Tobacco Beads

• US 20180235273A1
• Filed: 09/26/2017
• Published: 08/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carroll, Andrew Nathan, Sun, Yan Helen
• Granted Patent: US 10,827,777 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 13/00 Tobacco for pipes, for cigars, e.g. cigar inserts, or for cigarettes; Chewing tobacco; Snuff reconstituted tobacco products A24B3/14
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/14 made of tobacco and a binding agent not derived from tobacco
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/186 by coating with a coating composition, encapsulation of tobacco particles encapsulation of additives other than tobacco : A24B15/283
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/283 by encapsulation of the chemical substances
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/30 by organic substances A24B15/281 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 3/14 Forming reconstituted tobacco products, e.g. wrapper materials, sheets, imitation leaves, rods, cakes; Forms of such products delustering A24C1/40

Abstract

A smokeless tobacco product described herein includes at least one tobacco bead. Tobacco beads described herein include a core and at least one tobacco-containing layer surrounding the core. Each tobacco-containing layer can include less than 10 weight percent tobacco. Tobacco bead described herein can have a diameter of at least 1 millimeters. Tobacco bead described herein can have at least 5 mg tobacco. Tobacco bead described herein can have an oven volatiles content of between 2 weight percent and 10 weight percent. Tobacco bead described herein can have an outer shell.

Claims

1. A smokeless tobacco product comprising at least one tobacco bead, the at least one tobacco bead comprising a core and at least one tobacco-containing layer surrounding the core, each tobacco-containing layer comprising less than 11 weight percent tobacco, the at least one tobacco bead having a diameter of at least 6 millimeters, the at least one tobacco bead comprising at least 30 mg tobacco, the at least one tobacco bead having an oven volatiles content of between 2 weight percent and 10 weight percent.

2. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, further comprising an outer shell, the outer shell comprising carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, or a combination thereof

3. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 2, wherein the outer shell is substantially free of tobacco.

4. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the at least one tobacco-containing layer comprises at least 4 weight percent tobacco.

5. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein each tobacco-containing layer comprises a tobacco powder having an average particle size of less than 200 micrometers.

6. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 5, wherein each tobacco-containing layer comprises a tobacco powder having an average particle size of less than 50 micrometers with a maximum particle size of 150 micrometers or less.

7. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 5, wherein the tobacco particles are cured tobacco particles prepared from plants having less than 20 μ

g of DVT per cm² of green leaf tissue.

8. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the at least one tobacco-containing layer further comprises a flavorant.

9. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the core has a diameter of between 300 micrometers and 7 millimeters.

10. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 9, wherein the core comprises a carbohydrate, a starch, a water soluble polymer, a flavorant, a salt, a sugar, sodium alginate, or a combination thereof.

11. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 9, wherein the core comprises a gel.

12. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the at least one tobacco-containing layer comprises a binder.

13. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 12, wherein the binder comprises at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of starch, konjac, collagen, inulin, soy protein, whey protein, casein, wheat gluten, carrageenan, alginates, propylene glycol alginate, xanthan, dextran, pullulan, curdlan, gellan, locust bean gum, guar gum, tara gum, gum tragacanth, pectin, agar, zein, karaya, gelatin, psyllium seed, chitin, chitosan, gum acacia, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyethylene oxide, polyvinyl alcohol, HPMC, CMC, HPC, and combinations thereof

14. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the at least one tobacco-containing layer comprises at least 25 weight percent starch.

15. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the at least one tobacco-containing layer comprises at least 25 weight percent of one or more sugar alcohols.

16. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 15, wherein the one or more sugar alcohols comprises mannitol.

17. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the at least one tobacco-containing layer comprises at least 5 weight percent of a soluble fiber.

18. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 17, wherein the soluble fiber comprises a digestion-resistant maltodextrin.

19. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the at least one tobacco bead is generally spherical.

20. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 19, wherein the at least one tobacco bead has a diameter of between 1 millimeters and 30 millimeters.

21. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 19, wherein the at least one tobacco bead has a diameter of between 7 millimeters and 12 millimeters and has a total tobacco content of between 5 mg and 70 mg.

22. A tobacco bead comprising a core, at least one tobacco-containing layer surrounding the core, each tobacco-containing layer comprising less than 12 weight percent tobacco, and an outer shell.

23. The tobacco bead of claim 22, wherein each tobacco-containing layer comprises between 25 weight percent and 50 weight percent starch.

24. The tobacco bead of claim 22, wherein each tobacco-containing layer comprises between 30 weight percent and 50 weight percent of sugar alcohols.

25. The tobacco bead of claim 22, wherein each tobacco-containing layer comprises between 5 weight percent and 50 weight percent of soluble fiber.

26. The tobacco bead of claim 22, wherein the outer shell comprising carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, or a combination thereof

27. The tobacco bead of claim 22, wherein the outer shell is substantially free of tobacco.

28. The tobacco bead of claim 22, wherein the at least one tobacco-containing layer comprises at least 5 weight percent tobacco.

29. The tobacco bead of claim 22, wherein each tobacco-containing layer comprises a tobacco powder having an average particle size of less than 200 micrometers.

30. The tobacco bead of claim 29, wherein each tobacco-containing layer comprises a tobacco powder having an average particle size of less than 50 micrometers with a maximum particle size of 150 micrometers or less.

31. The tobacco bead of one claim 29, wherein the tobacco particles are cured tobacco particles prepared from plants having less than 20 μ

g of DVT per cm² of green leaf tissue.

32. The tobacco bead of claim 22, further comprising between 1 weight percent and 5 weight percent of one or more flavorants dispersed in the core, one or more tobacco-containing layers, the outer shell, or a combination thereof

33. The tobacco bead of claim 22, wherein the core has a diameter of between 0.5 millimeter and 2 millimeters.

34. The tobacco bead of claim 33, wherein the core comprises a starch, one or more flavorants, and a sweetener.

35. The tobacco bead of claim 33, wherein the core comprises a gel.

36. The tobacco bead of claim 22, the tobacco bead having a diameter of between 1 millimeters and 12 millimeters and having a total tobacco content of between 5 mg and 100 mg.