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Tobacco filler of low nitrogen contentRelated Patent Categories: Tobacco, Tobacco Treatment, Extraction Of Component, Other Than Moisture, By Contact With Diverse MediumTobacco filler of low nitrogen content description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20050263161, Tobacco filler of low nitrogen content. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] Not applicable. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] Not applicable. FIELD OF INVENTION [0003] This invention relates generally to tobacco and reconstituted tobacco smoking materials and methods of making same. More particularly, the present invention relates to the materials and methods that provide smoking materials with low nitrogen content. BACKGROUND [0004] Tobacco material contains various nitrogenous compounds that can adversely affect its smoke quality. Among these nitrogenous compounds are proteins, amino acids, heterocyclic aromatic amines, tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNA), as well as other compounds formed by pyrolysis or transfer of these nitrogenous compounds. It has been determined that tobacco quality is improved by reducing its nitrogen content. It has been found to be relatively easy to remove protein from uncured tobacco leaf, however there are disadvantages to removing protein before curing. The protein broken down during curing form flavor compounds that are important contributors to the organoleptic properties of the smoke. Another disadvantage is that efficient extraction of green leaf usually necessitates tobacco structural changes which make it difficult to produce shredded tobacco suitable for use as a cigarette filler. Tobacco processing sometimes includes steps in which the nitrogen content of the tobacco is reduced, so as to improve the smokability of the tobacco. However, nitrogenous compounds, especially proteins, are difficult to extract from cured tobacco lamina, stem, and fiber cell walls. [0005] Plant proteins are divided into four major classes: albumins; globulins; prolamins (also known as gliadins); and, glutelins. Albumins are soluble in water, whereas globulins are soluble in dilute salt solutions. Prolamins are soluble in dilute acid or alkali solutions, while glutelins are soluble in alcohol solutions. Some proteins, however, overlap into two of these four classifications, thereby increasing the difficulty of accurately predicting the appropriate diluent. Insoluble proteins make up 85% to 95% of the total proteins found in cured tobacco. These insoluble proteins are globular in conformation, and are bound to lipoidal organocellular membranes of fiber or cellulose cell walls. Solubilization and extraction of these insoluble proteins have proven difficult when using water or solvents under moderate digestion conditions (i.e. less than 100.degree. C. at 65-70 psig) and with shredded tobacco of size suitable for cigarette manufacture. Partial removal of protein from cured tobacco can be accomplished by extraction with water, with the efficiency of the extraction improving as the particle size is reduced. However, for shredded tobacco of the size normally used for cigarette manufacture, most of the protein cannot be extracted by water alone. This difficulty is due in large part to the compact and rigid structure of fiber cells. Penetration of rigid cell wall structure by solvents has proven feasible only after thermal and/or mechanical sample treatment. However, the common result of such sample treatment is poor recovery of the solvated particulate material. Moreover, cell wall penetration does not necessarily lead to protein solubilization, since plant proteins differ in their conformity and solubilization patterns. [0006] Many of the current processes used to reduce nitrogen content in tobacco material employ enzymatic compounds and microbial agents to break down the proteins and other nitrogen-containing compounds within the tobacco. Several inventors have found that proteolytic enzymes will break down tobacco protein into readily soluble fragments and that strip or cut tobacco can be treated by such enzymes. Gaisch et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,307) described the removal of protein from tobacco strips in an aqueous solution of a proteolytic enzyme whereby insoluble proteins are decomposed into soluble fragments. The extract is separated from the tobacco and inoculated with a yeast culture, which, as it grows, removes the soluble protein fragments in the extract by metabolic assimilation. After removal of the yeast, the protein-free extract is concentrated and added back to the tobacco strips. Bernasek et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,618) describes a process in which tobacco is first extracted with water. The tobacco residue remaining after extraction is separated from the solution, mixed with water and treated with a proteolytic enzyme. The protein-reduced tobacco is separated from the enzyme solution, rinsed and dried. The water extract is concentrated and added back to the protein reduced tobacco. The advantage described by Bernasek et al. for this process is that the water soluble flavor components of tobacco and the nicotine can be retained in the final product. DeGrandpre et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,886) teaches a process where cut tobacco is extracted in an aqueous solution having a surfactant and proteolytic enzyme. The proteolytic enzyme, if used, is chosen from the group comprising the bacterial and fungal enzymes. The enzymes used commercially in the food and detergent industries (ie. Savinase*, Neutrase*, Enzobake* or Alcalase*) available from Novo Inc. were found to have been effective for protein removal from tobacco. These enzymes were added to the solution in the concentration range 0.1% to 5% w/w of the tobacco material. *Trade-mark [0007] The above described processes primarily rely on enzymes to remove protein from tobacco material. Disadvantages arise from the use of such enzymatic compounds and agents. In particular, enzymes are expensive, pH sensitive, and degrade proteins into amino acids which tend to remain with the tobacco material. It is also thought that enzymatic compounds leave residues on tobacco material after processing. Additionally, special handling requirements and the additional process step of inactivating the enzymes (i.e. steam, autoclave, salt wash) cause the process to incur additional expenses. Furthermore, microbial agents used in treating tobacco tend to cause unwanted reactions that generate undesirable by-products. [0008] Other current processes used to reduce nitrogen content in tobacco material employ the use of an alkali or caustic solution. Poulose et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,911) also realized the disadvantage using protease enzymes and proposed using either an alkali or a combination of a protease and a non-protease depolymerase to effect protein removal in an overall processing scheme similar to that of Gaisch et al. However, it was found that alkaline solutions at the strengths quoted by Poulose et al. may have a deleterious effect on the physical structure of the tobacco. Moreover, the use of a protease combined with a depolymerase may not be an economical approach to protein removal. [0009] Mua, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,254) relates to a method for providing a reconstituted tobacco material having a reduced nitrogenous content without having the problems associated with the use of enzymes. In Mua, et al. the tobacco material in the form of flue cured and burley whole leaf, stems, fines, lamina or scraps, and/or burley stems was first contacted with an aqueous solvent. The resulting liquid extract was then separated from the tobacco fiber portion. The tobacco fiber portion was then contacted with a solution containing sodium acetate and/or sodium hydroxide and/or potassium hydroxide. This solution was also separated from the tobacco fiber portion. The tobacco fiber portion may then have been washed, refined and processed into reconstituted tobacco sheets. The liquid extract from the aqueous solvent extraction may have been concentrated and added back to the sheets. [0010] There is a need to provide an economically competitive process by which the nitrogen content of smoking material may be reduced without leaving residues or undesirable by-products and remains in a form that can be processed into paper or bandcast. This process must provide for an efficient and effective reduction of proteins and other nitrogenous compounds. It is desirable to provide a technique for protein reduction in smoking materials which does not cause a physical degradation of the tobacco structure and is economical and efficient. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0011] The present invention relates to a method for providing a reconstituted tobacco containing material having a reduced nitrogenous content. The process starts with flue cured and/or burley tobacco in the form of whole leaf, stems, fines, lamina or scraps. The tobacco material is first contacted with an aqueous solvent. The resulting liquid extract is separated from the tobacco fiber portion. The tobacco fiber portion is then processed according to the present invention. The weak extract liquid (WEL) may be discarded, processed and/or concentrated and added back to the processed fiber portion. [0012] The tobacco fiber portion is then refined and optionally digested with an alkali solution. The resulting tobacco material is then mixed with cellulose fibers and optionally inert materials. The inert materials may be inorganic or organic. The inorganic inert material that may be mixed with the tobacco fibers and cellulose includes CaCO.sub.3, MgO, MgCO.sub.3 and combinations thereof. The organic inert materials that may be mixed with the tobacco fibers and cellulose include chitosan, liposan and combinations thereof. Additionally, both the organic and inorganic inert materials may be mixed together with the tobacco and cellulose material. These combined materials may then be cast into sheet via a papermaking process or a binder and a humectant may be added and the material cast into sheet via bandcast sheet processing. The inert materials may include up to 20% of the finished sheet produced by the present invention. The tobacco fiber portion may make up to 50% of the finished sheet produced by the present invention. Advantageously, the finished sheet includes between approximately 10% to 50% tobacco. [0013] The liquid extract or WEL from the aqueous solvent extraction may be discarded or added back to the fiber portion. If the WEL is to be added back to the fiber portion, it may be processed and/or concentrated. If the smoking material is to be cast into sheet by a paper making process, then the WEL is added back directly to the formed sheet. If the smoking material is to be cast into sheet by a bandcast process, then the WEL is added back just prior to the bandcast sheet processing. These finished sheets may then be used in smoking articles, such as cigarettes. [0014] The reduction of nitrogenous compounds in the smoking material provides for improved smokability and a reduction in nitrogen containing pyrolitic products emitted from smoking articles which contain the tobacco material. [0015] It is an object of the present invention to provide a reconstituted tobacco material with reduced levels of nitrogenous compounds. [0016] It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of making a reconstituted tobacco material with reduced levels of nitrogenous compounds. [0017] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a reconstituted tobacco material paper with a cured tobacco leaf-like texture. [0018] More particularly, the present invention is directed to a method for reducing the nitrogenous content of a smoking material. A better understanding of the present invention will be realized from the hereafter processes and the Examples following such description. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Continue reading about Tobacco filler of low nitrogen content... Full patent description for Tobacco filler of low nitrogen content Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Tobacco filler of low nitrogen content patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Tobacco filler of low nitrogen content or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Intraoral aversion devices and methods Next Patent Application: Formation and deposition of sputtered nanoscale particles in cigarette manufacture Industry Class: Tobacco ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Tobacco filler of low nitrogen content patent info. 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