Tobacco-derived syrup composition

Abstract

The invention provides a tobacco composition for use in a smoking article or a smokeless tobacco composition that comprises a syrup derived from the stalk of a plant of the Nicotiana species. The invention also provides smoking articles and smokeless tobacco compositions that include the syrups described herein, and methods for preparing syrups derived from the stalk of a plant of the Nicotiana species for addition to a tobacco composition.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method for preparing a tobacco product comprising a sugar-containing syrup from the stalk of a plant of the  Nicotiana  species, comprising:
 i) removing an aqueous liquid component comprising sugar compounds from the stalk of a plant of the  Nicotiana  species or a portion thereof; and   ii) concentrating the aqueous liquid component to increase the specific gravity of the aqueous liquid component, which results in formation of a sugar-containing syrup suitable for use as a flavorful tobacco composition in a tobacco product;   iii) adding the sugar-containing syrup to a tobacco material or a non-tobacco material as a carrier for the sugar-containing syrup; and   iv) incorporating the tobacco material or non-tobacco plant material into a tobacco product.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the removing step comprises pressing the aqueous liquid component from the stalk. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the removing step comprises contacting the stalk of the plant or portion thereof with a liquid to draw out the aqueous liquid component. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the concentrating step comprises heating the aqueous liquid component at atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the concentration step comprises concentrating the aqueous liquid component to a specific gravity of about 20 to about 50 g/cm 3 . 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising filtering the aqueous liquid component to remove solid components. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the filtering step comprises exposing the aqueous liquid component to an ultrafiltration membrane. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the aqueous liquid component is filtered during the concentrating step by skimming the solid components off the surface. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising clarifying the aqueous liquid component by adding one or more clarifying agents to the aqueous liquid component. 
     
     
         32 - 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the tobacco product is in the form of a smokeless tobacco composition. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the form of smokeless tobacco composition is selected from the group consisting of moist snuff, dry snuff, chewing tobacco, tobacco-containing gums, and dissolvable or meltable tobacco products. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the tobacco product is in the form of a smoking article. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the filtering step comprises one or more ultrafiltration stages. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the adding step comprises adding the sugar-containing syrup as a casing formulation or a top dressing to the tobacco material or the non-tobacco plant material. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the concentrating step comprises evaporating the aqueous liquid component to provide the sugar-containing syrup in essentially solvent-free form. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the concentrating step comprises spray-drying or freeze-drying the aqueous liquid component to provide the sugar-containing syrup in a spray-dried or freeze-dried form. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising separating the sugar-containing syrup into isolated fractions. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the concentrating step comprises concentrating the aqueous liquid composition to provide a sugar-containing syrup comprising at least about 50% by weight water and sugar compounds derived from the stalk of a plant of the  Nicotiana  species combined, based on the total weight of the syrup composition. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the concentrating step comprises concentrating the aqueous liquid composition to provide a sugar-containing syrup comprising at least about 15% by weight sugar compounds derived from the stalk of a plant of the  Nicotiana  species, based on the total weight of the syrup composition. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the concentrating step comprises concentrating the aqueous liquid composition to provide a sugar-containing syrup comprising about 20% to about 60% by weight water and about 15% to about 40% by weight of sugar compounds derived from the stalk of a plant of the  Nicotiana  species, based on the total weight of the syrup composition.