Abstract: In processes for high pressure extraction, a gaseous solvent under high pressure is conducted through an extractor filled with solid material and in this process takes on organic components from the solid materials. These are subsequently separated in a separator and the solvent is again delivered to the extractor. In particular, when gas mixtures having a reduced solvating power are used as solvent to increase the selectivity of the components to be dissolved out, high gas throughputs become necessary to produce a certain amount of product. In order to reduce the high gas throughputs, the solid materials are soaked with a gaseous solvent under high pressure without gas extraction before the circulation process begins. The solvent composition as well as the soaking conditions may deviate from the extraction conditions. In this process, prior to the extraction stage, the solid material in the extractor is soaked with a gaseous solvent under high pressure without the occurrence of a gas flow.

Abstract: Concentrated tobacco extracts are provided by first extracting water soluble components from tobacco. The aqueous extract then is spray dried to a dry powder form. As such, the extract is in a low solvent form (i.e., the solvent content including moisture content of the extract is less than about 12 weight percent). The spray dried extract is contacted with a lower alcohol such as methanol or ethanol, and certain components are extracted from the spray dried extract. The resulting extracted components are isolated from the alcohol solvent in order to yield a tobacco essence. The essence has a homogeneous, viscous character and exhibits a tobacco aroma. The essence is useful as a flavoring agent for cigarettes and other smoking articles.

Abstract: A dried, concentrated fiberless aqueous extract of cured tobacco leaves suitable for smoking or chewing and a process for producing same.

Abstract: Reconstituted tobacco has phosphate salts incorporated therein. Tobacco is extracted with water to yield an insoluble portion and an aqueous portion containing water soluble tobacco components. The aqueous portion is adjusted to a pH of about 7, and contacted with diammonium hydrogen orthophosphate. The extract then is applied to the insoluble portion which has been formed into a sheet-like shape. The resulting tobacco composition is dried to yield a reconstituted tobacco material.

Abstract: Flavorful tobacco substances are provided by extracting tobacco with water, spray drying the resulting liquid tobacco extract, contacting the spray dried extract with a glycerine carrier, and subjecting the extract and carrier to a temperature above 150.degree. C. for a period of time sufficient to eliminate the harsh or "green" taste provided by the extract. The flavorful tobacco substances are useful as forms of tobacco in smoking product manufacture.

Abstract: Tobacco extracts are provided by first extracting tobacco material with water and then subjecting the resulting aqueous tobacco extract to a liquid/liquid extraction process using a halocarbon or a halogenated hydrocarbon. Preferably, the pH of the aqueous extract is adjusted to about 9 or above prior to the liquid/liquid extraction step. The two immiscible solvents then are separated from one another such that there is provided an aqueous tobacco extract having certain extracted tobacco components removed therefrom and halocarbon or halogenated hydrocarbon solvent having extracted tobacco components carried thereby. The processed aqueous extract can be spray dried to provide a concentrated tobacco extract which then can be employed as a flavoring agent for cigarettes and other smoking articles. Tobacco components carried by the halocarbon or halogenated hydrocarbon solvent also can be separated from that solvent.

Abstract: Reconstituted Tobacco has ammonia incorporated therein. Tobacco is extracted with water to yield an insoluble portion and an aqueous portion containing water soluble tobacco components. The aqueous portion is contacted with ammonia to yield an ammoniated extract. The extract is applied to the insoluble portion which has been formed into a sheet-like shape. The resulting tobacco composition is dried to yield a reconstituted tobacco material treated with ammonia.

Abstract: Tobacco material having a reduced protein content is provided by first extracting water soluble components from tobacco. The extracted residue then is subjected to enzyme treatment using an enzyme which can decompose water insoluble protein molecules to smaller sized water soluble molecular components. The enzyme treated extracted tobacco material then is isolated. The extracted tobacco components then are subjected to ultrafiltration treatment, and the extracted tobacco components having the high molecular weight components thereof so removed are reapplied to the protein-reduced tobacco material. As such, a reconstituted tobacco material is provided. The reconstituted tobacco material so provided is useful as smokable material for cigarette manufacture.

Abstract: Aromatized reconstituted tobacco is prepared from tobacco particles by extracting the particles with water to form an extract containing between 5 and 20 g/l of sugar, fermenting the extract with a yeast of the genera kluyveromyces, saccharomyces or candida, forming sheets from the extracted particles, and incorporating the fermented extract into those sheets.

Abstract: Tobacco material having a reduced protein content is provided by first extracting water soluble components from tobacco. The extracted residue then is subjected to enzyme treatment using an enzyme which can decompose water insoluble protein molecules to smaller sized water soluble molecular components. The enzyme treated extracted tobacco material then is isolated. The extracted tobacco components then can be reapplied to the protein reduced tobacco material. The tobacco material so processed is use as smokable material for cigarette manufacture.

Abstract: A process for removing nicotine from tobacco which does not adversely affect the flavor and aroma of the product tobacco is disclosed. The process entails mixing a tobacco having a moisture content of 25% to 53% with an alkalinizing agent to obtain a pH of 8 to 11 and maintaining the tobacco in an aerobic environment at a temperature of 40.degree. F. to 120.degree. F. at a pressure of 1 atmosphere for a period of 4 to 14 weeks. The product so produced is also disclosed.

Abstract: Extruded tobacco has its chemical composition changed during the extrusion process. Divided tobacco and ammonia are introduced into an extruder. The combination of temperatures and pressures within the extruder provides for liberation of nicotine from the tobacco. The ammonia and liberated nicotine are removed from the extruder. In addition, the ammonia and sugars within the tobacco can react to further modify the chemical composition of the tobacco. Extrudate is collected separately from the liberated materials. In such a manner, tobacco can be reformed into an extruded shape while having its chemical composition altered.

Abstract: A process is provided for the dry treatment of agricultural products such as corn, leafy plant material, animal feed, silage material and tobacco to remove fertilizer-derived nitrate. The process involves a short duration contact of the agricultural product with HC1 gas under conditions which minimize generation of non-volatile chlorocarbons that could form by interaction of the agricultural product with the gaseous products of the reaction of the HC1 with the nitrate. The gaseous products are swept quickly away from the treated agricultural product by a carrier gas such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, air, helium, and HC1.

Abstract: A method of determining on a discrete analyzer the nicotine content of tobacco or a smoking-related product by preparing an aqueous extract of a sample of tobacco or smoking-related product, pre-reacting the extract with an acidic buffered solution of pH not more than 6 for at least two minutes, reacting the pre-reacted extract in the discrete analyzer with aniline and cyanogen bromide, measuring the intensity of yellow coloration generated, and comparing said intensity with that produced by a nicotine standard to determine the nicotine content of said sample.

Abstract: Novel tobacco compositions which, when subjected to an elevated temperature below the combustion temperature of the tobacco, liberates essentially pure nicotine. The invention also includes a method for liberating nicotine from the compositions and a device for carrying out the method.

Abstract: Flue-cured tobacco can be treated with burley tobacco flavor components and subjected to volume expansion conditions. Flavor components are supercritically extracted from burley tobacco and directly applied to the flue-cured tobacco while the extraction fluid is in a supercritical or subcritical state.

Abstract: An improved process for removing insoluble nitrogen-containing compounds from cured tobacco uses alkali or a combination of protease and nonprotease depolymerase, rather than simple protease extraction.The method of the invention is more efficient and results in a more effective extraction of protein.

Abstract: Mixtures of substances containing organic components are segregated by extraction with a gaseous solvent in high pressure extraction. One additive component is admixed to the charged solvent, whereby the solvent capacity of the solvent is strongly reduced and consequently a precipitation is achieved for at least a portion of the components to be captured as an extract.

Abstract: A culture of microorganisms requiring oxygen but capable of living anaerobically while using nitrates and/or nitrites as oxygen source, which are brought to their exponential growth phase under anaerobic conditions, and are made to react under like conditions on the nitrates and/or nitrites, until the nitrates and/or nitrites are reduced to the desired level and the effect of the microorganisms is then stopped.

Abstract: High temperature processes and thermophilic organisms for use in those processes for reducing the levels of certain nitrogen-containing compounds in tobacco materials. Tobacco materials are contacted with at least one thermophilic organism characterized by an anaerobic, dissimilatory, metabolic pathway for denitrification of tobacco materials under anaerobic and high temperature conditions that promote such metabolism. Tobacco materials treated in accordance with these high temperature processes and thermophilic organisms, when incorporated into a smoking product, deliver a significantly reduced amount of oxide of nitrogen in smoke. Moreover, such tobacco materials also afford the product of other tobacco products having lower amounts of nitrates and other nitrogen-containing compounds.

Abstract: Process for the start-up of high-temperature processes for the denitrification of tobacco materials via an anaerobic dissimilatory metabolic pathway of thermophilic organisms. The process advantageously permits the induction of denitrification activity through the use of a seed culture which, itself, is the product of a previous thermophilic denitrification treatment of the same type as that to which the start-up process is directed.

Abstract: Smoking products, for example cigarettes, cut tobacco, pipe tobacco, cigarillos and the like, give an increased yield of nicotine in the tobacco smoke without impairment of the taste of the smoke, when trans-nicotine N'-oxide, which is free or substantially free of cis-nicotine N'-oxide or contains at most 10% by weight of the cis-isomer, is added thereto in a quantity of up to 5% by weight, relative to the dry weight of the tobacco. The nicotine N-oxide is prepared by oxidizing nicotine with an aqueous H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution in the presence of a catalytic amount of non-oxidizing acid having a pk value of less than 5 to produce an oxidation mixture containing trans and cis-nicotine N'-oxide.

Abstract: A method for modifying the smoking flavor characteristics of bright tobacco, involves treating the tobacco with liquid ammonia, separating the resulting ammonia solution from the tobacco, concentrating the solution by evaporating the ammonia, dissolving the concentrate in a solvent and reapplying the dissolved residue to the once-treated tobacco.

Abstract: An improved method of reducing the nitrate, nitrite and ammonium compound content of an aqueous tobacco extract employing microorganisms is described. The nitrates, nitrites and ammonium compounds are eliminated on a continuous basis via an aerobic assimilatory metabolic pathway by introducing aqueous tobacco extract and necessary additives into a work mixture, containing suitable microorganisms, at a dilution rate which does not exceed the growth rate of the microorganisms while withdrawing a portion of the work mixture at a rate such that the volume of the work mixture remains constant. Optionally the biomass may be removed from the withdrawn mixture.

Abstract: A new process for preparing a tobacco flavoring formulation is provided. In this process, tobacco leaves are extracted with cold water 0.degree.-10.degree. C. in a quantity at most five times as much as the amount thereof, an extracted liquid obtained by solid-liquid separation is concentrated at a temperature of 30.degree.-50.degree. C. to a solute concentration of 25-35%, and the thus obtained concentrated extract is compounded with a polyvalent alcohol into said formulation.

Abstract: Aromatic substances are produced from diterpene fractions in a solvent which is oxidized in the absence of photochemically active radiation. The oxidation is performed with an oxidizing agent in the presence of a catalyst. The oxidizing agent is selected from oxygen, peroxo compounds, halogenates and periodates. The catalyst is selected from compounds of tin, lead, cerium, and transition metals of groups Ib, IVb, Vb, VIb, VIIb and VIII.

Abstract: A process for maximizing reduction of gas phase components during combustion of tobacco products is disclosed. The process comprises contacting tobacco material with an aqueous solution to form a tobacco extract. After separating the extract from the fibrous tobacco portion, the extract is treated to remove potassium nitrate by ion exchange, electrodialysis, crystallization techniques or the like. Thereafter, potassium ions in the form of a potassium salt other than potassium nitrate are restored to the potassium depleted tobacco and/or extract to a level approximating that originally present in the tobacco prior to extractions.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for producing a smoking tobacco having a low nitrate content includes at least one stage through which a tobacco having a relatively high nitrate content, for example burley tobacco, continuously passes for continuous nitrate removal by dissolution. In the nitrate removal stage, a solvent is added to, for example, the burley tobacco to form a slurry. The free solvent, including dissolved nitrates, is decanted from the slurry leaving saturated burley tobacco. The saturated burley tobacco is subjected to an expression pressure to remove a further amount of solvent and dissolved nitrates therefrom. After the burley tobacco leaves the nitrate removing stage, it is mixed with another tobacco, such as, for example, a flue-cured tobacco. The tobacco mixture is then expanded and dried to a moisture content suitable for use in a smoking article.

Abstract: High pressure of nicotine with a compressed gaseous solvent is used for producing low nicotine tobacco. A mixture of nitrogen and carbon dioxide with the nitrogen being 50-80 percent of the mixture is used. The extraction is carried out at pressures between 250 and 600 bar at temperatures above 50.degree. C.

Abstract: A process for the reduction of the nitrate and nicotine contents of tobacco by microbial treatment is disclosed wherein tobacco materials are subjected, under controlled conditions, to the action of a microorganism effective to degrade nitrates and alkaloids (nicotine) through a biochemical reaction. The microorganism is combined or grown in the presence of a nitrate containing compound in relatively small quantities. Tobacco treated in accordance with this process has a reduced nitrate and nicotine content, and when incorporated into a tobacco smoking product thereby produces a mild smoke, having reduced nitrogen oxides, hydrogen cyanide and nicotine content. However, there is no loss of desirable flavor, taste and smoking properties.

Abstract: A process for the reduction of the nitrate content of tobacco materials by microbial treatment is disclosed wherein tobacco materials are subjected, under controlled conditions, to the action of a microorganism effective to degrade nitrates through a biochemical reaction. Tobacco materials treated in accordance with this process, when incorporated into a tobacco smoking product, produce a mild smoke having reduced nitrogen oxides and hydrogen cyanide deliveries without loss of desirable flavor, taste or other smoking properties.

Abstract: A method for producing tobacco flavors which comprises the steps of hydrolytically degrading into amino acids the proteins of biomass produced by the assimilation of low molecular weight nitrogen compounds from an aqueous tobacco extract, isolating the amino acid mixture and converting that mixture into flavors by the use of reducing sugars and heat. The flavors of this invention may be added to smoking products to improve their aroma and taste.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for obtaining aromatic materials from a tobacco extract (primary extract) obtainable by means of solvents, by mixing this tobacco extract with an adsorbent, treating the mixture obtained with CO.sub.2 in a pressure extraction vessel under extraction conditions (secondary extraction) and isolating a clear tobacco aroma oil in a downstream separating vessel.The invention also relates to a new tobacco aroma oil which is free of resins, waxes and polyphenols and has a considerably reduced nicotine content.The invention further relates to the use of the obtainable tobacco aroma oil for aromatizing tobacco or tobacco products.

Abstract: A tobacco-treatment process comprises mechanically expressing cell-sap from yellowed, substantially undried, tobacco-leaf material, impregnating the fibrous material remaining after the expression with said cell-sap or with parts or components of said cell-sap or with cell-sap expressed from other yellowed, substantially undried, tobacco leaf material, and drying the sap-impregnated material. The tobacco leaf material may comprise leaves harvested in a fully developed and mature state. The leaves may be at least partly yellow when harvested. They may have been yellowed by the application of a yellowing agent to tobacco plants or yellowing may have been effected or completed by heaping or rack-hanging the harvested leaves in an enclosed atmosphere, suitably with a relative humidity of 70% or more and a temperature in the range of 20.degree. to 40.degree. C. Ethylene gas may be introduced into the atmosphere to promote the yellowing.

Abstract: A mixed complementary culture of bacteria and fungi are used to degrade pectin and cellulose components of tobacco materials.

Abstract: A tobacco extractor (10) for extracting liquid and soluble constituents from cut, small plants or tobacco is disclosed. The extractor (10) consists of a worm conveyor (16) for conveying the tobacco through a V-shaped conduit (11, 12) while the wash liquid passes through the conduit in an opposite direction.

Abstract: For the preparation of tobacco, the insoluble proteins are initially made soluble by enzymatic treatment, dissolved and then eliminated in the solution by metabolic assimilation. The remaining solution components are then returned to the tobacco.

Abstract: Freshly cut tobacco leaves are processed wherein the processing includes particle size reduction and drying immediately upon harvesting.

Abstract: A process for selectively denitrating tobacco by electrodialysis to thereby reduce the delivery of various gas phase components, during combustion of tobacco products is disclosed. The process comprises forming an aqueous tobacco extract, separating the extract from the fibrous tobacco portion, selectively denitrating the extract and reapplying the denitrated extract to a fibrous tobacco portion. Denitration of the extract is effected by circulating the extract through those cells of an electrodialysis unit having anion permeable membrane towards both anode and cathode, said extract cells being paired on their anode side with brine cells which have a cation permeable membrane toward the anode. The cell pairs are separated by cells through which an acid is circulated. Smoking products containing tobacco treated in accordance with the invention exhibit reduced delivery of nitrogen oxides during combustion.

Abstract: Aromatic substances to be applied to tobacco to improve aroma characteristics are prepared by exposing an alcoholic extract, which contains carotenoids and may additionally contain diterpenes and has been isolated from fresh tobacco plants, to ultraviolet light and oxygen. Additionally, aromatic substances may be produced from xanthophyll containing plant extracts by the same method.

Abstract: A method is provided for treating uncured green tobacco whereby the chemical composition of the tobacco can be altered. The method involves expressing protoplasmic juice from green uncured tobacco by means of pressure and thereafter artificially curing the tobacco. The expressed juice may be collected and processed to alter its chemical composition. The processed juice may thereupon be reapplied to tobacco from which juice has been expressed to produce a tobacco product having desired chemical characteristics.

Abstract: Natural tobacco is extracted with water to produce a soluble extract and an insoluble fibrous residue. The aqueous extract is contacted by microorganisms, such as bacteria or fungi, capable of converting nitrate in the extract to nitrogen. Contacting may be done by adding a microorganism culture to a batch of the extract, or by passing the aqueous extract through a filter carrying a supply of the microorganisms. In either case, the contacting should take place in a substantially anaerobic environment. The culture may be produced by cycling a quantity of tobacco extract through a filtering medium to promote the growth of microorganisms occurring naturally in tobacco. Carbohydrate and/or protein is added to the denitrated extract to replace compounds depleted during the denitrating procedure. Ultimately, the denitrated extract is recombined with the fibrous tobacco residue.

Abstract: A process for treating tobacco to reduce the delivery of various gas phase components, during combustion of tobacco products is disclosed. The process comprises contacting tobacco material with an aqueous solution to form a tobacco extract. After separating the extract from the fibrous tobacco portion, the extract is treated by an ionic extraction means such that nitrate ions are extracted while the potassium ion content of the extract is left substantially intact. The treated extract may then be recombined with the fibrous tobacco products. Such products exhibit reduced delivery of nitrogen oxides, HCN and CO during combustion.