Improved method of producing a liquid tobacco extract

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023413891-A1
Application number	US-202118255785-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 6, 2021
Priority date	Dec 9, 2020
Publication date	Dec 28, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of producing a liquid tobacco extract is provided, the method including the steps of: preparing a tobacco material; heating the tobacco material at an extraction temperature of between 100 degrees Celsius and 160 degrees Celsius for at least 15 minutes, the tobacco material being heated directly; collecting volatile compounds released from the tobacco material during the heating step; and forming a liquid tobacco extract including the collected volatile compounds, the tobacco material being microwave heated during at least one step of the method. A liquid tobacco extract produced by the method is also provided.

First claim

1 .- 15 . (canceled)

16 . A method of producing a liquid tobacco extract, the method comprising the steps of:
preparing a tobacco material; heating the tobacco material at an extraction temperature of between 100 degrees Celsius and 160 degrees Celsius for at least 15 minutes, wherein the tobacco material is heated directly; collecting volatile compounds released from the tobacco material during the heating step; and forming a liquid tobacco extract comprising the collected volatile compounds, wherein the tobacco material is microwave heated during at least one step of the method.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the step of preparing the tobacco material comprises pre-treating the tobacco material by microwave heating to bring about rupture of tobacco cells, prior to the heating step.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the step of heating the tobacco material is carried out by conventional heating.

19 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the step of heating the tobacco material comprises microwave heating the tobacco material.

20 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the step of heating the tobacco material comprises heating the tobacco material by a combination of microwave heating and conventional heating.

21 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the tobacco material is heated in a flow of inert gas during at least one of the heating step and the pre-treating step.

22 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the tobacco material has a moisture content of at least 10 percent by weight at a start of the microwave heating.

23 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising the step of applying water to the tobacco material prior to the microwave heating step in order to increase a moisture content of the tobacco material to at least 10 percent by weight.

24 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the tobacco material is continuously circulated during the microwave heating.

25 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the tobacco material is heated at an extraction temperature of between 125 degrees Celsius and 160 degrees Celsius.

26 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the extraction temperature is selected to provide a liquid tobacco extract having a nicotine content of at least 0.2 percent by weight based on dry weight.

27 . The method according to claim 17 , further comprising the step of subjecting the tobacco material to an alkali treatment prior to the heating step and prior to the pre-treating step.

28 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising the step of spraying atomised water onto the tobacco material during the heating step.

29 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising the step of drying or concentrating the collected volatile compounds.

30 . A liquid tobacco extract produced by the method of claim 16 .

Assignees

• Philip Morris Products Sa

Inventors

• Nussbaumer Simon
• Sciboz Alain
• Van Den Boogaart Marc Antonius Friedrich
• Fedeli Francesco
• Hooijmans Morris Kevin

Classifications

• A24B15/243 Primary

  Nicotine · CPC title

• A24B15/167

  in liquid or vaporisable form, e.g. liquid compositions for electronic cigarettes · CPC title

• A24B15/22

  by application of electric or wave energy or particle radiation · CPC title

• A24B15/28

  by chemical substances · CPC title