Process for the treatment of tobacco materials
AssigneePhilip Morris Incorporated
InventorsDaniel M. Teng, Bernard A. Semp
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Abstract
This invention relates to a process for the treatment of tobacco materials. More particularly, the invention relates to a process that comprises contacting tobacco with an aqueous enzyme solution exhibiting cellulase activity, incubating the tobacco-enzyme mixture, and thereafter expanding the tobacco material. Tobacco materials treated in this manner exhibit an enhanced capability for expansion, thereby resulting in a significant increase in filling capacity when compared to untreated expanded tobacco.
Claims6
A process for treating tobacco material to achieve increased filling power that comprises the steps of:
- a. contacting tobacco material with a buffered solution having a pH in the range of about 3.5 to 6.5 and containing cellulase enzyme in an amount sufficient to provide 50 to 2,000 units of cellulase activity (C.sub.l +C.sub.x) per kilogram of tobacco;
- b. incubating the tobacco-cellulase mixture for a period of time between 4 and 124 hours and at a temperature within the range of 35.degree. to 70.degree. C.;
- and
- c. expanding the cellulase-treated tobacco materials thereby resulting in increased filling power compared to the untreated expanded tobacco material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.