Process to remove protein and other biomolecules from tobacco extract or slurry
AssigneeR.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
InventorBruce Thompson
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Abstract
A process is disclosed for removing proteins and other undesirable biomolecules from tobacco extract or slurry via foam fractionation, thereby concentrating the tobacco extract or slurry. The tobacco extract or slurry is treated and modified prior to being subjected to the foam fractionation to enhance the extent and efficiency of protein removal. After foam fractionation, the concentrated extract, sans proteins and other Hoffman analyte precursors, is applied to a tobacco sheet material, and the collected foam can be recirculated through foam fractionation for enhanced concentration.
Claims36
A process for removing undesirable molecules from tobacco, comprising the steps of:
- soaking tobacco in a solvent to form a soluble portion;
- separating said soluble portion into an aqueous tobacco extract and an insoluble fibrous portion;
- subjecting said aqueous tobacco extract to a foam fractionation system;
- bubbling a gas through said aqueous tobacco extract in said foam fractionation system to form bubbles, wherein said undesirable molecules preferentially adsorb to a gas-liquid interface of said bubbles as said bubbles move through said aqueous tobacco extract, and wherein said bubbles accumulate to form a column of foam on top of said aqueous tobacco extract, said foam having said undesirable molecules preferentially adsorbed thereto;
- and
- moving said foam into a foam collector, wherein said foam collapses yielding a foamate enriched with said undesirable molecules.
A process of separating proteins and undesirable molecules from tobacco containing proteins and undesirable molecules employing foam fractionation, comprising the steps of:
- soaking tobacco in an aqueous solvent to form a tobacco slurry;
- extracting said tobacco slurry to form an aqueous tobacco extract and an insoluble fibrous portion;
- introducing said aqueous tobacco extract into a foam fractionator;
- introducing gas bubbles into said foam fractionator to bubble through said aqueous tobacco extract, wherein said proteins and said undesirable molecules preferentially adsorb to a gas-liquid interface of said bubbles, and wherein said bubbles accumulate on top of said aqueous tobacco extract to form a foam;
- allowing said foam to collapse and yield a foamate enriched with said proteins and said undesirable molecules;
- and
- removing said foam containing said proteins and said undesirable molecules from said foam fractionator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.