Patent ID: 7694686

Claim:
A process for producing a conditioned smokeless tobacco and/or snuff comprising: preconditioning tobacco and/or snuff by contacting the tobacco and/or snuff with an amount of steam alone effective for raising the temperature of the tobacco and/or snuff to about 215° to about 230° F., wherein the steam is freely vented from the tobacco to obtain a preconditioned tobacco and/or snuff; heating the preconditioned tobacco and/or snuff at a moisture content of about 5 to about 40 weight percent in a mechanical extruder, the mechanical extruder having a temperature and conveyance rate effective for providing a pressure of at least about 130 psi; and venting the heated tobacco and/or snuff after attaining a pressure of at least about 130 psi to obtain a conditioned smokeless tobacco and/or snuff.