Tobacco processing method

Abstract

A method of processing pH-treated tobacco material comprising contacting at least one pH-treated tobacco material with an effective amount of one or more gases, wherein the one or more gases reduce the pH of the pH-treated tobacco material, and wherein the reduction in pH of the pH-treated tobacco material is reversible. Also provided are methods of storing pH-treated tobacco and the use of a gas to improve the shelf-life or bulk storage time of pH-treated tobacco material.

1 . A method of processing pH-treated tobacco material comprising:
 contacting at least one pH-treated tobacco material with an effective amount of one or more gases, wherein the one or more gases comprises carbon dioxide, wherein the one or more gases reduce the pH of the pH-treated tobacco material from an initial pH to a lower pH, and wherein the reduction in pH of the pH-treated tobacco material is reversible, such that the pH of the tobacco material is at least partially restored to the initial pH on removal of the one or more gases.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least 20% by volume of the one or more gases is carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein from about 25% to about 100% by volume of the one or more gases is carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein from about 50% to about 100% by volume of the one or more gases is carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more gases consists essentially of carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the initial pH of the at least one pH-treated tobacco material is greater than 7. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the initial pH of the at least one pH-treated tobacco material is from about 8 to about 10. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lower pH of the at least one pH-treated tobacco material is less than about 7. 
     
     
         9 . A tobacco material obtained by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . A method of storing pH-treated tobacco material, the method comprising:
 i. placing pH-treated tobacco material in a storage container; and either   ii. sealing the storage container; and   iii. processing the pH-treated tobacco material according to the method of  claim 1 ;   
       or
 ii. processing the pH-treated tobacco material according to the method of  claim 1 ; and 
 iii. sealing the storage container. 
 
     
     
         11 . A method of storing pH-treated tobacco material, the method comprising:
 i. processing pH-treated tobacco material according to the method of  claim 1 ;   ii. placing the tobacco material obtained from processing step (i) in a storage container; and   iii. sealing the storage container.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the storage container is a sealed container suitable for bulk storage of the pH-treated tobacco material, or a sealed packaging element suitable for individual storage of the pH-treated tobacco material. 
     
     
         13 . A storage container comprising tobacco material obtained by the method of  claim 10 , wherein the pH of the tobacco material increases upon exposure to normal atmospheric conditions. 
     
     
         14 . Use of carbon dioxide to improve the shelf-life or bulk storage time of pH-treated tobacco material, wherein the pH-treated tobacco material is stored in contact with carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the lower pH of the at least one pH-treated tobacco material is less than about 7. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the lower pH of the at least one pH-treated tobacco material is less than about 7. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the storage container is a sealed container suitable for bulk storage of the pH-treated tobacco material, or a sealed packaging element suitable for individual storage of the pH-treated tobacco material. 
     
     
         18 . A storage container comprising tobacco material obtained by the method of  claim 11 , wherein the pH of the tobacco material increases upon exposure to normal atmospheric conditions. 
     
     
         19 . A storage container comprising tobacco material obtained by the method of  claim 12 , wherein the pH of the tobacco material increases upon exposure to normal atmospheric conditions. 
     
     
         20 . A method of storing pH-treated tobacco material, the method comprising:
 contacting at least one pH-treated tobacco material with an effective amount of one or more gases to provide a pH-treated tobacco material having a reduced pH, wherein the one or more gases comprises carbon dioxide, wherein the one or more gases reduce the pH of the pH-treated tobacco material from an initial pH above about 7 to the reduced pH below about 7; and   storing the pH-treated tobacco material having the reduced pH in a sealed storage container;   wherein the reduction in pH of the pH-treated tobacco material is reversible, such that the pH of the tobacco material is at least partially restored to a restored pH above about 7 upon removal from the sealed storage container.