SMOKELESS TOBACCO COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR TREATING TOBACCO FOR USE THEREIN

摘要

A process for preparing a tobacco composition suitable for use as a smokeless tobacco composition is proposed, comprising providing a moist tobacco material having a first moisture content, heating the moist tobacco at a temperature and for a time sufficient to pasteurize the tobacco material while maintaining the moisture content at or above the first moisture content, adding an amount of a base and water to the moist tobacco material sufficient to raise the pH of the slurry to an alkaline pH and raise the moisture content to a second moisture content higher than the first moisture content, thereby forming a pH-adjusted moist tobacco material, continuing to heat the pH-adjusted moist tobacco material at a temperature and for a time sufficient for the pH of the moist tobacco material to drop while maintaining a moisture content at or above the second moisture content to form a treated tobacco material (14), and incorporating the treated tobacco material (14) into a smokeless tobacco product (10).