Methods for reducing the formation of tobacco specific nitrosamines in tobacco homogenates

A method for reducing the formation of (de novo) generated 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone and N-nitrosonornicotine and N-nitrosoanatabine and N-nitrosoanabasine in a tobacco homogenate comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a tobacco homogenate and optionally measuring the levels of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone and N-nitrosonornicotine and N-nitrosoanatabine and N-nitrosoanabasine therein;
• (b) increasing the pH of the tobacco homogenate to at least about pH 6.0;
• (c) incubating the tobacco homogenate under conditions that are suitable for nitrosation to occur and optionally measuring the levels of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone and N-nitrosonornicotine and N-nitrosoanatabine and N-nitrosoanabasine therein;
• and
• (d) obtaining a tobacco homogenate in which the levels of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone and N-nitrosonornicotine and N-nitrosoanatabine and N-nitrosoanabasine in step (c) are reduced as compared to the levels of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone and N-nitrosonornicotine and N-nitrosoanatabine and N-nitrosoanabasine in step (a).

A processed tobacco homogenate, wherein

• (i) the pH of said tobacco homogenate is at least about pH 6.0;
• (ii) the nitrite concentration of said tobacco homogenate is greater than about 0.45 mM;
• and
• (iii) the total tobacco specific nitrosamine content of said tobacco homogenate is less than about 8000 ng/g.