Abstract: Burley tobacco when cured is sought after as a component of commercial cigarette blends. The inventors have found that, to avoid its less desirable features, one may replace Burley with cured bright tobacco which has been heated in the presence of ammonia at moderate temperature.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for increasing the filling power of tobacco which comprises heating the tobacco at elevated temperature while maintaining the OV and SV values of the tobacco substantially constant. Preferably, the tobacco is heated at a temperature of at least about 80.degree. C. in a closed system for a time sufficient to increase the CV value of the tobacco.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for increasing the filling power of tobacco lamina filler without the use of exogenous impregnants by contacting the filler with a heat transfer medium such that heat is transferred rapidly and substantially uniformly from the medium to the filler for a total contact time sufficient to stiffen and expand the filler. The filler has an OV value, immediately before treatment, within the range of from about 8% to about 30% and, most preferably, within the range of from about 10% to about 14%. The filler, immediately before treatment, is preferably at ambient temperature and it is preferred that the entire process be conducted at atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: Tobacco which has been increased in filling power by a conventional tobacco expansion process can be further increased in filling power by a post expansion heat treatment. The post expansion heat treatment comprises contacting the expanded tobacco produced by a conventional expansion process with a gaseous medium, such as air and/or steam, at a temperature of from about 200.degree. F. to about 450.degree. F. The post expansion heat treatment is preferably conducted at a lower temperature than the temperature of the heating step of the expansion process, and thus can be more easily controlled, while providing an additional increase in filling power. The product of the post expansion heat treatment process of this invention has been found to be as acceptable in subjective smoking characteristics as the expanded tobacco which is treated by the process.

Abstract: Impregnated tobacco is expanded in an expansion operation involving the entrainment of the impregnated tobacco in a heated gas stream under high temperature-short entrainment time conditions resulting in a product of improved quality and enhanced expansion.

Abstract: Tobacco having at least about 6 percent moisture is impregnated with ammonia and carbon dioxide to introduce into the tobacco preferably from about 3 percent to about 6 percent by weight of ammonia and from about 3 percent to about 8 percent of carbon dioxide based on the weight of the tobacco. The impregnated tobacco is then heated for from about 5 to about 60 minutes at a temperature of from about 80.degree. to about 120.degree. C. in an open system to produce a tobacco product, having an OV of about 6% or less. The resulting tobacco product is, either with or without being bulked at room temperature, thereafter contacted with dry steam, preferably at low velocity, at a temperature which may be from about 100.degree. C. to about 150.degree. C., but is preferably from about 100.degree. C. to about 120.degree. C. for a time sufficient to puff the tobacco, preferably from about 1/4 to about 3 minutes.