Tobacco compositions and preparation thereof

Abstract

Methods of providing an infused tobacco composition including infusing a starting tobacco composition with volatilized ...components formed by heating a volatile component source, thereby retaining at least some volatile components in the starting tobacco composition. Also infused tobacco compositions, as well as aerosol delivery systems and components for use in aerosol delivery systems, including the infused tobacco compositions.

1 . A method of providing an infused tobacco composition, the method comprising:
 (a) providing a starting tobacco composition;   (b) providing a volatile component source;   (c) heating the volatile component source to provide volatilized components; and   (d) infusing the starting tobacco composition with the volatilized components, thereby retaining at least some volatile components in the starting tobacco composition to provide an infused tobacco composition;   wherein either:
 the starting tobacco composition is a treated tobacco composition and the treatment has adversely affected the sensory and/or organoleptic qualities of the tobacco composition or 
 the infused tobacco material is treated and the treatment adversely affects the sensory and/or organoleptic qualities of the tobacco composition. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the treated tobacco material is a pH-treated tobacco composition. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein either:
 the starting tobacco composition is a pH-treated tobacco composition which comprises tobacco that has been treated to have a pH greater than untreated tobacco, such that the infused tobacco composition provided in (d) is an infused pH-treated tobacco composition; or   the infused tobacco composition of (d) is treated to raise the pH of the infused tobacco composition, thereby providing an infused pH-treated tobacco composition.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein in (c) the volatile component source is heated from 40 to 90° C. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, where the starting tobacco composition is a pH-treated tobacco composition, providing the starting tobacco composition comprises extruding a mixture comprising tobacco, base, and a wetting agent. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the starting tobacco composition is a reconstituted tobacco. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the starting tobacco material is granular. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the volatile component source contains nicotine. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the infused tobacco composition has a nicotine content higher than the starting tobacco composition. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nicotine content of the infused tobacco composition is from about 2% to about 5.5% by dry weight. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the nicotine content of the starting tobacco composition is from 0.1% to 3% by dry weight. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the volatile component source comprises tobacco. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the tobacco comprises cut tobacco, ground tobacco, leaf or tobacco leaf extract. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the volatile component source comprises a botanical. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the botanical comprises clove, cinnamon, coffee, menthol, anise, lemon peels, mint, juniper, elderflower, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the volatile component source consists of tobacco and/or one or more botanicals. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein treating either the starting tobacco composition or infused tobacco composition to raise the pH comprises addition of a base. 
     
     
         18 . An infused tobacco composition obtainable from the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         19 . An aerosol delivery system comprising an infused tobacco composition obtained or obtainable from the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         20 . A component for use in an aerosol delivery system, comprising an infused tobacco composition obtained or obtainable from the method of  claim 1 .