Conditioning process for tobacco and/or snuff compositions

• US 20050178398A1
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: US Smokeless Tobacco Company LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: US Smokeless Tobacco Company LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Williams, Scott A., Atchley, Frank S., Elliot, Jerry B., Breslin, James C., Due, Vernie A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,694,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 131/306
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/18 Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 3/10 Roasting or cooling tobacco
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 3/12 Steaming, curing, or flavouring tobacco

Abstract

A process is provided for producing smokeless tobacco and/or snuff compositions using steam alone in an open vessel or in combination with pressure and venting to alter organoleptic properties of the smokeless tobacco and/or snuff compositions.

Claims

1. A process for producing smokeless tobacco and/or snuff comprising:

heating tobacco having a moisture content of about 10 to about 30 weight percent in a mechanical extruder; and

venting the tobacco after attaining a pressure of at least about 130 psi.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the mechanical extruder has a temperature of about 120 to about 300°

F.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the mechanical extruder has a conveyance rate of about 100 to about 260 lbs/hour.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein venting is carried out at atmospheric pressure.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein venting is under a vacuum of about 5 to about 10 inches.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the conditioned smokeless tobacco has a moisture content of about 5 to about 40 weight percent and a pH of about 5.0 to about 9.0.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein the smokeless tobacco and/or snuff is preconditioned prior to the pressure conditioning process by contacting the tobacco and/or snuff with an amount of steam effective for raising the temperature of the smokeless tobacco and/or snuff to about 215°

F. to about 230°

F.

8. The process of claim 7, wherein the preconditioning is effected by contacting the tobacco and/or snuff with steam having a temperature of about 212°

F. at a steam addition rate of about 80 to about 100 lbs/hour.

9. The process of claim 8, wherein the steam is vented from the tobacco and/or snuff.

21. The process of claim 1 for producing smokeless tobacco and/or snuff further comprising:

preconditioning tobacco and/or snuff by contacting the tobacco and/or snuff with an amount of steam effective having a temperature of about 212°

F. to about 240°

F. at a steam addition rate of about 80 to about 100 lbs/hour; and

venting steam from the tobacco.

10. A process for producing smokeless tobacco and/or snuff, the process comprising:

providing tobacco to a first extruder zone, the tobacco having a moisture content of about 5 to about 40 weight percent, the first extruder zone having a temperature of about 120°

F. to about 130°

F.;

conveying the tobacco to a second extruder zone having a temperature of about 270°

F. to about 280°

F., the conveying effective for providing a pressure of about 130 to about 160 psi;

venting the tobacco after attaining a pressure of about 130 to about 160 psi;

conveying the tobacco to a third extruder zone, the third extruder zone having a temperature of about 270°

F. to about 300°

F., the conveying effective for providing a pressure of about 160 to about 230 psi;

venting the tobacco after attaining a pressure of about 160 to about 230 psi;

conveying the tobacco to a fourth extruder zone having a temperature of about 280°

F. to about 300°

F.,

conveying the tobacco to an extruder/die, the extruder/die having a temperature of about 340 to about 350°

F., the conveying effective for providing a pressure of about 200 to about 260 psi; and

extruding the tobacco to providing a smokeless tobacco having a moisture content of about 13.5 to about 20 weight percent and a pH of about 6.0 to about 6.4.

11. The process of claim 10, wherein the mechanical extruder has a conveyance rate of about 100 to about 260 lbs/hour.

12. The process of claim 10, wherein venting is carried out at atmospheric pressure

13. The process of claim 10, wherein venting is under a vacuum of about 5 to about 10 inches.

14. The process of claim 10, wherein the conditioned smokeless tobacco has a moisture content of about 5 to about 40 weight percent and a pH of about 5.0 to about 9.0.

15. The process of claim 10, wherein the tobacco and/or snuff is preconditioned prior to the pressure conditioning process by contacting the tobacco and/or snuff with an amount of steam effective for raising the temperature of the tobacco and/or snuff to about 215°

F. to about 230°

F.

16. The process of claim 15, wherein the preconditioning is effected by contacting the tobacco and/or snuff with steam having a temperature of about 212°

F. at a steam addition rate of about 80 to about 100 lbs/hour.

17. The process of claim 16, wherein the steam is vented from the tobacco and/or snuff.

18. A process for producing smokeless tobacco and/or snuff comprising:

preconditioning tobacco and/or snuff by contacting the tobacco and/or snuff with an amount of steam effective for raising the temperature of the tobacco and/or snuff to about b 215°

F. to about 240°

F.;

heating preconditioned tobacco and/or snuff having a moisture content of about 5 to about 40 weight percent in a mechanical extruder, the mechanical extruder having a temperature and conveyance rate effective for providing a pressure of at least about 80 psi; and

venting the tobacco after attaining a pressure of at least about 130 psi to obtain a conditioned smokeless tobacco.

19. The process of claim 18, wherein the preconditioning is effected by contacting the tobacco and/or snuff with steam having a temperature of about 212°

F. to about 230°

F. at a steam addition rate of about 80 to 100 lbs/hour.

20. The process of claim 18, wherein the steam is vented from the tobacco and/or snuff.