JP5487250B2 - Menthol cigarette with charcoal filter - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a menthol cigarette with a charcoal filter.

  Menthol is preferred as a refreshing sensation for cigarettes. However, menthol is a highly volatile compound. For this reason, when menthol is added to a cigarette equipped with a charcoal filter, menthol moves to charcoal during storage in the cigarette package, and the menthol flavor during smoking decreases. Charcoal adsorbed with menthol has reduced ability to remove components in the mainstream smoke of tobacco.

  Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-508648 discloses that in a cigarette with a charcoal filter, menthol is microencapsulated and the microcapsule is added to a tobacco cut, a tobacco filter or the like. The coating material (shell) of the microcapsule is composed of a waxy hot-melt material having a melting point of about 35 ° C. to about 200 ° C. or a material that melts at a temperature higher than normal temperature and lower than the thermal decomposition temperature of tobacco. Has been.

  However, although the conventional menthol microcapsule has the inclusion function of menthol, when considering the combined use with a charcoal filter, simply mixing the inclusion body into the tobacco cut, usually after storing the cigarette, It does not reach the product level of menthol delivery. A technical difficulty is to clarify a specific cigarette design range in combination with a charcoal filter. That is, the present inventors have found that it is difficult to produce a cigarette that is satisfactory as a product with the current cigarette winding machine based on the conventional knowledge.

  The present invention further suppresses menthol volatilization and migration at the time of non-smoking, so that even after storing cigarettes, the menthol cigarette with a charcoal filter can be easily released while smoking the menthol flavor. The purpose is to provide.

  Here, sufficient release of menthol fragrance means menthol having a menthol (M) weight ratio per tar (T) (hereinafter referred to as M / T ratio) of about 0.03 to 0.04 at the mouth end of the cigarette. This corresponds to the amount of delivery. If the M / T ratio is less than 0.03, the taste of menthol is insufficient. In fact, even in menthol cigarettes currently sold worldwide, the M / T ratio is 0.03 to 0.04.

  As a result of intensive research to achieve the above object, the present inventors have included menthol fragrance in cyclodextrin, and blended the inclusion in a roll of rolled sheet tobacco or extruded sheet tobacco. I found that the purpose of the period can be achieved.

  That is, according to the present invention, a cigarette part comprising a tobacco rod made of a tobacco filler containing a rolled sheet tobacco or extruded sheet tobacco in a proportion of 8% by weight or more, and a cigarette paper wound around the outer periphery of the tobacco rod. And a charcoal filter having a charcoal filter attached to one end of the cigarette part, wherein the rolled sheet tobacco or the extruded sheet cigarette is mixed with cyclodextrin containing menthol. A filtered menthol cigarette is provided.

FIG. 1A is a graph showing the relative value of the menthol delivery amount after storing a packaged cigarette with respect to the storage period. FIG. 1B is a graph showing the relative value of the menthol delivery amount after storing packaged cigarettes with respect to the storage period. FIG. 2 is a graph showing the relative value of the delivery amount of menthol after storing cigarettes without packaging.

  Hereinafter, various aspects of the present invention will be described.

  The menthol cigarette with a charcoal filter of the present invention comprises a tobacco rod made of a tobacco filler containing at least 8% by weight of rolled sheet tobacco or extruded sheet tobacco, and a cigarette wrapping paper wrapped around the outer periphery of the tobacco rod. A cigarette part having a charcoal filter attached to one end of the cigarette part. The rolled sheet tobacco or extruded sheet tobacco is mixed with cyclodextrin containing menthol.

  In the present invention, in order to suppress volatilization of menthol, a CD inclusion body (menthol / CD inclusion body) of menthol in which menthol is included in cyclodextrin (CD) is used. Menthol / CD inclusion bodies are well known in the art and are commercially available. The menthol / CD inclusion body may contain 5-15% by weight menthol.

  In the present invention, the menthol / CD clathrate is contained in a roll of rolled sheet tobacco or extruded sheet tobacco, and the tobacco filler is constituted using the cut. Rolled sheet tobacco and extruded sheet tobacco are well known per se in the art (see, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-40907). Rolled sheet tobacco and extruded sheet tobacco are basically composed of tobacco waste (tobacco leaf waste, chopped waste, powdered tobacco, inner bone, etc.), binder (sodium carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, starch, sodium alginate, etc.) and reinforcement. Add agent (pulp defibrated material), moisturizer (mixture of propylene glycol and corn syrup), water resistance agent (glyoxal, etc.) as needed and add appropriate amount of water, then mix (raw material mixture) ) Is rolled by a pair of rollers or extruded by an extruder.

  In the present invention, a menthol / CD clathrate is blended with a raw material mixture of rolled sheet tobacco or extruded sheet tobacco, and the menthol / CD clathrate-containing raw material mixture is rolled or extruded as described above, and menthol / CD inclusion is obtained. A rolled sheet tobacco or extruded sheet tobacco containing the body is obtained and cut to obtain a sheet tobacco cut containing menthol / CD clathrate.

  The obtained menthol / CD clathrate-containing sheet tobacco cut is preferably mixed with a normal leaf tobacco cut to provide a tobacco filler. The proportion of the menthol / CD clathrate-containing sheet tobacco cut in the tobacco filler is 8% by weight or more. Thereby, a menthol / CD inclusion body can be included uniformly and stably in the whole tobacco filler, and a cigarette can be produced without any trouble with a normal tobacco winder using this tobacco filler.

  The cigarette filler thus obtained is wound with cigarette wrapping paper by a conventional method, and a filter part including a charcoal filter is attached to one end of the obtained cigarette part using chip paper. The cigarette wrapping paper only needs to be used for ordinary cigarettes, and can be produced using, for example, pulp such as flax pulp. Cigarette paper usually contains a filler such as calcium carbonate, and can further have a combustion regulator such as sodium citrate.

  The charcoal filter is known per se. For example, charcoal (activated carbon) particles are dispersed in cellulose acetate fiber tow.

  In the cigarette with a charcoal filter of the present invention, the menthol / CD inclusion body can be added not only to the tobacco filler but also to the filter portion. In that case, the filter section is composed of a charcoal filter section and a plane filter section arranged away from the charcoal filter section (usually downstream), and the charcoal filter section and the plain filter section (cellulose acetate tow). The menthol / CD inclusion body can be filled in the cavity between the filter section and the filter section made of only the filter material such as the filter material. Cavity filling itself is well known in the art.

  Menthol / CD inclusions can also be added to cigarette paper. In that case, an aqueous suspension in which a menthol / CD clathrate is suspended together with a binder such as carboxymethylcellulose can be applied to cigarette paper using, for example, a gravure coater and dried.

  Thus, in the present invention, the menthol / CD inclusion body is provided at least in the tobacco filler. If the menthol / CD clathrate is provided only on the cigarette wrapping paper, the amount of menthol / CD clathrate will be reduced to achieve sufficient menthol release (M / T ratio 0.03-0.04). Must be increased. As a result, the amount of carbon monoxide (CO) in the mainstream smoke of tobacco increases, the ratio of CO per tar (C / T ratio) increases, and the preferable C / T ratio of 2.0 or less cannot be maintained.

  On the other hand, when the menthol / CD inclusion body is provided only to the filter part, sufficient release of menthol cannot be achieved during smoking.

  In the cigarette of the present invention, the total amount of menthol is preferably 3% or less of the weight of the tobacco filler. The cigarette of the present invention has a sufficient amount of menthol in the mainstream smoke without increasing the amount of CO in the mainstream smoke (maintaining a C / T ratio of 2.0 or less) at such a menthol amount. Can be released. In the present invention, when the menthol / CD inclusion body is provided to the cigarette wrapping paper and / or the filter part in addition to the tobacco filler, it is preferable that 30% by weight or more of the total amount of menthol is provided to the tobacco filler. .

  In addition, if the total amount of menthol is not 0.4% or more of the weight of the tobacco filler, a sufficient taste of menthol cannot be tasted.

  The CD that includes menthol may be either β-type or γ-type, but the menthol / CD inclusion body is provided to the tobacco filler via the menthol / CD inclusion-containing sheet tobacco cut and / or When the cigarette paper is provided, it is preferable to use a γ-type CD that can realize a high menthol delivery amount when the cigarette is burned. When providing a menthol / CD inclusion body to a filter part, it is preferable to use (beta) -CD with a high menthol holding | maintenance capability.

  EXAMPLES Hereinafter, although an Example demonstrates this invention, this invention is not limited to them.

Examples 1-3, Comparative Examples 1-4
A cigarette with a charcoal filter having a charcoal amount of 50 mg in the filter, a filter length of 27 mm, and a tobacco rod length of 57 mm was produced. As menthol / CD (β-CD or γ-CD) inclusion bodies, those which are commercially available from Shisui Minato Seika Co., Ltd. were used. These menthol / CD clathrates contained 8-12 wt% menthol. Table 1 shows the specifications of each cigarette.

  In the cigarette of Comparative Example 1, the tobacco filler was made of ordinary tobacco leaf, and menthol was not included in the CD, but dissolved in a solvent (ethanol) and added to the tobacco filler by spraying.

  In the cigarette of Comparative Example 2, the tobacco filler was made of a normal tobacco leaf, and the menthol / CD inclusion body was provided only in the filter portion.

  In the cigarettes of Comparative Examples 3 and 4, the tobacco filler consisted of a normal leaf tobacco cut and provided the menthol / CD inclusions only on the cigarette paper.

  In the cigarette of Example 1, a menthol / CD inclusion body was provided as a tobacco filler.

  In the cigarette of Example 2, menthol / CD inclusions were provided for tobacco filler and cigarette paper.

  In the cigarette of Example 3, a menthol / CD inclusion body was provided for the tobacco filler, cigarette wrapping paper, and filter part.

  In adding the menthol / CD inclusion body to the tobacco filler, 55% by weight of tobacco fine powder, 10% by weight of reinforcing agent (pulp defibrated material), 5% by weight of binder (corn starch), and menthol / CD inclusion 30% by weight of the body was put into a mixer, and after adding an appropriate amount of water, the mixture was stirred and mixed. The obtained mixture was rolled into a sheet using a pair of horizontally opposed rollers, and dried to produce a rolled sheet tobacco. The produced rolled sheet tobacco was finely chopped, and 27 to 30% by weight was blended in the tobacco filler (the rest was normal leaf tobacco).

  Moreover, in providing the menthol / CD inclusion body on the cigarette paper, an aqueous suspension in which menthol was suspended together with carboxymethylcellulose was gravure coated.

  Addition of menthol / CD clathrate to the filter section is achieved by providing a cavity between a 15 mm charcoal acetate section and a plain filter section consisting of 7 mm cellulose acetate fiber tows in the 27 mm long filter section. Went by.

The menthol amount (%) shown in Table 1 is based on the weight of the tobacco filler.

Each cigarette produced in this way was stored for two months under an air temperature of 22 ° C. and a relative humidity of 60%. Each cigarette was set in a smoker (RM26 manufactured by Borgwaldt) and allowed to smoke according to the standard smoking conditions of ISO. For each cigarette, smoke components were collected with a glass fiber filter and a gas bag. The amount of tar and menthol in mainstream smoke was measured using a gas chromatograph analysis system (Agilent 6890A), and the amount of CO in mainstream smoke was measured using a micro gas chromatograph (Agilent 3000A). Ratio and M / T ratio were calculated. The results are shown in Table 2.

  As shown in Table 2, since the cigarette of Comparative Example 1 uses menthol as it is without inclusion, menthol adsorbs to charcoal during storage, and menthol is hardly delivered during smoking. Moreover, in the cigarette of the comparative example 2, since the menthol / CD inclusion body is added only to the filter part, sufficient menthol delivery cannot be achieved. Further, as can be seen from the results for the cigarettes of Comparative Examples 3 and 4, when the menthol / CD inclusion body was added only to the cigarette paper, the amount of CO and tar as smoke components as in the cigarette of Comparative Example 3 was increased. If the increase is not increased, sufficient menthol delivery cannot be achieved. In addition, when the menthol / CD inclusion body is added only to the wrapping paper to achieve a general M / T ratio (0.03 or more) at the menthol tobacco product level, as in the cigarette of Comparative Example 4, the mainstream The amount of CO and tar in the smoke will increase dramatically. This is because the amount of CO and tar produced increases as the basis weight of the wrapping paper increases.

  On the other hand, when the menthol / CD inclusion body is added to the tobacco filler as in the cigarettes of Examples 1 to 3, a menthol delivery amount equivalent to a general menthol tobacco product can be realized.

  Further, when the menthol / CD clathrate is added to the tobacco filler and cigarette wrapping paper as in the case of the cigarette of Example 2, it is less than the case of adding only to the tobacco filler as in Example 1. A menthol delivery amount equivalent to that in Example 1 can be realized by adding the menthol / CD clathrate to the tobacco filler. This is because the menthol transfer rate to mainstream smoke when the menthol / CD clathrate is added to the wrapper is higher than that of the tobacco filler.

  Furthermore, like the cigarette of Example 3, when the menthol / CD inclusion body is added to the tobacco filler, cigarette wrapping paper and the filter part, compared to the case where it is not added to the filter part as in Examples 1 and 2. Thus, although the menthol delivery amount does not increase significantly, it is possible to further improve the menthol flavor during smoking.

  Thus, by using the method shown above, it is possible to realize the mentholization of a cigarette with a charcoal filter, which has been conventionally difficult.

Examples 4-5, Comparative Example 5
Using the methods of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4, a cigarette with a charcoal filter having an amount of charcoal in the filter of 20 mg, a filter length of 27 mm, and a tobacco rod length of 57 mm was produced. Table 3 shows the specifications of each cigarette.

Here, the menthol / CD inclusion body was added to the tobacco filler as follows. That is. 35% by weight of tobacco fine powder, 10% by weight of reinforcing agent (pulp defibrated material), 5% by weight of binder (corn starch), and 50% by weight of menthol / CD clathrate were put into a mixer, and an appropriate amount of water was added. Thereafter, the mixture was stirred and mixed. The obtained mixture was rolled into a sheet using a pair of horizontally opposed rollers, and dried to produce a rolled sheet tobacco. The produced rolled sheet tobacco was finely chopped, and 12 to 15% by weight was blended in the tobacco filler (the rest was normal leaf tobacco).

Each cigarette produced in this way was stored for 2 months under an air temperature of 22 ° C. and a relative humidity of 60%, and the amount of menthol in mainstream smoke was measured as in Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4. The results are shown in Table 4.

  As in Comparative Example 1, the cigarette of Comparative Example 5 uses menthol as it is without being included. Therefore, menthol adsorbs to charcoal during storage, and menthol is hardly delivered during smoking.

  On the other hand, when the menthol / CD inclusion body is added to the tobacco filler as in the cigarettes of Examples 4 to 5, a menthol delivery amount equivalent to a general menthol tobacco product can be realized. Similarly to the cigarette of Example 2, the cigarette of Example 5 has a smaller amount of menthol / CD clathrate to the tobacco filler than when the menthol / CD clathrate is added only to the tobacco filler. With the added amount, a menthol delivery amount equivalent to that in Example 1 can be realized.

  Here, when the amount of charcoal in the filter is 20 mg as in the cigarettes of Examples 4 to 5, compared to the amount of charcoal of 50 mg in the filter as in the cigarettes of Examples 1 to 3 described above, With a small amount of menthol / CD clathrate added to a small amount of tobacco filler, a menthol delivery amount equivalent to a general menthol tobacco product can be realized.

Examples 6-8, Comparative Example 6
Using the methods of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4, a cigarette with a charcoal filter having an amount of charcoal in the filter of 50 mg, a filter length of 27 mm, and a tobacco rod length of 57 mm was produced. Table 5 shows the specifications of each cigarette.

  The cigarettes of Examples 6 to 8 and Comparative Example 6 are packaged in the same form as a normal commercial product (20 per package), and the temperature and humidity are controlled as follows under storage environments 1 and 2 Stored in

Storage environment 1: constant condition of air temperature 22 ° C and relative humidity 60% Storage environment 2: storage for 14 hours at air temperature 50 ° C and relative humidity 23%, then 10 hours at air temperature 25 ° C and relative humidity 65% Repeat the storage.

  The amount of menthol in the mainstream smoke for cigarettes after storage for a predetermined period was measured as in Examples 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1-4. The results are shown in FIG. FIG. 1A shows the results for the cigarettes stored in the storage environment 1, and FIG. 1B shows the results for the cigarettes stored in the storage environment 2. In FIG. 1, lines a to c show the results for the cigarettes of Examples 6 to 8, and line d shows the results for the cigarette of Comparative Example 6.

  From the results shown in FIG. 1, in the cigarette of Comparative Example 6 in which menthol was directly added to the tobacco filler without being included in the CD, the menthol delivery level at the level of a commercial menthol tobacco product was achieved immediately after the cigarette was produced. It can be seen that the amount of menthol delivered significantly decreases as the storage time elapses even in the storage environment.

  On the other hand, in the cigarettes of Examples 6 to 8, there is little change in the menthol delivery amount even when the storage time elapses. This means that the inclusion (adsorption) of menthol during storage into charcoal was greatly suppressed by including menthol in the CD. In addition, even in the storage environment 2 where the temperature and relative humidity are high, it can be seen that the change in the amount of menthol delivered is small and the storage stability of menthol is excellent.

  Next, the cigarettes produced in Examples 6 to 8 and Comparative Example 6 were stored under the storage environment 1 without packaging, and the relative amount of menthol for the cigarettes after storage was measured in the same manner as described above. The results are shown in FIG. Even in this case, in the cigarette of Comparative Example 6 in which menthol was directly added to the tobacco filler without inclusion in the CD, the amount of menthol delivered decreased significantly with the passage of storage time, whereas the menthol / CD inclusion body was reduced. In the added cigarettes of Examples 6 to 8, there is little change in the menthol delivery amount even when the storage time elapses.

  This result shows that the technique using the menthol / CD clathrate is not limited to the realization of a menthol cigarette with a charcoal filter, and can give a great degree of freedom in handling tobacco cut with menthol added. That is, in the conventional menthol addition method to tobacco cut, as shown in FIG. 2, the added menthol rapidly volatilizes from the tobacco cut. Therefore, in the manufacturing process, menthol volatilization at the time of cigarette winding / packaging immediately after adding menthol to the tobacco cut, necessity of measures to prevent transfer of menthol to non-menthol tobacco products, or immediately after opening the package by consumers Currently, problems such as a decrease in menthol flavor due to menthol volatilization are present, but it has been shown that such problems can be solved by including menthol in a CD.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to realize mentholization of a cigarette with a charcoal filter, which has heretofore been difficult.

Claims (2)

A tobacco part comprising a tobacco rod comprising a tobacco filler containing a rolled sheet tobacco in a proportion of 8% by weight or more, and a cigarette wrapping paper wound around the outer periphery of the tobacco rod, and attached to one end of the tobacco part A filter unit including a charcoal filter;
The rolled sheet tobacco, and the cigarette wrapping paper and / or the filter part, cyclodextrin containing menthol is blended ,
A menthol cigarette with a charcoal filter, wherein the weight ratio (M / T ratio) of menthol (M) per tar (T) at the mouth end is 0.03 or more during smoking .   The menthol cigarette with a charcoal filter according to claim 1, wherein the total amount of menthol is present in a proportion of 3% or less of the weight of the tobacco filler.

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