Tobacco extraction process

A process for providing a tobacco extract, the process comprising;

• (a) providing a tobacco extract in contact with an extraction solvent;
• (b) reducing the temperature of the tobacco extract and the extraction solvent to below the freezing point thereof to provide a frozen mixture;
• and
• (c) raising the temperature of the frozen mixture to provide a melted portion including a tobacco extract within the extraction solvent.

A process for providing a tobacco extract, the process comprising:

• (a) extracting a tobacco material using an extraction solvent to provide a mixture including a tobacco extract with the solvent;
• (b) reducing the temperature of the mixture to below the freezing point of the mixture to provide a frozen mixture;
• and
• (c) raising the temperature of the frozen mixture to provide a melted portion including the tobacco extract, the tobacco extract having a soluble solids content of at least about 10 percent by weight based on the total weight of the melted portion.

A process for providing a tobacco extract, the process comprising:

• (a) providing a tobacco material positioned within a cylindrical column having a packing density of at about 0.5 to about 0.7 pounds of tobacco material per liter of column capacity;
• (b) extracting the tobacco material with an extraction solvent by passing the extraction solvent through the tobacco material within the cylindrical column to provide a tobacco extract in contact with the extraction solvent;
• (c) reducing the temperature of the tobacco extract and the extraction solvent to below the freezing point thereof to provide a frozen mixture;
• and
• (d) raising the temperature of the frozen mixture to provide a melted portion including the tobacco extract within the extraction solvent.