Dissolvable-chewable tobacco tablet

Abstract

A tobacco tablet that includes a solid solution of soluble fiber and one or more sugar alcohols, the solid solution having a glass transition temperature of less than 40° C., and tobacco dispersed in the solid solution such that the tobacco is released from the tablet when the tablet is chewed or dissolved within an oral cavity.

1 . A method of forming a dissolvable-chewable tobacco tablet:
 forming a molten mixture by combining a soluble fiber, a sugar alcohol, tobacco or a tobacco derivative, and water at a mixture temperature of less than 150° C., the molten mixture including at least 20 weight percent of the soluble fiber, at least 20 weight percent of the sugar alcohol, and less than 15 weight percent of the water.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the forming of a molten mixture includes disposing the soluble fiber, the sugar alcohol, the tobacco or the tobacco derivative, and the water an extruder. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 contacting a plasticizer to the molten mixture.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 dividing the molten mixture to form a plurality of individual tablets, each tablet of the plurality of individual tables sized to be at least partially received in an oral cavity of an adult tobacco consumer.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises:
 at least partially coating one or more of the plurality of individual tablets, the coating including Carnuba wax, Beeswax, gelatin, acetylated monoglyceride, native potato starch, high amylose starch, hydroxypropylated potato starch, Zein, Shellac, ethyl cellulose, methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, miglycol, titanium dioxide, kaoline, bentonite, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the soluble fiber is present in the molten mixture in an amount ranging from 20 weight percent to 70 weight percent. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the soluble fiber includes maltodextrin, psyllium, pectin, guar gum, gum arabic, inulin, arabinoxylans, cellulose, resistant starch, resistant dextrins, lignin, pectins, beta-glucans, and oligosaccharides, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sugar alcohol is present in the molten mixture in an amount ranging from 20 weight percent to 75 weight percent. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sugar alcohol includes sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol, isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, maltitol syrup, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco or the tobacco derivative is present in the molten mixture in an amount ranging from 1 weight percent to 4 weight percent. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco or the tobacco derivative has an average fiber size less than about 200 micrometers. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco or the tobacco derivative has an average particles size ranging from 25 micrometers to 125 micrometers. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the water is present in the molten mixture in an amount ranging from 0.5 weight percent to 15 weight percent. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises:
 cooling the molten mixture to form a cooled mixture, the cool mixture including a matrix defined by the soluble fiber and the sugar alcohol.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the molten mixture is cooled to ambient temperature. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the mixture further comprises:
 portioning the cooled mixture into the plurality of individual tablets.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mixture temperature ranges from 80° C. to 150° C. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mixture temperature ranges from 100° C. to 110° C. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the plasticizer includes propylene glycol, triacetin, glycerin, vegetable oil, triglycerides, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises:
 at least partially coating one or more of the plurality of individual tablets, the coating including sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol, isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, maltitol syrup, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the dividing includes rounding edges of at least a portion of the plurality of individual tablets.