Method of extracting volatile compounds from tobacco material

Abstract

There is provided a method of extracting one or more volatile compounds of interest from tobacco material, the method comprising the steps of:i) providing tobacco material;ii) subjecting the tobacco material to steam distillation; andiii) extracting one or more volatile compounds of interest from the tobacco material with a solvent;wherein distillation step (ii) and extraction step (iii) are carried out simultaneously and at a pH of no greater than 2, and wherein the period during which both the distillation step (ii) and the extraction step (iii) are carried out is from about 8 to about 20 hours.

1 . A method of extracting one or more volatile compounds of interest from tobacco material, the method comprising the steps of:
 i) providing tobacco material;   ii) subjecting the tobacco material to steam distillation; and   iii) extracting one or more volatile compounds of interest from the tobacco material with a solvent;   
       wherein distillation step (ii) and extraction step (iii) are carried out simultaneously and at a pH of no greater than 2, and wherein the period during which both the distillation step (ii) and the extraction step (iii) are carried out is from about 8 to about 20 hours. 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the distillation step (ii) and extraction step (iii) are carried out at a pH of no greater than 2 for the total period of time for which said steps are carried out. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the solvent is a non-polar solvent. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the solvent is immiscible with water. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of n-butanol, cyclohexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, heptane, hexane, methyl-t-butyl ether, 2-butanone, pentane, diisopropyl ether, diethyl ether, and mixtures of pentane and ethyl ether. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the solvent is a mixture of pentane and ethyl ether. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the solvent comprises a mixture of pentane and ethyl ether in a weight ratio of pentane to ethyl ether of 3:1 to 1:1. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the distillation step (ii) and extraction step (iii) are carried out at a pH of from 0.5 to 2. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the period during which both the distillation step (ii) and the extraction step (iii) are carried out is from about 8 to about 10 hours. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the distillation step (ii) and the extraction step (iii) are carried out at a temperature of up to about 130° C. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco material does not undergo any heat treatment before distillation step (ii) and extraction step (iii) are carried out. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more volatile compounds of interest are selected from the group consisting of: sugars, sugar esters, amino acids, beta-carotene, violaxanthin, lutein, neoxanthin, phytol, labdanoids, cembranoids, polyphenols, lignin and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more volatile compounds of interest are selected from the group consisting of: methyl butanol, benzyl alcohol, phenylethanol, methoxyvinylphenol, vinylphenol, hydroxydamascone, furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural, furaneol, cyclotene, dimethylpyrazines, trimethylpyrazine, tetramethylpyrazine, hydroxymethyl(methyl)pyrazines, isophorone, ketoisophorone, safranal, iononas, damascenone, beta-damascenone, megastigmatrienone, beta-damascone, beta-ionone, 2,6-nonadienal, 2-nonenal, linalool, linalool oxide, geranyl acetone, farnesyl acetone, methylheptadienone, solanone, solanascone, norambrenolide, ambroxide, sclareolide, isobutyric acid, isovaleric acid, 3-methylvaleric acid, heptanoic acid, benzoic acid, phenylacetic acid, ortho, para-cresol, methional, guaiacol, vinylphenol, ethylguaicol, vinylguaiacol, eugenol, vanillin and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises a purifying step which comprises replacing the solvent used for extraction with another solvent suitable for use in a tobacco product such as ethanol. 
     
     
         17 . A tobacco extract obtainable or obtained by a method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco extract comprises one or more volatile compounds of interest in an amount of at least about 75% by weight of the tobacco extract. 
     
     
         18 . The tobacco extract according to  claim 17 , wherein the tobacco extract comprises the one or more volatile compounds of interest in an amount of at least about 90% by weight of the tobacco extract. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A tobacco product comprising a tobacco extract as defined in  claim 17 . 
     
     
         21 . The tobacco product according to  claim 20 , wherein the tobacco extract is included in the tobacco product in the form of a flavourant, a casing or a combination thereof, or in the form of reconstituted tobacco which includes the tobacco extract. 
     
     
         22 . The tobacco product according to  claim 20 , wherein the tobacco product is a smoking article or a smokeless tobacco product, an electronic cigarette, a heating device, or a hybrid of both, a cigarette, a cigar, or a smokeless oral tobacco product. 
     
     
         23 . A method of preparing the tobacco product as defined in  claim 20  comprising the steps of:
 (a) preparing a tobacco extract in accordance with a method according to any one of  claims 1  to  16 ; and 
 (b) combining the tobacco extract directly with a tobacco product and/or combining the tobacco extract with reconstituted tobacco and optionally combining the reconstituted tobacco with a tobacco product. 
 
     
     
         24 . (canceled)