Methods of treating tobacco and treated tobacco
AssigneeBritish American Tobacco (Investments) Limited
InventorsMatthias Link, Josef Knothe, Frank Plueckhahn
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Abstract
A method of treating tobacco material with superheated steam to reduce the nicotine content of the tobacco material after the treatment compared to the nicotine content of the tobacco material before the treatment. Also provided is treated tobacco material which has been contacted with superheated steam to reduce its nicotine content, as well as the use of superheated steam to treat tobacco and tobacco industry products that include the treated tobacco material.
Claims15
A method of treating tobacco material with superheated steam having temperature of from about 100° C. to about 170° C. at a pressure of from about 0.05 bar(g) to about 10 bar(g) for a period of from about 1 minute to about 30 minutes,
- wherein the tobacco material has a moisture content before the treatment of at least about 15% OV, and
- wherein the nicotine content of the tobacco material after the treatment is reduced compared to the nicotine content of the tobacco material before the treatment and the ammonia content of the tobacco material after the treatment is reduced compared to the ammonia content of the tobacco material before the treatment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.