# US 9,775,376 B2 · Smokeless tobacco pastille and moulding process for forming smokeless tobacco products > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,775,376 B2 - Document ID: US9775376B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/957,821 - Filed: 2010-12-01 - Published: 2012-06-07 - Granted: 2017-10-03 - Earliest claimed: 2010-12-01 - Assignees: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company - Applicants: Daniel Verdin Cantrell; Joshua D. Morton; Steven D. Hume; Barry Bratcher; Robert Frank Boutin; Thomas Hinkemeyer; Thaddeus J. Jackson - Inventors: Daniel Verdin Cantrell; Joshua D. Morton; Steven D. Hume; Barry Bratcher; Robert Frank Boutin; Thomas Hinkemeyer; Thaddeus J. Jackson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9775376B2 ## CPC - A24B 15/12: of reconstituted tobacco - A23G 3/48: containing plants or parts thereof, e.g. fruits, seeds, extracts (containing gums A23G3/42) - A24B 13/00: Tobacco for pipes, for cigars, e.g. cigar inserts, or for cigarettes; Chewing tobacco; Snuff (reconstituted tobacco products A24B3/14) - A24B 15/30: by organic substances {(A24B15/281 takes precedence)} - A24B: MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF - A23G: COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF ## Abstract A smokeless tobacco composition configured for insertion into the mouth of a user is provided. The smokeless tobacco composition includes a tobacco material, a sugar alcohol, and a natural gum binder component, wherein the composition is in the form of a pastille. A process for preparing a smokeless tobacco composition pastille configured for insertion into the mouth of a user is also provided. The process includes providing an aqueous mixture comprising a hydrated natural gum binder component, mixing a tobacco material with the aqueous mixture to form a smokeless tobacco mixture, heating the smokeless tobacco mixture, depositing the heated smokeless tobacco mixture into a mold, and curing the smokeless tobacco mixture to form a smokeless tobacco composition pastille. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A smokeless tobacco composition configured for insertion into the mouth of a user, the smokeless tobacco composition comprising a tobacco material, a sugar alcohol, and a natural gum binder component, wherein the tobacco material is a particulate tobacco material having an average particle size of less than about 50 microns, wherein the sugar alcohol is present in an amount of at least about 25% by weight of the composition and wherein the natural gum binder component is present in an amount of at least about 25% by weight of the composition, the composition being in the form of a pastille; wherein the smokeless tobacco composition comprising: at least about 25 dry weight percent of tobacco material, based on the total weight of the composition; at least about 0.5 dry weight percent of tobacco-derived binder component; at least about 0.5 dry weight percent of at least one humectant; at least about 0.2 dry weight percent of at least one sweetener; and at least about 0.5 dry weight percent of at least one flavorant. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The smokeless tobacco composition of claim 1, wherein the tobacco-derived binder component comprises a tobacco-derived starch material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The smokeless tobacco composition of claim 2, wherein the tobacco-derived binder component comprises at least about 50 percent starch on a dry weight basis. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The smokeless tobacco composition of claim 2 wherein the smokeless tobacco composition comprises about 1 weight percent to about 5 weight percent of the tobacco-derived binder component on a dry weight basis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The smokeless tobacco composition of claim 1, wherein the sugar alcohol comprises sorbitol. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The smokeless tobacco composition of claim 1, wherein the sugar alcohol is selected from the group consisting of erythritol, arabitol, ribitol, isomalt, maltitol, dulcitol, iditol, mannitol, xylitol, lactitol, sorbitol, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The smokeless tobacco composition of claim 1, wherein the natural gum binder component is gum arabic. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The smokeless tobacco composition of claim 1, wherein the natural gum binder component is selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, xanthan gum, guar gum, ghatti gum, gum tragacanth, karaya gum, locust bean gum, gellan gum, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The smokeless tobacco composition of claim 1, further comprising an additive selected from the group consisting of flavorants, sweeteners, additional binders, emulsifiers, disintegration aids, humectants, buffering agents, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The smokeless tobacco composition of claim 9, wherein the humectant is glycerin. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The smokeless tobacco composition of claim 9, wherein the sweetener comprises sucralose, sucrose, or a combinations thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The smokeless tobacco composition of claim 9, wherein the sweetener comprises granulated sugar. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The smokeless tobacco composition of claim 1, wherein the pastille has an outer coating coated thereon. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The smokeless tobacco composition of claim 1, comprising: at least about 30 dry weight percent of tobacco material, based on the total weight of the composition; at least about 2 dry weight percent of tobacco-derived binder component; at least about 2 dry weight percent of at least one humectant; at least about 1 dry weight percent of at least one sweetener; and at least about 4 dry weight percent of at least one flavorant.