# US 10,869,497 B2 · High-pressure cold pasteurization of tobacco material

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- Number: US 10,869,497 B2
- Document ID: US10869497B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/847,485
- Filed: 2015-09-08
- Published: 2017-03-09
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2015-09-08
- Assignees: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
- Applicants: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
- Inventors: Brian Keith Nordskog
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10869497B2

## CPC

- A24B 13/00: Tobacco for pipes, for cigars, e.g. cigar inserts, or for cigarettes; Chewing tobacco; Snuff (reconstituted tobacco products A24B3/14)
- A24B 15/167: in liquid or vaporisable form, e.g. liquid compositions for electronic cigarettes
- A24B 15/183: {sterilization, preservation or biological decontamination}
- A24B: MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF

## Abstract

A tobacco material having at least about 40% water based on the total weight, and having a storage stability of at least about 25 days is provided herein, wherein the storage stability is defined as an aerobic plate count below about 3,000,000 CFU/g. A method of treating a tobacco material to enhance storage stability is also provided herein, the method including receiving a tobacco material having at least about 40% water based on the total weight and subjecting the tobacco material to a process pressure of at least about 30,000 psi to form a high pressure processed tobacco material, wherein the high pressure processed tobacco material has a storage stability of at least about 25 days, and wherein the storage stability is defined as an aerobic plate count below about 3,000,000 CFU/g.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of treating a tobacco material to enhance storage stability, comprising:
receiving a tobacco material having at least about 40% water based on the total weight;
adjusting the pH of the tobacco material to be in the range of about 4 to about 6;
sealing the tobacco material in a package and introducing the sealed tobacco material to a pressurizing medium;
subjecting the sealed tobacco material to a process pressure of at least about 30,000 psi by way of isostatic pressure transmitted by the pressurizing medium to form a high pressure processed tobacco material;
wherein the high pressure processed tobacco material has a first storage stability of at least about 25 days at a storage temperature of about 37° C., wherein the first storage stability is defined as an aerobic plate count below about 3,000,000 CFU/g.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the processed tobacco material has a second storage stability of at least about 75 days at a storage temperature of about 4° C., wherein the second storage stability is defined as an aerobic plate count below about 3,000,000 CFU/g.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the second storage stability is at least about 100 days.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the tobacco material is in the form of a particulate material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the tobacco material is in the form of an aqueous tobacco extract.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the process pressure is at least about 75,000 psi.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the tobacco material is subjected to the process pressure for a holding time of at least about 30 seconds.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the holding time is in the range of about 180 seconds to about 300 seconds.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising incorporating the high pressure processed tobacco material into a tobacco product.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the tobacco product is a smoking article.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the tobacco product is a smokeless tobacco product.