Abstract: Containers for smokeless tobacco products and other consumer and food products are provided. The containers include a layer of fibrous material, wherein the layer of fibrous material includes a moisture barrier layer imbedded within the layer of fibrous material or carried on an outer surface of the layer of fibrous material as a coating, the moisture barrier layer incorporating at least one of: (i) a triazine-containing compound; (ii) a nano-cellulose material; (iii) a nanoclay material; (iv) a polymer composition comprising one or more of a salt of one or more of myristic, palmitic and stearic acid, polyvinyl alcohol, and a C9-C18 fatty acid complex of a metal ion having an oxidation state of at least three; and (v) an inorganic oxide material.

Abstract: A filter material configured for use as a filter element of a smoking article is provided, the filter material including at least one segment of fibrous tow having a plurality of superabsorbent objects dispersed therein, the superabsorbent objects comprising a starch material. Exemplary starch materials include naturally-occurring starch, hydroxyalkylated starch, starch esters, ionically modified starch, oxidized starch, hydrolyzed starch, plasticized starch, gelatinized starch, grafted starch, crosslinked starch, transglycosylated starch, starch ethers, and mixtures thereof, as well as blends of starch with other polymers. Filter elements and smoking articles, such as cigarettes, that contain the filter material are also provided. A method of preparing polymer fibers for use in filter elements is also provided, the method including adding the starch material to a fiber precursor solution prior to fiber extrusion or dry-blending the starch material with the polymer material to be formed into fibers.