Abstract: A leaf tobacco extract or a concentrate thereof is used as a dispersion medium, which is mixed with powder of a heat-irreversibly coagulating glucan and a dispersion interference-preventing agent including an organic acid. The resultant mixture is stirred to disperse the powder of glucan into the dispersion medium, thereby preparing a slurry having an increased viscosity. This slurry is formed into a sheet, which is then heated and coagulated.

Abstract: A tobacco flavor-tasting article is manufactured by preparing a heat-irreversibly coagulated glucan sheet containing a tobacco extract. The glucan sheet is prepared by preparing a sheet-like material from a high viscosity aqueous dispersion containing the extract obtained by an extraction treatment of a leaf tobacco, together with a heat-irreversibly coagulating glucan, and heating the sheet-like material to coagulate the glucan. This sheet is cut or pulverized to prepare a tobacco flavor-generating material. On the other hand, a tobacco flavor-adjusting material is prepared by preparing a sheet-like material from a leaf tobacco fibrous residue, which is the residue after the extraction, and cutting the sheet-like material. These tobacco flavor-generating material and tobacco flavor-adjusting material are used in combination to produce a cigarette-like article.

Abstract: A flavor-tasting article including a flavor-generating medium, and a heating source disposed physically separated from the flavor-generating medium to heat the flavor-generating medium to release a flavoring component therefrom. The flavor-generating medium includes a flavoring component-holding material formed of a heat-irreversibly gelled, heat-irreversibly coagulating glucan and a flavoring component held in the holding material. The flavor-generating material releases a sufficient amount of the flavoring component only through heating.

Abstract: A smoking article has a flavor-generating material as a burnable smoking element. The flavor-generating material includes a flavoring component-holding material formed of a heat-irreversibly gelled glucan and a flavoring component held in the holding material, and is obtained by thermally gelling a mixture of ungelled glucan and the flavoring component added thereto. Since the flavoring component is firmly fixed and held within the three-dimensional network structure of the gelled glucan, the storage properties and release-durability of the flavoring component are improved.

Abstract: A tobacco smoke filter capable of selectively removing irritating materials and unpleasant bitter components from tobacco smoke and containing as a filter element nitrogen-containing activated carbon fibers produced by oxidizing acrylonitrile polymer fibers and then activating the oxidized fibers.