Patent Description:
The invention also relates to nasal snuff and oral smokeless tobacco products comprising the smokeless tobacco composition.

A process for production of a tobacco raw material, and to tobacco raw material obtainable by this process are also disclosed.

Tobacco fermentation is basically a process that starts spontaneously soon after the tobacco is harvested.

As tobacco fermentation was early on found to enhance certain properties of the tobacco, such as smell and taste, this spontaneous process is frequently consciously stimulated in various industrial processes in the course of tobacco production.

However, tobacco fermentation - spontaneous as well as industrially stimulated - also has the effect of generating undesired byproducts, such as for instance tobacco-specific nitrosamines, abbreviated TSNA, which are known to be carcinogens.

<CIT> discloses a desmutagen, comprising, as an essential ingredient, sulfurous anhydride (SO<NUM>), or an alkali metal, alkaline-earth metal, aluminium or ammonium salt of sulfite, hydrogen sulfite, pyrosulfite or dithionite, for inactivating mutagens contained in foods, foodstuffs, food additives, beverages and tobaccos.

Apart from examples showing treatment of tobacco tar, which of course is not a tobacco raw material but typically resinous, partially combusted particulate matter produced by the burning of tobacco in the act of smoking, it is only mentioned that a water solution of the above salts or a flavoring sherry into which the salts have been dissolved is applied to tobacco leaves. Neither tobacco fermentation, nor its relation to fermentable carbohydrates is mentioned in this document.

<CIT> discloses a method for curing tobacco by homogenizing harvested leaves. It is said that by the method undesirable components can be reduced in amount or completely eliminated by physical, chemical or biological means or combinations of such means. It is, however, also said that the cured material can be easily stored for aging or other processing such as fermentation prior to being reconstituted for manufacture into a smoking product. Hence, this document does not recognize fermentation as something problematic.

<CIT> discloses chemical pulping of tobacco and bleaching the tobacco pulp to produce a dissolving grade pulp. Bleaching the tobacco pulp may include chlorination of the tobacco pulp with a chlorine dioxide solution, and caustic extraction of the tobacco pulp with a second strong base. Carbohydrate content is not suggested to be reduced or limited, but on the contrary to be protected during the treatments. Fermentation is not discussed in the document.

It would be desirable to be able to provide a tobacco raw material that can easily be provided with such desirable properties as is associated with tobacco fermentation, such as enhanced smell and taste, while not being burdened by the undesired side effects of tobacco fermentation.

One object of the present invention is to provide such a tobacco raw material.

Thus, one aspect of the invention relates to a bleached tobacco raw material
comprising less than <NUM> weight-% fermentable carbohydrates, calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material, wherein the bleached tobacco raw material comprises less than <NUM>µg/kg of B(a)P (Benzo(a)pyrene); and one or more, but not all of: less than <NUM>/kg of nitrite; less than <NUM>/kg of a combined amount of NNN (N-nitrosonornicotine) and NNK ((<NUM>- methylnitrosamino)-<NUM>-(<NUM>-pyridyl)-<NUM>-butanone); less than <NUM>µg/kg of NDMA (N-Nitrosodimethylamine); less than <NUM>/kg of Cd; less than <NUM>/kg of Pb; less than <NUM>/kg of As; less than <NUM>/kg of Ni; and less than <NUM>/kg of Cr; calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

Before the present invention is disclosed and described, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular configurations, process steps, and materials disclosed herein as such configurations, process steps, and materials may vary somewhat. It is also to be understood that the terminology employed herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting since the scope of the present invention will be limited only by the appended claims.

It must be noted that, as used in this specification and the claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

In this specification, unless otherwise stated, the term "about" modifying the quantity of an ingredient in the tobacco raw material, tobacco compositions, or tobacco products of the invention or employed in the methods of the invention refers to variation in the numerical quantity that can occur, for example, through typical measuring and liquid handling procedures used for making concentrates or use solutions in the real world; through inadvertent error in these procedures; through differences in the manufacture, source, or purity of the ingredients employed to make the tobacco raw material, tobacco compositions, or tobacco products, or to carry out the methods; and the like. The term "about" also encompasses amounts that differ due to different equilibrium conditions for a composition resulting from a particular initial mixture. Whether or not modified by the term "about", the claims include equivalents to the quantities. In this specification, unless otherwise stated, the term "bleached" refers to an object, such as for instance a tobacco raw material, whose visible color has been reduced by any known method for this purpose, such as washing with one or more solvents, or treatment with one or more bleaching agents, or any combination thereof.

In this specification, unless otherwise stated, the term "fermentable carbohydrates" refers to carbohydrates that can be metabolically broken down in and by the human body, specifically starch, glucose, fructose and sucrose.

In this specification, unless otherwise stated, the term "oral" in connection to a product refers to the product, in normal use, is suited to be placed somewhere in the oral cavity of the user, for example under the lips, in the same way as moist snuff products are generally used.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material comprises less than about <NUM> weight-%, specifically less than about <NUM> weight-%, of fermentable carbohydrates, calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material comprises less than about <NUM>/kg, specifically less than about <NUM>/kg, more specifically less than about <NUM>/kg of nitrite, calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material comprises a combined amount of NNN (N-nitrosonornicotine) and NNK ((<NUM>-methylnitrosamino)-<NUM>-(<NUM>-pyridyl)-<NUM>-butanone) that is less than about <NUM>/kg, specifically less than about <NUM>/kg, more specifically less than about <NUM>/kg, calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material comprises less than about <NUM>µg/kg, specifically less than about <NUM>µg/kg, more specifically less than about <NUM>µg/kg of NDMA (N-Nitrosodimethylamine), calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material comprises less than about <NUM>µg/kg, specifically less than about <NUM>µg/kg, more specifically less than about <NUM>µg/kg of B(a)P (Benzo(a)pyrene), calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material comprises less than about <NUM>/kg, specifically less than about <NUM>/kg, more specifically less than about <NUM>/kg of Cd, calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material comprises less than about <NUM>/kg, specifically less than about <NUM>/kg, more specifically less than about <NUM>/kg of Pb, calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material comprises less than about <NUM>/kg, specifically less than about <NUM>/kg, more specifically less than about <NUM>/kg of As, calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material comprises less than about <NUM>/kg, specifically less than about <NUM>/kg, more specifically less than about <NUM>/kg of Ni, calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material comprises less than about <NUM>/kg, specifically less than about <NUM>/kg, more specifically less than about <NUM>/kg of Cr, calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material comprises one or more but not all of:.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material comprises a combined amount of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2 that does not exceed <NUM>/kg, calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material has an ISO brightness that is not less than about <NUM>, specifically not less than about <NUM>, and more specifically not less than about <NUM>, as measured according to ISO <NUM>:<NUM>.

As will be realized by the skilled person the present invention thus provides a tobacco raw material that is substantially free from undesired substances.

One advantage of the inventive bleached tobacco raw material is that it provides for tobacco products that does not discolour the user's fingers, and - in the case of oral smokeless tobacco products - does not discolour the user's teeth.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a smoking tobacco composition comprising the inventive bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the smoking tobacco composition comprises nicotine in addition to any nicotine naturally present in the tobacco. The added nicotine may be natural nicotine, i.e. nicotine extracted from tobacco plants, or synthetic nicotine, or a combination thereof.

In one embodiment the tobacco raw material content of the smoking tobacco composition comprises up to about <NUM> wt-%, specifically up to about <NUM> wt-%, and more specifically up to about <NUM> wt-% of unbleached tobacco raw material, calculated on the dry total weight of the tobacco raw material content of the composition.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a smokeless tobacco composition comprising the inventive bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the smokeless tobacco composition comprises nicotine in addition to any nicotine naturally present in the tobacco. The added nicotine may be natural nicotine, i.e. nicotine extracted from tobacco plants, or synthetic nicotine, or a combination thereof.

In one embodiment the tobacco raw material content of the smokeless tobacco composition comprises up to about <NUM> wt-%, specifically up to about <NUM> wt-%, and more specifically up to about <NUM> wt-% of unbleached tobacco raw material, calculated on the dry total weight of the tobacco raw material content of the composition.

Another aspect of the invention relates to nasal snuff, i.e. snuff products suited for nasal administration, which comprises the inventive smokeless tobacco composition.

Another aspect of the invention relates to an oral smokeless tobacco product comprising the inventive smokeless tobacco composition. The oral smokeless tobacco product may be, but is not limited to, moist snuff such as snus, chewing tobacco, oral dry snuff, or hard snuff.

A particular advantage of this aspect of the invention is that it the low content of fermentable carbohydrates provides for a greatly reduced risk for dental caries.

The oral smokeless tobacco product may comprise additives chosen among - but not limited to - one or more substances belonging to any of the following categories, or combinations thereof: API (active pharmaceutical substances), food additives, natural or synthetic nutrients, flavoring substances, natural medicaments or naturally occurring substances that can have an effect on humans. Examples of such substances are green tea, white tea, caffeine, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin E, bioperin, Q10, selenium, glutathione, liponic acid, folic acid, ginseng, pollen extract, antioxidants, minerals, paracetamol, acetylsalicylic acid, Russian root, and rose root.

In one embodiment the oral smokeless tobacco product contains an alginate composition of the kind, and in the way described in <CIT>, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference. More specifically, the oral smokeless tobacco product according to this embodiment contains an alginate composition, distributed in the product and comprising at least water, alginate and an added substance intended to be released from the product when said product is used, said composition containing an alginate matrix that retains at least a major proportion of the added substance so long as the matrix is intact, and the alginate matrix being formed so as to disintegrate and/or dissolve in the chemical and physical environment that exists in a user's mouth; wherein said alginate contains an alginate salt of monovalent cations and is soluble in cold water.

In one embodiment the oral smokeless tobacco product is chewing tobacco comprising a gum base. The gum base may be chosen among - but is not limited to - commercial chewing gum bases, bubble gum bases, and natural gum base materials.

The oral smokeless tobacco product may be provided in baked or compressed form, from which portions may punched or pressed in portions, such as lozenges or tablets.

As an alternative, the oral smokeless tobacco product may be provided in loose form or in the form of portion-size sachets. As a further alternative it may have a film-like form.

The oral smokeless tobacco product may have a pH of about <NUM>-<NUM>, specifically about <NUM>-<NUM>, more specifically about <NUM>-<NUM>.

The oral smokeless tobacco product may have a water content of about <NUM> - <NUM>%, specifically about <NUM> - <NUM>%, more specifically about <NUM> - <NUM>%.

Another aspect of the invention relates to the inventive bleached tobacco raw material for use in the treatment of nicotine addiction, such as for instance in a pharmaceutical for smoking cessation.

It is also disclosed a process for production of the inventive bleached tobacco raw material comprising the steps of:.

The bleaching agent may be - but is not limited to - chlorine dioxide, sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, ozone, enzymes, oxygen, or a combination thereof.

The bleaching agent may also be constituted by, or at least involve the use of ultrasound.

It is also disclosed a bleached tobacco raw material obtained or obtainable by said process, specifically such bleached tobacco raw material comprising less than about <NUM> weight-% fermentable carbohydrates, calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material obtained or obtainable by said process comprises less than about <NUM> weight-%, specifically less than about <NUM> weight-%, of fermentable carbohydrates, calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material obtained or obtainable by said process comprises less than about <NUM>/kg, specifically less than about <NUM>/kg, more specifically less than about <NUM>/kg of nitrite, calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material obtained or obtainable by said process comprises a combined amount of NNN (N-nitrosonornicotine) and NNK ((<NUM>-methylnitrosamino)-<NUM>-(<NUM>-pyridyl)-<NUM>-butanone) that is less than about <NUM>/kg, specifically less than about <NUM>/kg, more specifically less than about <NUM>/kg, calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material obtained or obtainable by said process comprises less than about <NUM>µg/kg, specifically less than about <NUM>µg/kg, more specifically less than about <NUM>µg/kg of NDMA (N-Nitrosodimethylamine), calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material obtained or obtainable by said process comprises less than about <NUM>µg/kg, specifically less than about <NUM>µg/kg, more specifically less than about <NUM>µg/kg of B(a)P (Benzo(a)pyrene), calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material obtained or obtainable by said process comprises less than about <NUM>/kg, specifically less than about <NUM>/kg, more specifically less than about <NUM>/kg of Cd, calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material obtained or obtainable by said process comprises less than about <NUM>/kg, specifically less than about <NUM>/kg, more specifically less than about <NUM>/kg of Pb, calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material obtained or obtainable by said process comprises less than about <NUM>/kg, specifically less than about <NUM>/kg, more specifically less than about <NUM>/kg of As, calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material obtained or obtainable by said process comprises less than about <NUM>/kg, specifically less than about <NUM>/kg, more specifically less than about <NUM>/kg of Ni, calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material obtained or obtainable by said process comprises less than about <NUM>/kg, specifically less than about <NUM>/kg, more specifically less than about <NUM>/kg of Cr, calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material obtained or obtainable by said process comprises one or more but not all of:.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material obtained or obtainable said process comprises one or more but not all of:.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material obtained or obtainable by said process comprises a combined amount of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2 that does not exceed <NUM>/kg, calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.

In one embodiment the bleached tobacco raw material obtained or obtainable by said process has an ISO brightness that is not less than about <NUM>, specifically not less than about <NUM>, and more specifically not less than about <NUM>, as measured according to ISO <NUM>:<NUM>.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a smoking tobacco composition comprising the bleached tobacco raw material obtained or obtainable by said process.

In one embodiment this smoking tobacco composition comprises nicotine in addition to any nicotine naturally present in the tobacco. The added nicotine may be natural nicotine, i.e. nicotine extracted from tobacco plants, or synthetic nicotine, or a combination thereof.

In one embodiment the content of tobacco raw material obtained or obtainable by said process in this smoking tobacco composition comprises up to about <NUM> wt-%, specifically up to about <NUM> wt-%, and more specifically up to about <NUM> wt-% of unbleached tobacco raw material, calculated on the dry total weight of the tobacco raw material content of the composition.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a smokeless tobacco composition comprising the bleached tobacco raw material obtained or obtainable by said process.

In one embodiment this smokeless tobacco composition comprises nicotine in addition to any nicotine naturally present in the tobacco. The added nicotine may be natural nicotine, i.e. nicotine extracted from tobacco plants, or synthetic nicotine, or a combination thereof.

In one embodiment the tobacco raw material content of this smokeless tobacco composition comprises up to about <NUM> wt-%, specifically up to about <NUM> wt-%, and more specifically up to about <NUM> wt-% of unbleached tobacco raw material, calculated on the dry total weight of the tobacco raw material content of the composition.

Another aspect of the invention relates to nasal snuff, i.e. snuff products suited for nasal administration, which comprises this smokeless tobacco composition.

Another aspect of the invention relates to an oral smokeless tobacco product comprising this smokeless tobacco composition. The oral smokeless tobacco product may be, but is not limited to, moist snuff such as snus, chewing tobacco, oral dry snuff, or hard snuff.

This oral smokeless tobacco product may comprise additives chosen among - but not limited to - one or more substances belonging to any of the following categories, or combinations thereof: API (active pharmaceutical substances), food additives, natural or synthetic nutrients, flavoring substances, natural medicaments or naturally occurring substances that can have an effect on humans. Examples of such substances are green tea, white tea, caffeine, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin E, bioperin, Q10, selenium, glutathione, liponic acid, folic acid, ginseng, pollen extract, antioxidants, minerals, paracetamol, acetylsalicylic acid, Russian root, and rose root.

In one embodiment this oral smokeless tobacco product contains an alginate composition of the kind, and in the way described in <CIT>, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference. More specifically, the oral smokeless tobacco product according to this embodiment contains an alginate composition, distributed in the product and comprising at least water, alginate and an added substance intended to be released from the product when said product is used, said composition containing an alginate matrix that retains at least a major proportion of the added substance so long as the matrix is intact, and the alginate matrix being formed so as to disintegrate and/or dissolve in the chemical and physical environment that exists in a user's mouth; wherein said alginate contains an alginate salt of monovalent cations and is soluble in cold water.

In one embodiment this oral smokeless tobacco product is chewing tobacco comprising a gum base. The gum base may be chosen among - but is not limited to - commercial chewing gum bases, bubble gum bases, and natural gum base materials.

This oral smokeless tobacco product may be provided in baked or compressed form, from which portions may punched or pressed in portions, such as lozenges or tablets.

As an alternative, this oral smokeless tobacco product may be provided in loose form or in the form of portion-size sachets. As a further alternative it may have a film-like form.

This oral smokeless tobacco product may have a pH of about <NUM>-<NUM>, specifically about <NUM>-<NUM>, more specifically about <NUM>-<NUM>.

This oral smokeless tobacco product may have a water content of about <NUM> - <NUM>%, specifically about <NUM> - <NUM>%, more specifically about <NUM> - <NUM>%.

Another aspect of the invention relates to the bleached tobacco raw material for use in the treatment of nicotine addiction, such as for instance in a pharmaceutical for smoking cessation.

The invention will now be illustrated in closer detail in the following non-limiting examples.

Unbleached tobacco raw material was cooked with water in a digesting vessel at <NUM> for <NUM> minutes, after which the liquid was drawn off, and the material was flushed with water.

Cooking liquor, with pH adjusted to <NUM> by SO<NUM>, was added to the digesting vessel. The cooking liquor contained mainly sodium bisulfite, but also partly sodium sulfite. The cooking was performed at <NUM> for <NUM> minutes, after which the digesting vessel was degassed. Water was added and circulated at <NUM>. The digesting vessel was emptied and the material was flushed.

The digested material was taken to a defibrator, in which the fibres were freed by beating.

The obtained fiber suspension was led to a screen with <NUM> slots to screen away undigested fibres. The remaining fibres were brought to a centrifuge in which the material, pulp, was dewatered to dry content of about <NUM>%.

The bleaching was carried out in a plastic vessel heated by a water bath.

The pulp was treated at <NUM> for <NUM> minutes with ClO<NUM> in an amount of <NUM>/ton of pulp, at a pulp concentration of <NUM>%.

The pulp was washed after each step according to the following:
Bleaching liquor was drawn off in a centrifuge; the pulp was diluted with water and slurried by means of a stirrer; and the pulp was then washed in the centrifuge with <NUM> liter of water per <NUM> grams of pulp.

The resulting pulp was analyzed at Eurofins Food & Agro Testing Norway AS (Skansen), in Trondheim, Norway, with respect to the content of starches and simple sugars, which proved to be <<NUM>%.

The pulp was also analyzed at Eurofins Food & Agro Testing Sweden AB, Lidköping, Sweden, with resepct to the content of sucrose, which proved to be <<NUM>/<NUM>, i.e. <<NUM>%.

Thus, the total content of fermentable carbohydrates <<NUM>%.

The pulp was also analyzed at Eurofins Food & Agro Testing Sweden AB with respect to the content of nitrite, which proved to be <<NUM>/kg.

The pulp was also analyzed at Eurofins Food & Agro Testing Sweden AB with respect to the combined amount of NNN (N-nitrosonornicotine) and NNK ((<NUM>-methylnitrosamino)-<NUM>-(<NUM>-pyridyl)-<NUM>-butanone), which proved to be <<NUM>/kg.

The pulp was also analyzed at Eurofins Food & Agro Testing Sweden AB with respect to the content of NDMA (N-Nitrosodimethylamine), which proved to be <<NUM>µg/kg.

The pulp was also analyzed at Eurofins Food & Agro Testing Sweden AB with respect to the content of B(a)P (Benzo(a)pyrene) which proved to be <<NUM>µg/kg.

The pulp was also analyzed at Eurofins Environment Sweden, Lidköping, Sweden, with respect to the content of Cd, which proved to be <NUM>/kg ± <NUM>% (analysis method/reference NMKL No <NUM><NUM> mod).

The pulp was also analyzed at Eurofins Environment Sweden, Lidköping, Sweden, with respect to the content of Pb, which proved to be <NUM>/kg ± <NUM>% (analysis method/reference NMKL No <NUM><NUM> mod).

The pulp was also analyzed at Eurofins Environment Sweden, Lidköping, Sweden, with respect to the content of As, which proved to be <<NUM>/kg ± <NUM>% (analysis method/reference NMKL No <NUM><NUM> mod).

The pulp was also analyzed at Eurofins Environment Sweden, Lidköping, Sweden, with respect to the content of Ni, which proved to be <NUM>/kg ± <NUM>% (analysis method/reference NMKL No <NUM><NUM> mod).

The pulp was also analyzed at Eurofins Environment Sweden, Lidköping, Sweden, with respect to the content of Cr, which proved to be <NUM>/kg ± <NUM>% (analysis method/reference NMKL No <NUM><NUM> mod).

Claim 1:
A bleached tobacco raw material comprising less than <NUM> weight-% fermentable carbohydrates, calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material, wherein the bleached tobacco raw material comprises less than <NUM>µg/kg of B(a)P (Benzo(a)pyrene); and one or more, but not all of:
less than <NUM>/kg of nitrite;
less than <NUM>/kg of a combined amount of NNN (N-nitrosonornicotine) and NNK ((<NUM>- methylnitrosamino)-<NUM>-(<NUM>-pyridyl)-<NUM>-butanone);
less than <NUM>µg/kg of NDMA (N-Nitrosodimethylamine);
less than <NUM>/kg of Cd;
less than <NUM>/kg of Pb;
less than <NUM>/kg of As;
less than <NUM>/kg of Ni; and
less than <NUM>/kg of Cr;
calculated on the dry total weight of the bleached tobacco raw material.