Patent ID: 7798151

Claim:
A method of reducing an amount of a constituent in tobacco, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a vessel containing said tobacco comprising said constituent; (b) contacting said tobacco with a subcritical fluid consisting of carbon dioxide or a hydrocarbon under conditions so that said amount of said constituent dissolves in said subcritical fluid, wherein said subcritical fluid is carbon dioxide at 0-24° C. and 1000-2200 psi and the tobacco of step (a) has a moisture content of at least 30%; said subcritical fluid is ethane at 0-30° C. and 500-2000 psi; said subcritical fluid is propane at 0-50° C. and 100-2000 psi and the tobacco of step (a) has a moisture content of at least 30%; or said subcritical fluid is Freon 22 at 0-50° C. and 100-2000 psi; or said subcritical fluid is butane and the tobacco of step (a) has a moisture content of at least 30%; and (c) removing said subcritical fluid from said vessel; thereby reducing the amount of said constituent in said tobacco.