Abstract: The invention provides a method for reducing the protein content of tobacco material which includes either: (1) extracting the tobacco material with an anionic surfactant; (2) treating the tobacco material with a proteolytic enzyme followed by extraction with a surfactant; (3) applying a surfactant solution to the tobacco material, separating the solution from the tobacco material, removing the surfactant and polypeptides from the tobacco material, optionally with the use of an insoluble adsorbent, and combining the tobacco material with the remaining solution; or (4) first extracting the tobacco material with an aqueous solvent and then with a surfactant. The invention further provides a tobacco material of reduced protein content produced by extraction with an anionic surfactant.