Patent ID: 6718988
Filing Date: 2004-04-13
Classification: A24B

Abstract:
A process of treating Burley tobacco only in a Burley processing line, said process comprising:heating Burley tobacco at ambient pressure to an input temperature of about 50Â° C. to 100Â° C.; introducing said Burley tobacco at said input temperature of about 50Â° C. to 100Â° C. with an input moisture content of 20% to 45% into a superheated steam flow of 200Â° C. to 300Â° C. in a pressurised pneumatically conveyed closed loop dryer; heating said Burley tobacco in said pressurised pneumatically conveyed closed loop dryer to a tobacco temperature of 120Â° C. or more at a pressure which is in a range of 0.25 to 7 Bar absolute; separating said Burley tobacco from said superheated steam flow; discharging said Burley tobacco from said pressurised pneumatically conveyed closed loop dryer, the moisture content of Burley tobacco being maintained above 10% during the process, and the moisture content of the Burley tobacco exiting said pneumatically conveyed closed loop dryer being greater than 10%; and cooling said Burley tobacco, the aroma and taste and flavour characteristics of thus treated Burley tobacco being altered to become more toasted.