobacco pulp with the recovered fluid.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more fluid streams comprises:
 an aqueous solution recovered from a slurry of tobacco pulp.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 separating the tobacco pulp suspension into a tobacco pulp mixture and a liquid extract, the liquid extract including at least one of the one or more peroxides.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 introducing the liquid extract to a cast sheet including tobacco pulp.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 concentrating the liquid extract prior to introducing the liquid extract to the cast sheet.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 removing nitrates from the liquid extract prior to introducing the liquid extract to the cast sheet.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 drying the cast sheet.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 contacting the tobacco pulp mixture with a second fluid stream, the second fluid stream including one or more second peroxides.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more second peroxides comprise hydrogen peroxide.