Controlled flavor release tobacco pouch products and methods of making

A method of making an oral tobacco pouch product comprising:

• feeding a web along a feed path;
• folding the web into a tubular formation;
• forming a longitudinal seam along overlapping edges of the web;
• forming a lower transverse seam across the tubular formation;
• placing a portion of a loose filling material comprising tobacco material and particles consisting essentially of a hydrocolloid into the tubular formation above the transverse seam;
• and
• forming an upper transverse seam across the tubular formation to enclose the filling material,
• wherein
• the hydrocolloid is included in an amount sufficient to retard the release of flavor from the tobacco material when exposed to saliva during use;
• the hydrocolloid is selected from the group consisting of high-methylated pectin, low-methylated pectin, amidated pectin, hydroxyl methyl propyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, hydroxyl propyl cellulose, xanthan gum, agar, carrageenan, guar gum, alginate, carboxyl methyl cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, dextrin, and combinations thereof;
• the hydrocolloid is included in the oral tobacco pouch product in an amount of about 1% to about 5% by weight based on the weight of the filling material;
• and
• the particles have a size ranging from about 300 mesh to about 10 mesh interspersed with the tobacco material.

A method of making a pouched tobacco product comprising:

• combining a tobacco component with particles consisting essentially of a pectin in a pouch, said pectin being included in an amount sufficient to delay release of flavor from the tobacco component during contact of said pouched tobacco product with saliva during use,
• wherein
• the particles have a size ranging from about 300 mesh to about 10 mesh interspersed with the tobacco component;
• the tobacco component and particles form a loose filling material;
• and
• pectin is included in the pouched tobacco product in an amount of about 1% to about 5% by weight based on the weight of the filling material.

An oral tobacco pouch product comprising:

• a web defining an enclosure;
• and
• a loose filling material in said enclosure, said filling material comprising:
• tobacco material capable of releasing tobacco flavor components;
• and
• particles consisting essentially of a hydrocolloid, the particles being interspersed with said tobacco material in an amount sufficient to retard release of flavor from the tobacco material when exposed to saliva,
• wherein
• the hydrocolloid in the oral tobacco pouch products interferes with the extraction of undesirable objectionable flavor compounds from the tobacco by saliva when placed in the mouth by reducing mass transfer from the tobacco to saliva;
• the hydrocolloid is selected from the group consisting of high-methylated pectin, low-methylated pectin, amidated pectin, hydroxyl methyl propyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, hydroxyl propyl cellulose, xanthan gum, agar, carrageenan, guar gum, alginate, carboxyl methyl cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, dextrin, and combinations thereof;
• and
• the hydrocolloid is included in the oral tobacco ouch product in an amount of about 1% to about 5% by weight based on the weight of the filling material.