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 mixture of water and a tobacco material in the form of a slurry, heating the mixture at a temperature and for a time sufficient to pasteurize the mixture, adding an amount of a base to the slurry sufficient to raise the pH of the slurry to an alkaline pH, thereby forming a pH-adjusted mixture, continuing to heat the pH-adjusted mixture at a temperature and for a time sufficient for the pH of the pH-adjusted mixture to drop at least about 0.5 pH unit following said adding step to form a treated tobacco material, and incorporating the treated tobacco material into a smokeless tobacco product.