Process for improving filling power of expanded tobacco.

摘要

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 93°C to about 232°C. 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.