Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24B—MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF
  • A24B15/00—Chemical features or treatment of tobacco; Tobacco substitutes, e.g. in liquid form
  • A24B15/18—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes
  • A24B15/28—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes by chemical substances
  • A24B15/281—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes by chemical substances the action of the chemical substances being delayed
  • A24B15/283—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes by chemical substances the action of the chemical substances being delayed by encapsulation of the chemical substances

Definitions

• the present invention relates to particles having similar properties of cloves and to their use in tobacco products.
• Cloves are used in tobacco products, which are often called “kretek” cigarettes, in order to achieve a desirable crackling effect and for the additional flavour benefit.
• cloves generate an additional risk of tar production during smoking and therefore their use is inconsistent with attempts to reduce tar production and consumption.
• Another problem associated with the use of cloves is the fluctuation in the quality and price of natural cloves.
• GB 1284151 discloses smoking articles comprising a plurality of minute capsules having a diameter between 50 to 500 microns. These capsules containing an oil as an inner phase rupture with an audible crackling sound during smoking. It is stated that these capsules should not exceed 500 microns in diameter and should not be less than 50 microns, since smaller capsules fail to rupture with an audible crackling, and larger capsules may separate too easily from the tobacco during manufacture and storage.
• One disadvantage of such minute capsules is that a smoker can barely feel and/or see the difference between a product comprising such capsules and a product without such capsules.
• Applicant has surprisingly found that one can form clove-oil-containing particles that may have the appearance of real cloves and which provide desirable properties such as an audible crackling and a controlled release of taste and odor of cloves when burned.
• cigarettes containing such particles have a similar feel as cigarettes containing real cloves.
• the invention relates to a tobacco product containing particles of a carbohydrate matrix having dispersed therein a plurality of droplets of a crackling agent.
• the carbohydrate matrix material may be selected from monosaccharides (I), disaccharides (II), oligosaccharides (III), polysaccharides (IV), starches including modified starches and hydrolysates (V), and hydrogenates of (I - V).
• Starches for example native corn starch, tapioca starch and potato starch are preferred.
• the matrix material may optionally comprise a plasticizer such as a polyhydroxy compound, for example glycerol, sorbitol and propylene glycol, to improve the mechanical properties of the particles.
• Other excipients, such as coloring materials, flavorings or fragrances may also be present in the matrix material. Coloring materials that provide a brown color are preferred, e.g. E150.
• the particles according to the present invention comprise a crackling agent, such as a combustible liquid.
• the crackling agent is inflammable and provides a crackling effect preferably at temperatures higher than 400°C.
• the crackling agent is preferably selected from the group of vegetable oils, fats or other food-grade inflammable materials.
• a crackling agent having organoleptic properties is preferred.
• the crackling agent is liquid oil, preferably a flavored oil, or a flavor dissolved in an oil.
• the volatility of said compounds is preferably similar to that of clove oil.
• Essential oils are volatile oils obtained for example by steam distillation of plants. Most preferred are caryophyllene and isopropyl myristate.
• organoleptic stands for compounds having a taste and/or an odor, such as fragrance and flavor compounds that may be selected from the extensive range of natural and synthetic molecules currently available, such as essential oils, alcohols, aldehydes and ketones, ether and acetals, ester and lactones, and precursors thereof.
• such compounds may be used which are well known in tobacco applications and their use is no restricted by national law, for example vanillin, ethyl butyrate, methyl hexanoate, beta-ionone, ketoisophorone, emoxyfurone (5-Ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-methyl-2(5H)-furanone), and corylone pyrazine (5H-5-Methyl-6,7-dihydrocyclopenta(b)pyrazine).
• an emulsifier such as a modified starch with emulsifying properties, for example octenyl succinate-modified starch (e.g. Capsule® from National Starch), can be used to obtain a uniform dispersion of the crackling agent in the carbohydrate matrix and to keep the amount of the crackling agent on the surface of the particles (so called "surface oil") to a minimum. Accordingly, the crackling agent is protected against oxidation and can not result in the development of off-flavor. Further, the crackling agent can't cause spots on the cigarette paper.
• octenyl succinate-modified starch e.g. Capsule® from National Starch
• excipients such as flavors and fragrances may be added to the emulsion.
• the optimal concentration of the crackling agents may vary widely and depends on the properties or each agent but is in general between 1 to 20%, preferably between 2 to 10%, preferably 4 to 7% by total weight of the particles.
• the droplet size of the crackling agent dispersed in a carbohydrate matrix may vary over a wide range in different products depending on the desired release rate of the oil and of the crackling noise to be achieved. However, preferably the droplet size is between 1 to 5 microns, more preferably between 1 to 3 microns.
• the particles according to the present invention may be prepared by
• suitable equipment for the production of the emulsion may be a high shear mixer (e.g. Ultraturrax from IKA) inserted into a stirring vessel of appropriate volume size.
• a high-pressure mixer can be used.
• the extrusion process may be carried out by using a conventional single or double screw extruder.
• such particles are preferred to have a bulk density similar to that of real cloves, for example between 230 and 450g/L, preferably between 240 and 300g/L, more preferably between 240 and 270 g/L.
• the bulk density being similar to that of real cloves and also the irregular shape of the particles may render separation of the particles from tobacco during processing of tobacco products more difficult.
• the irregular shape of the particles may have the appearance of cut cloves, more particular of cut clove buds and clove stems as used in flavourd cigarettes.
• the particles have an irregular shape they may be further described by its dimension, more particular by its length and width.
• Such particles are preferred having a particle size of about 0.5 to 3 mm width and of about 5 to 15 mm length, more preferably of about 1 to 2 mm width and of about 5 to 12 mm length, most preferably of about 1.5 to 2 mm width and of about 7 to 10 mm length.
• the particles according to the present invention may be used to substitute cloves in various applications but in particular, in tobacco products.
• the particles are added to tobacco in an effective amount and the tobacco products, preferably the cigarettes are prepared from the resulting mix.
• Preferably, 5 to 40% by weight of the particles according to the present invention are mixed with 60% to 95% by weight of tobacco to partly or completely replace natural cloves.
• the shelf life of the particles is higher than 10 years when stored in closed containers. Furthermore, the particles according to the present invention compared to natural cloves have the advantage of producing markedly smaller amounts of tar during smoking without adversely affecting the pleasures associated with smoking the tobacco product. A further advantage is that these particles have not strong quality and price fluctuations and can therefore provide a considerable cost and quality advantage.
• the invention relates to a method of incorporating such particles into a tobacco product by admixing said particles with dried, cut tobacco leaves.
• the process yielded particles of a flake-like shape varying in size from 10 x 2 to 5 x 1 mm.
• the particles when incorporated into cigarettes, developed a nice crackling effect by burning which is very similar to the crackling effect of sliced clove buds and clove stems.
• the process yielded particles of a flake like shape with an average size of about 8 by 2 mm.
• the bulk density of the dried particles (about 260 g/L) was close to that of cut clove buds (about 210 g/L).
• Cigarettes of the following composition were prepared:
• the tar production using the "clove replacer" is substantially lower than the one of natural cloves.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Toxicology (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Manufacture Of Tobacco Products (AREA)

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Cited By (11)

Citations (4)

• 2002
  • 2002-04-20 EP EP02008890A patent/EP1252831A3/fr not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (4)

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