Patent ID: 9237769
Filing Date: 2016-01-19
CPC Classification: A24B,A24F,B65B

Claim Text:
1. A process for preparing a tobacco composition suitable for use as a smokeless tobacco composition, comprising: providing a slurry comprising water and a tobacco material; heating the slurry to a temperature of at least about 60° C. for a time sufficient to pasteurize the tobacco material; adding an amount of a base to the slurry sufficient to raise the pH of the slurry to at least about 8.5, thereby forming a pH-adjusted slurry; continuing to heat the pH-adjusted slurry to a temperature of at least about 60° C. for a time sufficient for the pH of the slurry to drop at least about 0.5 pH unit following said adding step; following the continuing to heat the pH-adjusted slurry step, drying the slurry to a moisture content of no more than about 15% by weight, based on the total weight of the dried tobacco material; and adding one or more flavorants and additional moisture to the dried tobacco material in an amount sufficient to raise the moisture content of the tobacco material to at least about 25% by weight.