Nontobacco moist snuff composition

• US 20040123873A1
• Filed: 12/31/2002
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smokey Mountain CHEW Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Smokey Mountain CHEW Incorporated
• Inventors: Calandro, Daniel, Ackilli, Joseph, Topalian, Harry
• Granted Patent: US 7,913,700 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 131/359
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/16 of tobacco substitutes

Abstract

The present invention provides a nontobacco or herbal moist snuff composition comprising an herbal component comprising, or consisting essentially of, corn silk. The present invention also provides a method of producing a nontobacco moist snuff composition having an herbal component comprising, or consisting essentially of, corn silk. Corn silk has a light texture, smooth mouth feel, uniform appearance, and a smell and taste that is nonexistent or easily disguisable. When corn silk is combined with a suitable casing component, the resulting nontobacco moist snuff composition has a light, elastic, and moist texture, a soft and smooth mouth feel, a uniform color and particle size, and a long lasting and tobacco-like smell and taste with a characteristic tobacco-like “bite.”

Claims

1. An herbal component for a nontobacco moist snuff composition comprising corn silk for enhancing the organoleptic qualities of the nontobacco moist snuff composition.

2. The herbal component of claim 1, wherein the corn silk has a particle size between about 4 mesh and about 20 mesh according to NBS screen sizes.

3. The herbal component of claim 1, further comprising an ingredient selected from the group consisting of:

red clover, Echinacea, ginger, rose hips, white clover, sweet clover, licorice, ginseng, guaraná

, anise, clove, gum tragacanth, gum arabic, gum acacia, gum karaya, and combinations thereof.

4. The herbal component of claim 1, wherein the corn silk is present in an amount between about 10% and about 50% by weight of the nontobacco moist snuff composition.

5. The herbal component of claim 1, wherein the corn silk is present in an amount between about 16% and about 32% by weight of the nontobacco moist snuff composition.

6. The herbal component of claim 1, wherein the nontobacco moist snuff composition comprises nicotine.

7. The herbal component of claim 1, wherein the nontobacco moist snuff composition comprises caffeine.

8. A smokeless nontobacco composition comprising an herbal component consisting essentially of corn silk.

9. The smokeless nontobacco composition of claim 8, wherein the corn silk is present in an amount between about 50% and about 100% by weight of the herbal component.

10. The smokeless nontobacco composition of claim 8, wherein the corn silk is the only ingredient in the herbal component.

11. The smokeless nontobacco composition of claim 8, wherein the corn silk has a particle size between about 4 mesh and about 20 mesh according to NBS screen sizes.

12. The smokeless nontobacco composition of claim 8, wherein the corn silk is present in an amount between about 16% and about 32% by weight of the nontobacco moist snuff composition.

13. The herbal component of claim 8, further comprising nicotine.

14. The herbal component of claim 8, further comprising caffeine.

15. A method of producing an herbal component for a nontobacco moist snuff composition comprising the step of:

(1) providing corn silk for enhancing the organoleptic qualities of the nontobacco moist snuff composition.

16. The method of producing an herbal component according to claim 15, further comprising the step of drying the corn silk to produce dried corn silk, wherein the dried corn silk has a moisture content between about 7% and about 10%.

17. The method of producing an herbal component according to claim 15, further comprising the step of cutting the corn silk to a particle size between about 4 mesh and about 20 mesh according to NBS screen sizes.

18. The method of producing an herbal component according to claim 15, further comprising the step of washing and sanitizing the corn silk.

19. A method of producing a smokeless nontobacco composition comprising the step of:

(1) providing an herbal component consisting essentially of corn silk.

20. The smokeless nontobacco composition of claim 19, wherein the corn silk is present in an amount between about 16% and about 32% by weight of the smokeless nontobacco composition.

21. The method of producing a smokeless nontobacco composition according to claim 19, wherein the corn silk is present in an amount between about 50% and about 100% by weight of the herbal component.

22. The method of producing a smokeless nontobacco composition according to claim 19, further comprising the step of mixing the herbal component with a casing component to produce a nontobacco moist snuff composition.

23. The method of producing a smokeless tobacco composition according to claim 22, wherein the casing component comprises nicotine.

24. The method of producing a smokeless tobacco composition according to claim 22, wherein the casing component comprises caffeine.