EP4691269A1

EP4691269A1 - Method for recovering stabilized tobacco flavor components and method for producing regenerated tobacco material

Info

Publication number: EP4691269A1
Application number: EP23932094.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ryosuke NAGASE; Yutaka Kaihatsu; Yurina TAKANABE
Original assignee: Japan Tobacco Inc
Current assignee: Japan Tobacco Inc
Priority date: 2023-04-07
Filing date: 2023-04-07
Publication date: 2026-02-11
Also published as: WO2024209684A1; JPWO2024209684A1; WO2024209715A1; KR20250161577A; CN120826167A; CN120826168A; JPWO2024209715A1; US20260101922A1; KR20250161576A; EP4691268A1

Abstract

A method for recovering stabilized tobacco flavor components, comprising: heating a tobacco material to allow a tobacco flavor component to be vaporized from the tobacco material; recovering the tobacco flavor component; and reacting the tobacco flavor component with a base component to obtain a stabilized tobacco flavor component.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a method for recovering stabilized tobacco flavor components, and a method for producing regenerated tobacco material.

BACKGROUND ART

Heat-not-burn inhalers (also referred to below simply as heated inhalers), in which a tobacco flavor source is heated rather than burned to deliver tobacco flavor to users, have recently been developed as an alternative to combusted flavor inhalers such as cigarettes.
In heat-not-burn flavor inhalers, molded tobacco that is obtained by molding a tobacco material together with an aerosol source is commonly used as the source of tobacco flavor. It is also known that tobacco material is heated to generate a tobacco flavor component-containing gas, the resulting gas is dissolved in a liquid to obtain a flavor component-containing liquid, and the flavor component-containing liquid is used as a source of tobacco flavor in such heated flavor inhalers (see, for example, PTL 1).

CITATION LIST

PATENT LITERATURE

[PTL 1] WO 2017/144705 A1

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

TECHNICAL PROBLEM

An object of the present invention is to provide a technology that allows tobacco flavor components derived from tobacco material to be stably preserved.

SOLUTION TO PROBLEM

One aspect provides
a method for recovering stabilized tobacco flavor components, comprising:

heating a tobacco material to allow a tobacco flavor component to be vaporized from the tobacco material;
recovering the tobacco flavor component; and
reacting the tobacco flavor component with a base component to obtain a stabilized tobacco flavor component.

Another aspect provides a heat-not-burn flavor inhaler comprising the stabilized tobacco flavor component obtained by the method described above.
Another aspect provides
a method for producing a regenerated tobacco material, comprising:

obtaining the stabilized tobacco flavor component according to the method described above; and
mixing the stabilized tobacco flavor component with a tobacco material, that has been heated, to obtain a regenerated tobacco material.

Still another aspect provides a regenerated tobacco material obtained by the method described above.
Yet another aspect provides a heat-not-burn flavor inhaler comprising regenerated tobacco material obtained by the method described above.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

The present invention makes it possible to provide a technology that allows tobacco flavor components derived from tobacco material to be stably preserved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a method for producing a regenerated tobacco material.
[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a reaction system.
[Fig. 3A] Fig. 3A is a schematic front view showing an example of an aerosol-generating device.
[Fig. 3B] Fig. 3B is a schematic top view of the aerosol-generating device shown in Fig. 3A.
[Fig. 3C] Fig. 3C is a schematic bottom view of the aerosol-generating device shown in Fig. 3A.
[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional side view showing an example of a flavor-generating article.
[Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view along line III-III of the aerosol-generating device shown in Fig. 3B.
[Fig. 6] Fig. 6 is a graph showing the amount of acetic acid in a tobacco flavor liquid.
[Fig. 7] Fig. 7 is a graph showing the amount of organic acid in a tobacco flavor liquid.
[Fig. 8] Fig. 8 is a graph showing the amount of acetic acid in a tobacco flavor liquid.
[Fig. 9] Fig. 9 is a graph showing the amount of organic acid in a tobacco flavor liquid.
[Fig. 10] Fig. 10 is a graph showing the amount of acetic acid in a tobacco flavor liquid.
[Fig. 11] Fig. 11 is a graph showing the amount of organic acid in a tobacco flavor liquid.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is described in detail below, but the following descriptions are intended to describe the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. The embodiments described below are more specific embodiments of any of the above aspects. The matters set out below may be incorporated, either alone or in combination, into each of the above aspects.

<1. METHOD FOR RECOVERING STABILIZED TOBACCO FLAVOR COMPONENTS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING REGENERATED TOBACCO MATERIAL>

As noted in the Background Art section above, it is known that tobacco material is heated to generate a tobacco flavor component-containing gas, and the resulting gas is dissolved in a liquid to obtain a flavor component-containing liquid. In this technical field, tobacco materials are also commonly heated in an extraction solvent to extract tobacco flavor components from the tobacco material in order to produce regenerated tobacco material. In either case, the objective is to isolate the tobacco flavor components from the tobacco material to allow the tobacco flavor components to be efficiently released in heated flavor inhalers.
However, the inventors noted there is a problem in that tobacco flavor components that have been isolated from tobacco material tend to volatilize during subsequent processing steps and storage. The inventors perfected the present invention upon finding that, when tobacco material is heated to generate a tobacco flavor component-containing gas, and the resulting gas is reacted with a base component in water, the organic acids serving as a tobacco flavor component are less likely to volatilize and can be stably preserved.
The present invention, according to one aspect, is a "method for recovering stabilized tobacco flavor components." Specifically, the method for recovering stabilized tobacco flavor components comprises:

a method for recovering stabilized tobacco flavor components, comprising: heating a tobacco material to allow a tobacco flavor component to be vaporized from the tobacco material;
recovering the tobacco flavor component; and
reacting the tobacco flavor component with a base component to obtain a stabilized tobacco flavor component. This method, according to another aspect, can be expressed as a "method for stabilizing tobacco flavor components."

"Stabilized tobacco flavor components" may be ionized tobacco flavor components, or may be salts obtained by chemical reaction between tobacco flavor components and the base component. When the tobacco flavor component is an organic acid, the "stabilized tobacco flavor component" may be organic acid ions, or may be a salt obtained by a chemical reaction between the organic acid and the base component.
In a preferred embodiment, the recovery can be effected by allowing the flavor component-containing gas to pass through an inert liquid so that the tobacco flavor component is recovered in the liquid.
In a more preferred embodiment, the recovery and the reaction can be simultaneously effected by allowing the flavor component-containing gas to pass through an inert liquid to which the base component has been added.
In an even more preferred embodiment, the recovery and the reaction can be simultaneously effected via bubbling of the flavor component-containing gas in an inert liquid to which the base component has been added. Specifically, the "method for recovering stabilized tobacco flavor components" comprises heating the tobacco material to allow tobacco flavor components to be vaporized from the tobacco material, and allowing a tobacco flavor component-containing gas to be bubbled in an inert liquid to which the base component has been added, so that the stabilized tobacco flavor components are obtained in the liquid. The method may furthermore comprise a step in which the "tobacco flavor component-containing bubbling liquid" that has been obtained in the bubbling step is dried and concentrated.
As used herein, "inert liquid" refers to a liquid that is inert to (specifically, is chemically non-reactive with) the tobacco flavor component-containing gas and the base component. Water is an example of an inert liquid. Also, as used herein, "base component" refers to a component that is capable of increasing the pH of an inert liquid.
The "stabilized tobacco flavor component" obtained by the method noted above can also be used to produce regenerated tobacco material. Specifically, the method for producing regenerated tobacco material comprises:

obtaining the stabilized tobacco flavor component according to the "method for recovering stabilized flavor components" noted above; and
mixing the stabilized tobacco flavor component with a tobacco material, that has been heated, to obtain a regenerated tobacco material.

An example of a method for producing regenerated tobacco material is described in the following sequence below with reference to Fig. 1: (S1) heating step; (S2) step for bubbling in a base component-containing bubbling liquid; (S3) drying step; and (S4) mixing step. In Fig. 1, an example of a method for producing regenerated tobacco material is presented in a flow chart.
The following is a description of "a method for producing regenerated tobacco material," but also includes a description of the "method for recovering stabilized flavor components" because the invention of the "method for producing regenerated tobacco material" includes the invention of the "method for recovering stabilized tobacco flavor components."

(S1) Heating step

In the heating step (S1), a tobacco material is heated to allow tobacco flavor components to be vaporized from the tobacco material. The "tobacco flavor component-containing gas" is obtained by means of the heating step (S1) (see Fig. 1). The tobacco flavor component comprises organic acid.
Cut tobacco that is ready to be included in a tobacco product such as a combusted or heated flavor inhaler can be used as the "tobacco material." The expression "cut tobacco that is ready to be included in a tobacco product" refers to cut tobacco that has been made ready to be included in a tobacco product by way of: a drying process at a farm; a subsequent long-term aging process of one or more years at a raw material factory; and a variety of subsequent processes such as blending and cutting at a manufacturing plant.
Cut tobacco is cut leaf tobacco. The cut tobacco may be cut de-stemmed leaves, cut midrib, cut regenerated tobacco (specifically, tobacco materials obtained when waste such as leaf waste, cut tobacco produced from leaf waste, midrib waste, and tobacco dust produced over the course of factory processes is processed into a usable form), or mixtures thereof. The cut tobacco may be ground, and the resulting ground material may be used for the heating step (S1). The use of ground cut tobacco as tobacco material will allow tobacco flavor components to be more efficiently recovered from the tobacco material. This will result in greater amounts of recovered tobacco flavor components and greater amounts of tobacco flavor components in the regenerated tobacco material that is ultimately obtained.
Any variety of cut tobacco can be used, such as flue-cured (yellow), burley, or orient varieties. A single variety or a mixture of different varieties of cut tobacco can be used.
The tobacco material preferably has a pH of 4.5 to 6.0. As used herein, the tobacco material pH refers to a value determined as follows.
2.0g of tobacco material is weighed out into a vial, 20 mL of distilled water is added, and the resulting mixture is extracted by being shaken for 10 minutes at 200 rpm. The resulting extract is allowed to stand for 5 minutes, and the pH of the extract is then determined using a pH meter (LAQUA F-72, by HORIBA, Ltd.). The pH that has been determined is the pH of the tobacco material.
Heating can be effected, for example, at a temperature of 180 to 250°C, and preferably 190 and 225°C. Heating can be effected, for example, for 1 to 120 minutes, and preferably 10 to 40 minutes. A tobacco flavor component-containing gas is obtained by means of the heating step.

(S2) Step for bubbling in a base component-containing bubbling liquid

In the bubbling step (S2), the "tobacco flavor component-containing gas" obtained in the heating step (S1) is bubbled in a bubbling liquid comprising a base component (see Fig. 1). The recovery of the tobacco flavor components and the reaction between the tobacco flavor components and the base component are thereby effected simultaneously. As a result, the "stabilized tobacco flavor components" are obtained in the bubbling liquid. Specifically, a "tobacco flavor component-containing bubbling liquid" is obtained.
It is believed that most of the "stabilized tobacco flavor components" obtained in this step will be ionized tobacco flavor components. Most of the tobacco flavor components are ionized into ions in the bubbling liquid, but the base component is also ionized into ions. It appears that the base component ions in the form of counterions result in stable tobacco flavor components that are in the form of ions in the bubbling liquid, and that are not susceptible to volatilization.
In this example, water to which the base component had been added was used as the bubbling liquid, but the base component may be added to an inert liquid other than water. Any liquid can be used as the inert liquid, provided that the liquid is inert to (specifically, is chemically non-reactive with) the tobacco flavor component-containing gas and the base component.
The base component contained in the bubbling liquid is not limited, provided that the component is capable of increasing the pH of the water. The base component may be a weak base. Specifically, the base component may be, for example, a substance comprising a salt that forms weakly acidic ions having a pKa of 3 to 5 when ionized. The base component may be a salt that forms weak acidic ions having a pKa of 3 to 5 when ionized. An advantage of weak bases is that they are highly safe for carrying out the bubbling step (S2).
Alternatively, the base component may be a strong base. Specifically, the base component may be, for example, a substance that forms hydroxide ions when ionized. An advantage of strong bases is that the use of even small amounts will result in highly efficient stabilization of tobacco flavor components.
The base component is, for example, at least one selected from the group consisting of potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate, sodium hypochlorite, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, sodium formate, and potassium formate.
The base component can be added to the inert liquid (water, in this example) so that the pH of the bubbling liquid (reaction mixture) obtained after the bubbling step (S2) will be 6.5 to 10.
When the base component is a weak base, it can be added in an amount of, for example, 15 to 100 mg, per gram of the raw tobacco material, to the inert liquid (water, in this example). When the base component is a strong base, it can be added in an amount of, for example, 10 to 60 mg, per gram of the raw tobacco material, to the inert liquid (water, in this example).
The bubbling liquid can be used, for example, in an amount of 1 to 50 mL, when 30 g of raw tobacco material is used.
In this example, the tobacco flavor component is recovered at the same time that the tobacco flavor component is reacted with the base component, but the "tobacco flavor component-containing gas" obtained via the heating step (S1) may be bubbled into water, and the base component may then be added to the water for the reaction between the tobacco flavor component and the base component.

(Specific example)

The heating step (S1) and bubbling step (S2) noted above can be effected, for example, using the reaction system 20 shown in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 2, the reaction system 20 comprises: a heating device 20A; a bubbling device 20B; a gas flow path 25 connecting these two devices; and a pump 26 for conveying gas in the gas flow path 25.
The heating device 20A comprises: a heating container 21 for housing the tobacco material 23; a heater 22 surrounding the heating container 21; and a thermocouple 24 that determines the temperature of the interior space in the heating container 21.
The bubbling device 20B comprises: a cooling container 27 for housing a bubbling liquid 28; and a helical cooling tube 29 connected to the gas flow path 25.
The operation of the reaction system 20 is described below. First, the tobacco material 23 is housed in the heating container 21, and the heating container 21 is sealed. The tobacco material 23 inside the heating container 21 is heated by the heater 22. When the tobacco material 23 is heated, a tobacco flavor component-containing gas is generated from the tobacco material 23. The gas is discharged from a gas discharge port provided in the upper surface of the heating container 21 and is sent to the gas flow path 25. The interior space of the heating container 21 is monitored by the thermocouple 24 and adjusted to a predetermined temperature.
The tobacco flavor component-containing gas is sent through the gas flow path 25 to the cooling tube 29 via the operation of the pump 26. The cooling tube 29 is a stainless steel helical tube. The gas is cooled while passing through the cooling tube 29. The cooled gas is then bubbled into the bubbling liquid 28 inside the cooling container 27. The tobacco flavor component-containing gas is thereby dissolved and recovered in the bubbling liquid 28.
When the bubbling liquid 28 includes a base component, the tobacco flavor components react with the base component, and stabilized tobacco flavor components are obtained in the bubbling liquid 28. As noted above, it is believed that most of the "stabilized tobacco flavor components" obtained in this step will be ionized tobacco flavor components. Specifically, it appears that stable tobacco flavor components are in the form of ions in the bubbling liquid 28, and are not susceptible to volatilization.

Drying step (S3)

The "tobacco flavor component-containing bubbling liquid" obtained in the bubbling step (S2) is dried and concentrated in the drying step (S3) (see Fig. 1). A "tobacco flavor component concentrate" is thus obtained.
For example, drying can be effected by heating the "tobacco flavor component-containing bubbling liquid" obtained in the bubbling step (S2) for 10 to 120 minutes to a temperature of 70 to 120°C. The concentrate may be directly obtained via the drying step (S3), or dried solids may be obtained via the drying step (S3) and then dissolved in a small amount of water to obtain the concentrate.
It is believed that, when dried solids are obtained by removing the water in the drying step (S3), the tobacco flavor components chemically react with the base component to form salts. It is believed that the salts obtained via chemical reaction between the tobacco flavor components and the base component are stable substances that are not susceptible to volatilization. It is believed that, when the dried solids are dissolved in a small amount of water, the tobacco flavor components are again ionized into ionized tobacco flavor components. It is believed that, because the base component ions are in the form of counterions, the ionized tobacco flavor components are stable in the form of ions in the water and are not susceptible to volatilization.

Mixing step (S4)

In the mixing step (S4), the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" obtained in the drying step (S3) is mixed with the "heated tobacco material" that remains after the heating step (S1) (see Fig. 1). Regenerated tobacco material is thus obtained.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS

According to the above method, tobacco flavor components are vaporized from the tobacco material, are collected in the bubbling liquid, and react with the base component. The tobacco flavor components (such as organic acids) are ionized in the bubbling liquid and are not susceptible to volatilization due to the presence of the base component in the form of counterions. When the reaction mixture is dried, the tobacco flavor components (such as organic acid) react with the base component to form salts, which are also not susceptible to volatilization. This allows the tobacco flavor components to be less volatile and to be stably preserved, whether dissolved in the bubbling liquid or in the form of dry solids.
According to the above method, a "tobacco flavor component-containing bubbling liquid" is obtained in the bubbling step (S2), a "tobacco flavor component concentrate" is obtained in the drying step (S3), and "regenerated tobacco material" is obtained in the mixing step (S4), but these can be incorporated into a heated flavor inhaler. They comprise stabilized tobacco flavor components (specifically, ionized tobacco flavor components and/or salts obtained by chemical reaction between the tobacco flavor components and the base component), and can thus be stably preserved, without any volatilization of the tobacco flavor components, during subsequent processing or storage. They can thus be incorporated into a heated flavor inhaler, allowing greater amounts of tobacco flavor components to be released when a user draws on the heated flavor inhaler.

<2. Tobacco flavor liquid>

The "tobacco flavor component-containing bubbling liquid" obtained in the bubbling step (S2) and the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" obtained in the drying step (S3) can be incorporated as a tobacco flavor liquid into a heated flavor inhaler.
For example, the "tobacco flavor component-containing bubbling liquid" and the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" can be incorporated in unmodified liquid form into a liquid atomization type of heated flavor inhaler to be atomized during use, thus allowing them to be used as a tobacco flavor source in a heated flavor inhaler.
Alternatively, the "tobacco flavor component-containing bubbling liquid" and the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" can be added to a tobacco material (such as de-stemmed leaves or leaf tobacco), the resulting mixture can be dried, and the resulting dried product can be used as a tobacco flavor source in a heated inhaler.
Thus, according to another aspect, a non-combusted/non-heated flavor inhaler comprising the "tobacco flavor component-containing bubbling liquid" or the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" can be provided.

<3. Regenerated tobacco material>

The "tobacco flavor component-containing bubbling liquid" obtained in the bubbling step (S2) and the "heated tobacco material" that remains after the heating step (S1) can be mixed, and the resulting mixture (specifically, regenerated tobacco material) can be used as a tobacco flavor source in a heated flavor inhaler. Similarly, the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" obtained in the drying step (S3) and the "heated tobacco material" that remains after the heating step (S1) can be mixed, and the resulting mixture (specifically, regenerated tobacco material) can be used as a tobacco flavor source in a heated flavor inhaler.
Alternatively, molded tobacco in the form of, for example, tobacco granules or sheet tobacco can be produced from regenerated tobacco material, and the molded tobacco can be used as a tobacco flavor source in a heated flavor inhaler. Molded tobacco may also be included in regenerated tobacco material. In the examples described below, an example in which sheet tobacco is prepared in the form of regenerated tobacco material is given.
The regenerated tobacco material may include additives such as binders, pH regulators, preservatives, and antioxidants, as needed.
Thus, according to another aspect, the invention provides a method for producing regenerated tobacco material, comprising mixing a "tobacco flavor component-containing bubbling liquid" or a "tobacco flavor component concentrate" with the "heated tobacco material" that remains after the heating step (S1) to obtain regenerated tobacco material.
Still another aspect provides a regenerated tobacco material obtained by the method described above. Yet another aspect provides a heat-not-burn flavor inhaler comprising regenerated tobacco material obtained by the method described above.
The regenerated tobacco material can have, for example, a pH of 6 to 9, and preferably a pH of 6 to 8. When the regenerated tobacco material has a pH within this range, the disagreeable odor that tends to develop in tobacco material having a basic pH will be less likely to develop. The pH of the regenerated tobacco material refers to the value determined by the same method as the "method for determining the pH of the tobacco material" described above. Specifically, the regenerated tobacco material pH refers to a value determined as follows.
2.0g of regenerated tobacco material is weighed out into a vial, 20 mL of distilled water is added, and the resulting mixture is extracted by being shaken for 10 minutes at 200 rpm. The resulting extract is allowed to stand for 5 minutes, and the pH of the extract is then determined using a pH meter (LAQUA F-72, by HORIBA, Ltd.). The pH that has been determined is the pH of the regenerated tobacco material.

<4. Heat-not-burn flavor inhaler>

A heat-not-burn flavor inhaler is described below. Heat-not-burn flavor inhalers are flavor inhalers in which a tobacco flavor source is heated, rather than burned, to deliver tobacco flavor to users. This is also referred to below simply as a "heated flavor inhaler." The heated flavor inhaler of the present invention has the same structure as conventional heated flavor inhalers, except that the tobacco flavor source is replaced with any of the above "tobacco flavor component-containing bubbling liquid," the above "tobacco flavor component concentrate," and the above "regenerated tobacco material."
An example of a heated flavor inhaler is described below with reference to Figs. 3A, 3B, 3C, 4, and 5. In the present example, the heated flavor inhaler comprises an aerosol-generating device 100 and a tobacco stick 200. Fig. 3A is a schematic front view of an example of an aerosol-generating device. Fig. 3B is a schematic top view of the aerosol-generating device shown in Fig. 3A. Fig. 3C is a schematic bottom view of the aerosol-generating device shown in Fig. 3A. Fig. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of an example of a tobacco stick. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view along line III-III of the aerosol-generating device shown in Fig. 3B.
An X-Y-Z Cartesian coordinate system may be applied to the drawings to facilitate description. In this coordinate system, the Z-axis is oriented vertically upwards, the X-Y plane is arranged to cut horizontally across the aerosol-generating device 100, and the Y-axis is arranged to extend from the front surface to the rear surface of the aerosol-generating device 100. The Z-axis may refer to the direction in which a tobacco stick housed in a chamber 150 of an atomizing unit 130 (described below) is inserted, or to the axial direction of the chamber 150. The X-axis is a direction perpendicular to the Y-axis and the Z-axis, and the X-axis and Y-axis refer to radial directions perpendicular to the axial direction of the chamber 150, or radial directions of the chamber 150.
The aerosol generating device 100 is built to generate a tobacco flavor-containing aerosol by heating a tobacco stick that has a flavor source comprising any of the above "tobacco flavor component-containing bubbling liquid," the above "tobacco flavor component concentrate," and the above "regenerated tobacco material."
As shown in Fig. 3A through 3C, the aerosol-generating device 100 comprises an outer housing 101 (equivalent to an example of an enclosure), a sliding cover 102, and a switch unit 103. The outer housing 101 constitutes the outermost housing of the aerosol-generating device 100, and is sized to fit in a user's hand. When the user is using a flavor inhaler, users can inhale the aerosol while holding the aerosol-generating device 100 in their hand. The outer housing 101 may be configured by assembling a plurality of members. The outer housing 101 is, for example, made of resin, and may specifically be formed from, for example, a polycarbonate (PC), an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) resin, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymer, or a metal such as aluminum.
The outer housing 101 has an opening (not shown) for receiving a tobacco stick, and the sliding cover 102 is slidably attached to the outer housing 101 to close the opening. More specifically, the sliding cover 102 is built to be moveable along the outer surface of the outer housing 101 between the closed position (the position shown in Fig. 3A and 3B) where the opening of the outer housing 101 is closed, and the open position (the position shown in Fig. 5) where the opening is open. For example, the user can manually operate the slide cover 102 to move the slide cover 102 between the closed position and the open position. This allows or prevents the tobacco stick access to the interior of the aerosol-generating device 100.
The switch unit 103 is used to switch operation of the aerosol-generating device 100 on and off. For example, a user operates the switch unit 103, while the tobacco stick is inserted into the aerosol-generating device 100, to supply power from the power source (see reference sign 121 in Fig. 5) to the heater (see reference sign 140 in Fig. 5), allowing the tobacco stick to be heated without burning. The switch unit 103 may be a switch provided on the outside of the outer housing 101, or may be a switch located inside the outer housing 101. If the switch is located inside the outer housing 101, the switch is indirectly pressed by pressing a switch unit 103 on the surface of the outer housing 101. In the example described here, the switch of the switch unit 103 is located inside the outer housing 101.
The aerosol-generating device 100 may further have a terminal (not shown). The terminal may, for example, be an interface for connecting the aerosol-generating device 100 to an external power source. If the power source included in the aerosol-generating device 100 is a rechargeable battery, connecting an external power source to the terminal allows current to flow from the external power source to the power source, thereby charging the power source. A data transmission cable may also be connected to the terminal to allow data relating to the operation of the aerosol-generating device 100 to be transmitted to a remote device.
A tobacco stick for use with the aerosol-generating device 100 is described next. Fig. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of an example of a tobacco stick 200. In this example, the flavor inhaler is composed of the aerosol-generating device 100 and the tobacco stick 200. As shown in Fig. 4, the tobacco stick 200 comprises a smokable material 201, a tubular member 204, a hollow filter section 206, and a filter section 205.
The smokable material 201 is wrapped with a first wrapper 202. The tubular member 204, the hollow filter section 206, and the filter section 205 are wrapped with a second wrapper 203 that is different from the first wrapper 202. The second wrapper 203 also wraps part of the first wrapper 202 in which the smokable material 201 is wrapped. The tubular member 204, the hollow filter section 206, and the filter section 205 are thus connected to the smokable material 201. However, the second wrapper 203 may be omitted, and the first wrapper 202 may be used to connect the tubular member 204, the hollow filter section 206, and the filter section 205 to the smokable material 201. A lip release agent 207 is applied to the outer surface of the second wrapper 203, near the end on the filter section 205 side, to make it easier for the user's lips to separate from the second wrapper 203. The part of the tobacco stick 200 to which the lip release agent 207 is applied functions as the mouthpiece of the tobacco stick 200.
The smokable material 201 comprises any of the above-mentioned "tobacco flavor component-containing bubbling liquid," "tobacco flavor component concentrate," or "regenerated tobacco material" as the flavor source. As noted above, these comprise stabilized tobacco flavor components, thus allowing greater amounts of tobacco flavor components to be released when a user draws on the heated flavor inhaler.
The first wrapper 202 in which the smokable material 201 is wrapped may be a breathable sheet member. The tubular member 204 may be a paper tube or a hollow filter. In the present example, the tobacco stick 200 comprises the smokable material 201, the tubular member 204, the hollow filter section 206, and the filter section 205, but the configuration of the tobacco stick 200 is not limited to this. For example, the hollow filter section 206 may be omitted, and the tubular member 204 and filter section 205 may be arranged adjacent to each other.
The internal structure of the aerosol-generating device 100 is described next. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view along line III-III of the aerosol-generating device 100 shown in Fig. 3B. As shown in Fig. 5, an inner housing 110 (equivalent to an example of an enclosure) is provided inside the outer housing 101 of the aerosol-generating device 100. The inner housing 110 is made of resin, for example, and may specifically be formed from, for example, a polycarbonate (PC), an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) resin, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymer, or a metal such as aluminum. The inner housing 110 is preferably PEEK in the interests of heat resistance and strength. The power source unit 120 and the atomizing unit 130 are provided in the interior space of the inner housing 110.
The power source unit 120 includes a power source 121. The power source 121 may be a rechargeable battery or a non-rechargeable battery, for example. The power source 121 is electrically connected to the atomizing unit 130. The power source 121 is thereby able to supply power to the atomizing unit 130, in order to heat the tobacco stick 200 properly.
As shown in Fig. 5, the atomizing unit 130 comprises: a metal chamber 150 (corresponding to an example of a tubular member) extending in the direction (Z-axis direction) in which the tobacco stick 200 is inserted; a heater 140 that covers a part of the chamber 150; a heat insulating section 132; and a generally cylindrical insertion guide member 134 (corresponding to an example of a guide section) that is in contact with the opening of the chamber 150. The chamber 150 is configured to surround the tobacco stick 200. The heater 140 is configured to include a heating portion that is in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the chamber 150 and that heats the tobacco stick 200 inserted into the chamber 150.
As also shown in Fig. 5, the bottom of the chamber 150 is provided with a bottom member 136 (corresponding to an example of a contact portion). The bottom member 136 may come into contact with the tobacco stick 200, which has been inserted into the chamber 150, in the direction in which the tobacco stick 200 is inserted, acting as a stopper holding the tobacco stick 200 in position. Here, the chamber 150 and the bottom member 136 form a housing for housing at least a part of the tobacco stick 200. The bottom member 136 may be formed by a resin material, for example. The surface of the bottom member 136 that is in contact with tobacco stick 200 may be concave-convex, and may define a first airflow path that allows air to be supplied to the air intake port of the tobacco stick 200 (specifically, that communicates with the tobacco stick 200 housed in the housing). The bottom member 136 is, for example, made of resin, and may specifically be formed from, for example, a polycarbonate (PC), an acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene (ABS) resin, a polyether ether ketone (PEEK), a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymer, or a metal such as aluminum. The bottom member 136 is preferably formed of a material of low thermal conductivity, in order to control the transfer of heat to the heat insulating section 132, for example.
The heat insulating section 132 is cylindrical overall, and is disposed so as to cover the chamber 150. The heat insulating section 132 may contain an aerogel sheet, for example. The insertion guide member 134 is provided between the sliding cover 102 in the closed position and the chamber 150. The insertion guide member 134 is made of resin, for example, and may specifically be formed from, for example, a polycarbonate (PC), an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) resin, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymer, or a metal such as aluminum. The insertion guide member 134 may be formed from, for example, metal, glass, or a ceramic. The insertion guide member 134 is also preferably PEEK in the interests of heat resistance. The insertion guide member 134 communicates with the outside of the aerosol-generating device 100 when the sliding cover 102 is in the open position, and guides the insertion of the tobacco stick 200 into the chamber 150 when the tobacco stick 200 is inserted into the insertion guide member 134. The insertion guide member 134 is provided to allow the tobacco stick 200 to be easily inserted into the chamber 150.
The aerosol-generating device 100 also has a first holding unit 137 and a second holding unit 138, which hold both ends of the chamber 150 and the heat insulating section 132. The first holding unit 137 is disposed so as to hold the ends of the chamber 150 and the heating insulating section 132 on the negative Z-axis side. The second holding unit 138 is disposed so as to hold the end portions of the chamber 150 and the insulating section 132 on the sliding cover 102 side (positive Z-axis side).

<5. Preferred embodiments>

Preferred embodiments are summarized below.

[A1] A method for recovering stabilized tobacco flavor components, comprising: heating a tobacco material to allow a tobacco flavor component to be vaporized from the tobacco material;
- recovering the tobacco flavor component; and
- reacting the tobacco flavor component with a base component to obtain a stabilized tobacco flavor component.
[A2] The method according to [A1], wherein the recovery is effected by allowing a flavor component-containing gas to pass through an inert liquid so that the tobacco flavor component is recovered in the liquid.
[A3] The method according to [A1], wherein the recovery and the reaction are simultaneously effected by allowing the flavor component-containing gas to pass through an inert liquid to which the base component has been added.
[A4] A method for recovering stabilized tobacco flavor components, comprising: heating a tobacco material to allow a tobacco flavor component to be vaporized from the tobacco material;
allowing a tobacco flavor component-containing gas to be bubbled in an inert liquid to which the base component has been added, so that the stabilized tobacco flavor components are obtained in the liquid (specifically, so that the above liquid containing stabilized tobacco flavor components is obtained).
[A5] A method according to any of [A2] through [A4], wherein the inert liquid is water.
[A6] The method according to any of [A2] through [A5], further comprising drying and concentrating the above liquid containing the stabilized tobacco flavor components.
[A7] The method according to [A6], wherein the drying is effected by heating the above liquid containing the stabilized tobacco flavor components to a temperature of 70 to 120°C.
[B1] A method for producing a regenerated tobacco material, comprising: obtaining the stabilized tobacco flavor components (such as the liquid containing the stabilized tobacco flavor components, or a concentrate thereof) by the method according to any of [A1] through [A7]; and
mixing the stabilized tobacco flavor component with a tobacco material, that has been heated, to obtain a regenerated tobacco material.
[B2] A method for producing a regenerated tobacco material, comprising: obtaining the stabilized tobacco flavor components, in the liquid, by the method according to any of [A2] through [A5]; and
mixing the liquid containing the stabilized tobacco flavor components with a tobacco material, that has been heated, to obtain a regenerated tobacco material.
[B3] A method for producing a regenerated tobacco material, comprising: obtaining the stabilized tobacco flavor components, in the liquid concentrate, by the method according to [A6] or [A7]; and
mixing the liquid concentrate containing the stabilized tobacco flavor components with the tobacco material, that has been heated, to obtain a regenerated tobacco material.
[B4] The method according to any of [B1] through [B3], further comprising molding the regenerated tobacco material to produce molded tobacco.
[C1] The method according to any of [A1] through [A7] and [B1] through [B4], wherein the tobacco material is cut tobacco.
[C2] The method according to any of [A1] through [A7], [B1] through [B4], and [C1], wherein the tobacco material has a pH of 4.5 to 6.0.
[C3] The method according to any of [A1] through [A7], [B1] through [B4], and [C1] and [C2], wherein the heating is effected at a temperature of 180 to 250°C, and preferably 190 to 225°C.
[C4] The method according to any of [A1] through [A7], [B1] through [B4], and [C1] through [C3], wherein the heating is effected for 1 to 120 minutes, and preferably 10 to 40 minutes.
[C5] The method according to any of [A2] through [A7], [B1] through [B4], and [C1] through [C4], wherein the base component is included in the inert liquid in such a way that the pH of the reaction mixture that is obtained following the recovery and the reaction is 6.5 to 10.
[C6] The method according to any of [A1] through [A7], [B1] through [B4], and [C1] through [C5], wherein the base component is a weak base.
[C7] The method according to any of [A1] through [A7], [B1] through [B4], and [C1] through [C6], wherein the base component is a substance comprising a salt that forms weakly acidic ions having a pKa of 3 to 5 when ionized.
[C8] The method according to any of [A1] through [A7], [B1] through [B4] and [C1] through [C7], wherein the base component is a salt that forms weakly acidic ions having a pKa of 3 to 5 when ionized.
[C9] The method according to any of [A1] through [A7], [B1] through [B4] and [C1] through [C5], wherein the base component is a strong base.
[C10] The method according to any of [A1] through [A7], [B1] through [B4] and [C1] through [C5] and [C9], wherein the base component is a substance that forms hydroxide ions upon ionization.
[C11] The method according to any of [A1] through [A7], [B1] through [B4] and [C1] through [C10], wherein the base component is at least one selected from the group consisting of potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate, sodium hypochlorite, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, sodium formate, and potassium formate.
[C12] The method according to any of [A1] through [A7], [B1] through [B4] and [C1] through [C11], wherein the stabilized tobacco flavor component is a tobacco flavor component that has been ionized.
[C13] The method according to any of [A1] through [A7], [B1] through [B4] and [C1] through [C12], wherein the tobacco flavor component is an organic acid, and the stabilized tobacco flavor component is organic acid ions.
[C14] The method according to any of [A1] through [A7], [B1] through [B4] and [C1] through [C11], wherein the stabilized tobacco flavor component is a salt obtained by chemical reaction between the tobacco flavor component and the base component.
[C15] The method according to any of [A1] through [A7], [B1] through [B4] and [C1] through [C11] and [C14], wherein the tobacco flavor component is an organic acid, and the stabilized tobacco flavor component is a salt obtained by chemical reaction between the organic acid and the base component.
[D1] Stabilized tobacco flavor components (such as inert liquids containing stabilized tobacco flavor components, or concentrates thereof) obtained by the method according to any of [A1] through [A7] and [C1] through [C15].
[D2] A heat-not-burn flavor inhaler comprising a stabilized tobacco flavor component (such as an inert liquid comprising a stabilized tobacco flavor component, or a concentrate thereof) obtained by the method of any of [A1] through [A7] and [C1] through [C15].
[D3] A heat-not-burn flavor inhaler comprising: a flavor source comprising a stabilized tobacco flavor component (such as an inert liquid comprising a stabilized tobacco flavor component, or a concentrate thereof) obtained by the method of any of [A1] through [A7] and [C1] through [C15]; and
a heater for heating the flavor source.
[D4] A heat-not-burn flavor inhaler comprising: a flavor source comprising a stabilized tobacco flavor component (such as an inert liquid comprising a stabilized tobacco flavor component, or a concentrate thereof) obtained by the method of any of [A1] through [A7] and [C1] through [C15]; and a wrapper wrapped around the flavor source.
[D5] A heat-not-burn flavor inhaler, comprising: the flavor generator according to [D4]; and a heater for heating the flavor source included in the flavor generator.
[E1] Regenerated tobacco material obtained by the method according to any of [B1] through [B4] and [C1] through [C15].
[E2] The regenerated tobacco material according to [E1], which has a pH of 6 to 9, and preferably a pH of 6 to 8.
[E3] A heat-not-burn flavor inhaler, comprising regenerated tobacco material obtained by the method according to any of [B1] through [B4] and [C1] through [C15].
[E4] A heat-not-burn flavor inhaler, comprising: a flavor source comprising regenerated tobacco material obtained by the method according to any of [B1] through [B4] and [C1] through [C15]; and
a heater for heating the flavor source.
[E5] A heat-not-burn flavor inhaler, comprising: a flavor source comprising regenerated tobacco material obtained by the method according to any of [B1] through [B4] and [C1] through [C15]; and
a wrapper wrapped around the flavor source.
[E6] A heat-not-burn flavor inhaler, comprising: the flavor generator according to [E5]; and a heater for heating the flavor source included in the flavor generator.

EXAMPLES

[1] Experiment 1

In Experiment 1, flue-cured (yellow) tobacco material was used as the tobacco material, and sodium hydroxide was used as the base component.

[1-1] Preparation of tobacco flavor liquid

Example 1

Flue-cured (yellow) tobacco material (pH 4.8, specifically, not alkaline-treated) in an amount of 30 g was heated using the heating device 20A of the reaction system 20 shown in Fig. 2. Specifically, the tobacco material was housed in a heating container 21 and was heated by the heater 22. The material was heated for 40 minutes at 225°C. The heating temperature here was determined by a thermocouple 24.
Volatilized components from the tobacco material were bubbled into a bubbling liquid 28 using the bubbling device 20B of the reaction system 20 shown in Fig. 2. The bubbling liquid 28 was prepared by adding 900 mg of sodium hydroxide to 20 mL of water. The retrieval of tobacco flavor components and the reaction of tobacco flavor components and sodium hydroxide were thus effected simultaneously. The bubbling liquid (reaction mixture) collected after bubbling had a pH of 9.1.
The reaction mixture was introduced into a 100°C electrical oven and was allowed to dry. The resulting dried solids were then again dissolved in 20 mL of water. The "tobacco flavor component concentrate" was thus obtained in the form of a tobacco flavor liquid.

Comparative Example 1

In Comparative Example 1, the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" was obtained by the same procedures as in Example 1, except that 20 mL of water was used, instead of water to which sodium hydroxide had been added, as the bubbling liquid 28. In Comparative Example 1, the bubbling liquid (reaction mixture) collected after bubbling had a pH of 4.4.

Comparative Example 2

In Comparative Example 2, the reaction mixture was obtained by the same procedures as in Example 1, except that 20 mL of water was used, instead of water to which sodium hydroxide had been added, as the bubbling liquid 28, and the bubbling liquid (reaction mixture) collected after bubbling was not dried. In Comparative Example 2, the bubbling liquid (reaction mixture) collected after bubbling had a pH of 4.4.

[1-2] Analysis method and results

The amounts of acetic acid contained in the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" obtained in Example 1, the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" obtained in Comparative Example 1, and the "reaction mixture" obtained in Comparative Example 2 were determined via capillary electrophoresis. The measured values were calculated as the amount of acetic acid per gram of raw tobacco material, and the results are shown in Fig. 6.
The results in Fig. 6 show that including the base component in the bubbling liquid prevented the acetic acid from volatilizing as a result of the drying treatment.
The amounts of organic acids other than acetic acid contained in the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" obtained in Example 1, the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" obtained in Comparative Example 1, and the "reaction mixture" obtained in Comparative Example 2 were also determined via GC-MS (gas chromatrography-mass spectrometry).
The types of organic acids that were analyzed are described below. The reference signs 1A through 1I appearing before the organic acids are used in Fig. 7 to designate the individual organic acids.

1A: Propanoic acid
1B: 2-methylpropanoic acid
1C: Butanoic acid
1D: 2-propenoic acid
1E: 2-methylbutanoic acid
1F: 2-methyl-2-propenoic acid
1G: 3-methylpentanoic acid
1H: 4-methyl-2-pentenoic acid
1I: Benzeneacetic acid

The measurement results are shown in Fig. 7. In Fig. 7, the amounts of the organic acids in Example 1 and in Comparative Example 1 are shown as values relative to the amounts of the organic acids in Comparative Example 2 (defined as 1). Specifically, the amounts of the organic acids were calculated as the area ratio, where the values of the area in the chromatograms of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 were divided by the value of the area in the chromatogram of Comparative Example 2. Although the results for Comparative Example 2 are not shown in Fig. 7, the area ratio of Comparative Example 2 was defined as 1 for all organic acids.
The results in Fig. 7 show that including the base component in the bubbling liquid also prevented inorganic acids in addition to acetic acid from volatilizing as a result of the drying treatment.
The results of Figs. 6 and 7 show that that when, in accordance with the method of the present invention, tobacco material is heated to generate a tobacco flavor component-containing gas, and the resulting gas is reacted with a base component in water, tobacco flavor components are less likely to volatilize when dried (heat-treated), and can be stably preserved.

[2] Experiment 2

In Experiment 2, burley tobacco material was used as the tobacco material, and sodium hydroxide was used as the base component.

[2-1] Preparation of tobacco flavor liquid

Example 2

In Example 2, the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" was obtained by the same procedures as in Example 1, except that burley tobacco material (pH 5.5, specifically, not alkaline-treated) was used instead of flue-cured tobacco material. In Example 2, the bubbling liquid (reaction mixture) collected after bubbling had a pH of 9.8.

Comparative Example 3

In Comparative Example 3, the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" was obtained by the same procedures as in Example 2, except that 20 mL of water was used, instead of water to which sodium hydroxide had been added, as the bubbling liquid 28. In Comparative Example 3, the bubbling liquid (reaction mixture) collected after bubbling had a pH of 7.1.

Comparative Example 4

In Comparative Example 4, the reaction mixture was obtained by the same procedures as in Example 2, except that 20 mL of water was used, instead of water to which sodium hydroxide had been added, as the bubbling liquid 28, and the bubbling liquid (reaction mixture) collected after bubbling was not dried. In Comparative Example 2, the bubbling liquid (reaction mixture) collected after bubbling had a pH of 7.1.

[2-2] Analysis method and results

The amounts of acetic acid contained in the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" obtained in Example 2, the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" obtained in Comparative Example 3, and the "reaction mixture" obtained in Comparative Example 4 were determined via capillary electrophoresis. The measured values were calculated as the amount of acetic acid per gram of raw tobacco material, and the results are shown in Fig. 8.
The results in Fig. 8 show that including the base component in the bubbling liquid prevented the acetic acid from volatilizing as a result of the drying treatment.
The amounts of organic acids other than acetic acid contained in the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" obtained in Example 2, the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" obtained in Comparative Example 3, and the "reaction mixture" obtained in Comparative Example 4 were also determined via GC-MS (gas chromatrography-mass spectrometry).
The types of organic acids that were analyzed are described below. The reference signs 2A through 2I appearing before the organic acids are used in Fig. 9 to designate the individual organic acids.

2A: Propanoic acid
2B: 2-methylpropanoic acid
2C: Butanoic acid
2D: 3-methylbutanoic acid
2E: Pentanoic acid
2F: 3-methylpentanoic acid
2G: 3-methyl-2-pentenoic acid
2H: 4-methyl-2-pentenoic acid
2I: Hexanoic acid

The measurement results are shown in Fig. 9. In Fig. 9, the amounts of the organic acids in Example 2 and in Comparative Example 3 are shown as values relative to the amounts of the organic acids in Comparative Example 4 (defined as 1). Specifically, the amounts of the organic acids were calculated as the area ratio, where the values of the area in the chromatograms of Example 2 and Comparative Example 3 were divided by the value of the area in the chromatogram of Comparative Example 4. Although the results for Comparative Example 4 are not shown in Fig. 9, the area ratio of Comparative Example 4 was defined as 1 for all organic acids.
The results in Fig. 9 show that including the base component in the bubbling liquid also prevented inorganic acids in addition to acetic acid from volatilizing as a result of the drying treatment.
The results of Figs. 8 and 9 show that that when, in accordance with the method of the present invention, tobacco material is heated to generate a tobacco flavor component-containing gas, and the resulting gas is reacted with a base component in water, tobacco flavor components are less likely to volatilize when dried (heat-treated), and can be stably preserved.

[3] Experiment 3

In Experiment 3, flue-cured (yellow) tobacco material was used as the tobacco material, and potassium carbonate was used as the base component.

[3-1] Preparation of tobacco flavor liquid

Example 3

In Example 3, the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" was obtained by the same procedures as in Example 1, except that 2000 mg of potassium carbonate was used, instead of 20ml of water to which sodium hydroxide had been added, as the bubbling liquid 28. In Example 3, the bubbling liquid (reaction mixture) collected after bubbling had a pH of 8.9.

Comparative Example 5

In Comparative Example 5, the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" was obtained by the same procedures as in Example 3, except that 20 mL of water was used, instead of water to which potassium carbonate had been added, as the bubbling liquid 28. In Comparative Example 5, the bubbling liquid (reaction mixture) collected after bubbling had a pH of 4.0.

Comparative Example 6

In Comparative Example 6, the reaction mixture was obtained by the same procedures as in Example 3, except that 20 mL of water was used, instead of water to which potassium carbonate had been added, as the bubbling liquid 28, and the bubbling liquid (reaction mixture) collected after bubbling was not dried. In Comparative Example 6, the bubbling liquid (reaction mixture) collected after bubbling had a pH of 4.0.

[3-2] Analysis method and results

The amounts of acetic acid contained in the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" obtained in Example 3, the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" obtained in Comparative Example 5, and the "reaction mixture" obtained in Comparative Example 6 were determined via capillary electrophoresis. The measured values were calculated as the amount of acetic acid per gram of raw tobacco material, and the results are shown in Fig. 10.
The results in Fig. 10 show that including the base component in the bubbling liquid prevented the acetic acid from volatilizing as a result of the drying treatment.
The amounts of organic acids other than acetic acid contained in the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" obtained in Example 3, the "tobacco flavor component concentrate" obtained in Comparative Example 5, and the "reaction mixture" obtained in Comparative Example 6 were also determined via GC-MS (gas chromatrography-mass spectrometry).
The types of organic acids that were analyzed are described below. The reference signs 3A through 3J appearing before the organic acids are used in Fig. 11 to designate the individual organic acids.

3A: Propanoic acid
3B: 2-methylpropanoic acid
3C: Butanoic acid
3D: 2-propenoic acid
3E: 2-methylbutanoic acid
3F: 2-methyl-2-propenoic acid
3G: Pentanoic acid
3H: 2-butenoic acid
3I: 3-methylpentanoic acid
3J: Benzeneacetic acid

The measurement results are shown in Fig. 11. In Fig. 11, the amounts of the organic acids in Example 3 and in Comparative Example 5 are shown as values relative to the amounts of the organic acids in Comparative Example 6 (defined as 1). Specifically, the amounts of the organic acids were calculated as the area ratio, where the values of the area in the chromatograms of Example 3 and Comparative Example 5 were divided by the value of the area in the chromatogram of Comparative Example 6. Although the results for Comparative Example 6 are not shown in Fig. 9, the area ratio of Comparative Example 6 was defined as 1 for all organic acids.
The results in Fig. 11 show that including the base component in the bubbling liquid also prevented inorganic acids in addition to acetic acid from volatilizing as a result of the drying treatment.
The results of Figs. 10 and 11 show that that when, in accordance with the method of the present invention, tobacco material is heated to generate a tobacco flavor component-containing gas, and the resulting gas is reacted with a base component in water, tobacco flavor components are less likely to volatilize when dried (heat-treated), and can be stably preserved.

[4] Experiment 4

In Experiment 4, the pH of the regenerated tobacco material was determined.

[4-1] Preparation of regenerated tobacco material

The "heated tobacco material" obtained in Example 1 was mixed with the "bubbling liquid collected after bubbling (reaction mixture)" obtained in Example 1. To the resulting mixture were added and kneaded 12% glycerol, 9% guar gum, and a given amount of water, giving a kneaded product. Here, the amounts in which the glycerol and guar gum were added are expressed as percentage by weight relative to the dry weight of the mixture. The kneaded product was then stretched into the form of a sheet. The sheets that had been formed were dried for 5 minutes in in a 100°C hot air oven. The sheets that had been formed were then cut. The cut materials were conditioned for 2 days at 22°C and 58% relative humidity to obtain regenerated tobacco material (sheet tobacco).

[4-2] pH results

The pH of the regenerated tobacco material was pH 6.4, as determined per the "method for determining the pH of regenerated tobacco material" noted above.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

20 ... reaction system, 20A ... heating device, 20B ... bubbling device, 21 ... heating container, 22 ... heater, 23 ... tobacco material, 24 ... thermocouple, 25 ... gas flow path, 26 ... pump, 27 ... cooling container, 28 ... bubbling liquid, 29 ... cooling tube, 100 ... aerosol-generating device, 101 ... outer housing, 102 ... sliding cover, 103 ... switch unit, 110 ... inner housing, 120 ... power source unit, 121 ... power source, 130 ... atomizing unit, 132 ... heat insulating section, 134 ... insertion guide member, 136 ... bottom member, 137 ... first holding unit, 138 ... second holding unit, 140 ... heater, 150 ... chamber, 200 ... tobacco stick, 201 ... smokable material, 202 ... first wrapper, 203 ... second wrapper, 204 ... tubular member, 205 ... filter section, 206 ... hollow filter section, 207 ... lip release agent.

Claims

A method for recovering stabilized tobacco flavor components, comprising:
heating a tobacco material to allow a tobacco flavor component to be vaporized from the tobacco material;

recovering the tobacco flavor component; and

reacting the tobacco flavor component with a base component to obtain a stabilized tobacco flavor component.
A method for producing a regenerated tobacco material, comprising: obtaining the stabilized tobacco flavor component according to the method of claim 1; and mixing the stabilized tobacco flavor component with a tobacco material, that has been heated, to obtain a regenerated tobacco material.
The method according to claim 1, wherein the tobacco material has a pH of 4.5 to 6.0.
The method according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the heating is effected at a temperature of 180 to 250°C.
The method according to any of claims 1, 3, and 4, wherein the recovery is effected by allowing a flavor component-containing gas to pass through an inert liquid so that the tobacco flavor component is recovered in the liquid.
The method according to any of claims 1, 3, and 4, wherein the recovery and the reaction are simultaneously effected by allowing the flavor component-containing gas to pass through an inert liquid to which the base component has been added.
The method according to claim 6, wherein the base component is included in the inert liquid in such a way that the pH of the reaction mixture that is obtained following the recovery and the reaction is 6.5 to 10.
The method according to any of claims 1 and 3 through 7, wherein the base component is a substance comprising a salt that forms weakly acidic ions having a pKa of 3 to 5 when ionized.
The method according to any of claims 1 and 3 through 7, wherein the base component is a substance comprising a salt that forms hydroxide ions when ionized.
The method according to any of claim 1 and 3 through 9, wherein the base component is at least one selected from the group consisting of potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate, sodium hypochlorite, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, sodium formate, and potassium formate.
The method according to any of claims 1 and 3 through 10, wherein the stabilized tobacco flavor component is a tobacco flavor component that has been ionized.
The method according to any of claims 1 and 3 through 10, wherein the stabilized tobacco flavor component is a salt obtained by a chemical reaction between the tobacco flavor component and the base component.
A heat-not-burn flavor inhaler comprising a stabilized tobacco flavor component obtained by the method according to any of claims 1 and 3 through 12.
A regenerated tobacco material obtained by the method according to claim 2.
A heat-not-burn flavor inhaler comprising a regenerated tobacco material obtained by the method according to claim 2.