Improved method of producing a liquid tobacco extract

Abstract

A method of producing a liquid tobacco extract, the method including the steps of: preparing a tobacco material; applying an alkaline solution to the tobacco material to produce an alkalised tobacco material; heating the alkalised tobacco material at an extraction temperature of between 100 degrees Celsius and 160 degrees Celsius for at least 30 minutes, the alkalised tobacco material being heated in a flow of inert gas or in a flow of a combination of an inert gas with water or steam, and a water content of the alkalised tobacco material, prior to the heating step, being between 10 percent by weight and 20 percent by weight; condensing volatile compounds released from the alkalised tobacco material during the heating step and collecting condensate of the volatile compounds; and forming a liquid tobacco extract comprising the condensate of the volatile compounds.

1 .- 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method of producing a liquid tobacco extract, the method comprising the steps of:
 preparing a tobacco material;   applying an alkaline solution to the tobacco material to produce an alkalised tobacco material;   heating the alkalised tobacco material at an extraction temperature of between 100 degrees Celsius and 160 degrees Celsius for at least 30 minutes,
 wherein the alkalised tobacco material is heated in a flow of inert gas or in a flow of a combination of an inert gas with water or steam, and 
 wherein a water content of the alkalised tobacco material, prior to the heating step, is between 10 percent by weight and 20 percent by weight; 
   condensing volatile compounds released from the alkalised tobacco material during the heating step and collecting condensate of the volatile compounds; and   forming a liquid tobacco extract comprising the condensate of the volatile compounds.   
     
     
         16 . A method of producing a liquid tobacco extract, the method comprising the steps of:
 preparing a tobacco material;   heating the tobacco material at an extraction temperature of between 100 degrees Celsius and 160 degrees Celsius for at least 90 minutes;   collecting volatile compounds released from the tobacco material during the heating step;   forming a first liquid tobacco extract comprising the collected volatile compounds from the tobacco material;   applying an alkaline solution to the residual tobacco material from the heating step to produce an alkalised tobacco material;   heating the alkalised tobacco material at an extraction temperature of between 100 degrees Celsius and 160 degrees Celsius;   collecting volatile compounds released from the alkalised tobacco material during the heating step; and   forming a second liquid tobacco extract comprising the collected volatile compounds from the alkalised tobacco material.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising the step of combining the first liquid tobacco extract and the second liquid tobacco extract. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising the step of isolating nicotine from the second liquid tobacco extract and combining at least a portion of the isolated nicotine from the second liquid tobacco extract with the first liquid tobacco extract. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the tobacco material is heated in a flow of inert gas during at least one of the heating steps. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein a pH of the alkalised tobacco material is water is at least 8.5. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein a pH of the alkalised tobacco material is water is at least 9.0. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein a pH of the alkalised tobacco material is water is at least 8.5. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein a pH of the alkalised tobacco material is water is at least 9.0. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein the alkaline solution is sprayed onto the tobacco material, and   wherein the tobacco material is continuously agitated during the spraying.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein the alkaline solution is sprayed onto the tobacco material, and   wherein the tobacco material is continuously agitated during the spraying.   
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the alkaline solution is an aqueous solution of potassium carbonate. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the water content of the alkalised tobacco material prior to the heating step is between 10 percent and 20 percent by weight. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein an amount of nicotine extracted from the alkalised tobacco material corresponds to at least 10 grams per kg of dry tobacco material. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the alkalised tobacco material is heated at an extraction temperature of between 135 degrees Celsius and 150 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising the step of spraying atomised water into an extraction chamber during the heating step. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising the step of spraying atomised water into an extraction chamber during the heating steps. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising the step of drying or concentrating the collected condensate of the volatile compounds. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising the step of drying or concentrating the collected volatile compounds. 
     
     
         34 . A liquid tobacco extract produced by the method according to  claim 15 .