NZ201404A - Flavouring tobacco with 2-methylthio-3-(or 5-)methylpyrazine - Google Patents

Description

New Zealand Paient Spedficaiion for Paient Number £01404 201404 Priority Deters}: Complete Specification Filed: Class: Publication Data: ... 39X)0T|98|- P.O. Jousrtai, PJg: fS HjSS No.: Date: NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION "TOBACCO PRODUCT" K/We, R. J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY, a corporation of the State of New Jersey, United States of America, having offices at 4th and Main Streets, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27102, United States of America, hereby declare the invention for which K/ we pray that a patent may be granted to n?fc/us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: - (followed by page la) 2 01 4 0 4- -1<x - TOBACCO PRODUCT Background of the Invention The addition of flavoring materials to tobacco is a common practice in the manufacture of various tobacco 5 products including smoking products such as cigars, cigarettes and pipe tobaccos. The added flavoring materials provide desired flavor notes and serve to compensate for tobaccos which are deficient in flavor due to weather conditions during the growing season as well as other factors. 10 Disclosed in U.S. patent No. 3,328,402 are certain pyrazine derivatives which are stated to be useful as flavoring agents in various foodstuffs, beverages and pharmaceutical preparations. The specific derivatives disclosed are methyl-, methoxy- and methylthio-substituted pyrazines. 15. This patent fails to disclose, however, use of these pyrazine derivatives for tobacco flavoring purposes.

General Description of the Invention This invention is based on the discovery that the addition of very small quantities of certain pyrazine com-20 pounds to smoking tobacco products imparts to the smoke very desirable flavor and aroma characteristics. The specific compounds found to be useful in this regard are 2-methylthio-3-methylpyrazine and 2-methylthio-5-methylpyrazine. When 2 014 0 4 either of these compounds or a mixture of the two is incorporated into a smoking tobacco product at appropriate use levels, the smoke is perceived as having a nutty, slightly sweet flavor when compared with a control product.

Methods for preparing 2-methylthio-3-methyl-pyrazine and 2-methylthio-5-methylpyrazine are known and are discussed, for example, in the specification of U. S. patent No. 3,328,402.

The manner in which these additives may be incorporated into smoking tobacco products may vary depending on the particular product being manufactured. Preferably, a dilute solution (2 percent or less) of the compound or mixture of the two compounds in an appropriate solvent such as ethanol, ether or acetone is sprayed onto the tobacco so that the treated tobacco contains between 0.000001 and 0.0005 percent by weight of the added compound(s). In the manufacture of cigarettes and pipe tobaccos, the additive solution is most conveniently sprayed onto the tobacco after it has been cut. Alternatively, the additive may be incorporated into cigarette' paper, the adhesives applied to the cigarette paper seam, cigar wrappers, filter tip materials and the like. When the additive is incorporated into the paper, adhesives, filter, etc., it may be necessary to adjust the use levels somewhat in order to obtain the desired flavor 2 014 0 4 characteristics in the resulting product. It is also apparent that higher levels of the pyrazine compounds may be applied to a given quantity of tobacco that is subsequently blended with untreated tobacco in connection with the manufacture of a particular tobacco product. In any event the quantity of additive employed in a given smoking tobacco product is preferably between 0.000001 and 0.0005 percent by weight based on the weight of tobacco contained in the product. The term "tobacco" as used herein is meant to include tobacco substitutes of natural or synthetic origin which are intended for use by smoking.

Specific Examples Reference will now be made to specific examples which illustrate the use and advantages of this invention.

Example 1 A blend of cut tobacco containing flue-cured, burley and Turkish type tobaccos was sprayed uniformly with an ethanolic solution of a mixture of 2-methylthio-3-methylpyrazine and 2-inethylthio-5-methylpyrazine, the concentration of the pyrazine mixture in the ethanol being 0.1 percent by weight. Sufficient quantities of the ethanolic solution were sprayed onto the tobacco to give treated tobacco containing 0.0005 percent by weight of the pyrazine mixture based on the treated tobacco weight. The treated 201404 •< P. & s. tobacco was then used for making cigarettes that were evaluated by a panel of expert smokers. The smoke produced by the cigarettes was adjudged to possess a sweet, nutty flavor although a few of the smokers noted a slightly 5 bitter or chemical taste that was attributed to the somewhat high level of additive applied.

Example 2 The procedure of Example 1 was repeated except that the level of pyrazine mixture applied to the tobacco 10 was 0.00001 percent by weight. When cigarettes prepared from the treated tobacco were smoked, a sweet, nutty flavor note was clearly evident in comparison smoking with a control cigarette which did not contain the pyrazine additives. No bitter or chemical taste was detected in the 15 test cigarette.

While particular embodiments of this invention have been described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this CO =- ■ -20 invention^ cas >0 -+v"t=' cJo«r)iS • oiits^

Claims (7)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 201404

1. A smoking tobacco product having added thereto from 0.000001 to 0.0005 percent by weight based on the weight of tobacco contained in said product of a compound selected 5 from the group consisting of 2-methylthio-3-methylpyrazine and 2-methylthio-5-methylpyrazine.

2. A tobacco product according to claim 1 wherein said product is a cigarette.

3. A process for improving the flavor or aroma 10 of tobacco which comprises adding thereto from 0.000001 to 0.0005 percent by weight of the tobacco of a compound selected from the group consisting of 2-methylthio-3-methylpyrazine and 2-methylthio-5-methylpyrazine.

4. A process for improving the flavor or aroma 15 of a cigarette which comprises incorporating into the ■ cigarette from 0.000001 to 0.0005 percent by weight based on the weight of the tobacco contained in the cigarette of a compound selected from the group consisting of 2-methylthio 3-methylpyrazine and 2-methylthio-5-methylpyrazine.

5. A product as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any example thereof.

6. A process as claimed in claim 3 or 4 substantially as hereinbefore described with or without reference to any specific example. - 5 - - 6 - ^0140

7. Tobacco or a cigarette with tobacco, the flavour of which has been improved by a process as claimed in any one of claims 3, 4 and 6. GATED IMS ll Mj. t9<g^ A. J. PARK & SOW neons ran mm apfucants