Patent ID: 7337782

Claim:
A process for removing Hoffman analyte precursors from tobacco, comprising the steps of: soaking tobacco in a solvent to form a soluble portion; separating said soluble portion into an aqueous tobacco extract and an insoluble fibrous portion; subjecting said aqueous tobacco extract to a foam fractionation system; bubbling a gas though said aqueous tobacco extract in said foam fractionation system to form bubbles, wherein said Hoffman analyte precursors preferentially adsorb to a gas-liquid interface of said bubbles as said bubbles move though said aqueous tobacco extract, and wherein said bubbles accumulate to form a column of foam on top of said aqueous tobacco extract, said foam having said Hoffman analyte precursors preferentially adsorbed thereto; and moving said foam into a foam collector, wherein said foam collapses yielding a foamate enriched with said Hoffman analyte precursors.