WO2016005830A1

WO2016005830A1 - Method for processing tobacco ribs

Info

Publication number: WO2016005830A1
Application number: PCT/IB2015/053522
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mario Martin; Francesco MATARAZZO
Original assignee: Comas - Costruzioni Macchine Speciali - S.P.A.; Magg Consulting S.R.L.
Priority date: 2014-07-07
Filing date: 2015-05-13
Publication date: 2016-01-14
Also published as: EP3166423B1; KR20170027725A; CN105286076B; HUE039330T2; EP3166423A1; CN105286076A

Abstract

A method (2) for processing tobacco ribs (6), characterised by comprising: - a humidification stage (4) for said ribs (6), - at least one stage (10, 10') of mixing said humidified ribs with a vegetable powder (12), - at least one stage (18, 18') of rolling said humidified ribs (6), - a stage (22) in which said ribs (6) which have been humidified, rolled and mixed with said vegetable powder (12) are dried, with consequent contraction of their volume and intrusion of said vegetable powder (12) into their interior.

Description

METHOD FOR PROCESSING TOBACCO RIBS.

The present invention relates to a method for processing tobacco ribs.

Generally, in the production of shredded tobacco, the ribs represent the least valuable part of the mixture. In particular, these differ from the leaf laminae both in their physical structure and in their chem ical composition, and must therefore be processed such as to render their specific density and their form similar to the inherent characteristics of the leaf laminae.

In the current state of the art, processes for improving rib quality comprise a stage of rib humidification (to a humidity within the range of 30-34% at a temperature within the range of 50-60°C) followed by a rolling stage in which the distance between the rollers of the rolling m ill is of 0.4-0.8 mm in order to transform the ribs into a structure similar to a leaf lamina, including in terms of density; a rib shredding stage is also provided with a cutting width w_c = 0.1 -0.2 mm.

A process is also known in which prior to the rolling and shredding stages, a stage consisting of washing the entire ribs in water is provided to extract undesirable products and to improve the organoleptic qualities of the combustion products.

In all cases, the shredded ribs are then subjected to a drying stage, which can take place in various dryer types (rotating cylinder, fluidized bed or flash dryers).

Finally, it is known to use ribs and leaf laminae in reconstituted tobacco production. In particular, this production process comprises grinding the ribs and leaf laminae, followed by mixing the powder with water and other substances, of natural or synthetic origin, and with thickening agents and chemical additives, such as to form a tobacco leaf having chemical and physical characteristics similar to those of the leaf laminae.

The object of the present invention is to propose a rib treatment method which improves the organoleptic characteristics of the ribs.

Another object of the invention is to propose a method which enables a final product to be obtained which is more similar to leaf laminae, so that it can be then subjected to the same processes as those to which leaf laminae are traditionally subjected.

Another object of the invention is to propose a method which can be implemented in a more simple, rapid and low-cost manner, and which results in energy saving.

All these objects and others which will be apparent from the ensuing description are attained, according to the invention, by a tobacco rib treatment method with the characteristics indicated in claim 1 .

The present invention is further clarified hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic view of a rib treatment method according to the

invention, and

Figure 2 shows a particular modified embodiment thereof,

Figure 3 shows a different modified embodiment thereof, and

Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment thereof. As can be seen from the figures, the method 2 according to the invention comprises a humidification stage 4 for the ribs 6, implemented by traditional techniques, such as a humidification roller or a hot water stream.

In particular, during the humidification stage, water 8 is added to the ribs 6 such that these, at the end of this stage, have a humidity within the range of 35- 85%, preferably 55-70%. All the humidity values defined here and hereinafter, are measured by the wet basis system.

The ribs humidified in this manner are subjected to a stage 10 of mixing with a vegetable powder 12. In particular, the vegetable powder 12 is a power of tobacco and/or cloves, vanilla, coffee or cinnamon. Moreover, the vegetable powder 12 can be suitably combined with additive substances in order to give the resultant product particular external fragrances or tastes.

Because of the greater humidity of the ribs 6, the vegetable powder 12 remains adhering to the surface of the ribs; in greater detail, these latter are able to retain an average quantity of vegetable powder 12 equal to 1 0-15% of their anhydrous weight.

The percentage, express in weight, of vegetable powder 12 added during stage 10 varies according to the dimensions of the ribs 6, and in any event lies within the range of 10-40%, preferably 10-20%.

In greater detail, the vegetable powder 12 has a humidity (O.V. powder) within the range of 0-10%, preferably 0-5%, and a particle size distribution g. _p0wder within the range of 25-300pm, preferably 50-150pm As shown in the particular embodiment of Figure 2, the vegetable powder 12 is obtained by a process 14 of grinding vegetable leaves which have previously been subjected to a traditional drying process 16.

Preferably the vegetable material used to obtain the powder 1 2 is subjected to drying 16 such as to develop the Maillard reaction with subsequent browning. This reaction can be suitably achieved by further drying the already ground product.

In greater detail, it should be noted that for tobacco, the Maillard reaction rate is a maximum when the free water (A_w) is within the range of 0.5-0.7 and when the tobacco temperature is within the range of 70-130°C. Moreover, the degree of browning of the tobacco is particularly high under conditions of low humidity and increases on an average by 2-3 times by raising by about 10°C the temperature achieved by the tobacco during drying. In addition, to increase the degree of browning of the tobacco, sugar in its various chemical forms can be added. Essentially, the Maillard reaction consists advantageously of transforming a poor quality tobacco, originating for example from leaf lamina processing rejects, into a better quality tobacco, i.e. with improved organoleptic characteristics.

The ribs 6 mixed with the vegetable powder 12 in this manner are then subjected to a rolling process 18. In particular, the distance between the rollers must be such that the exit ribs have a thickness within the range of 0.1 -0.3 mm, preferably 0.1 -0.25 mm.

In greater detail, the rolling process results in mechanical deformation of the ribs 6 and, simultaneously, causes intrusion of the vegetable powder 12 into the rib tissue. In particular, the intimate contact between the ribs 6 and the powder 12 enables the water, which here operates as solvent, to cause chemical diffusion of the substances contained in the two contacting components. In other words, the water-soluble substances contained in the powder 12 are transferred into the interior of the ribs 6, which hence act as an intrusion matrix.

In the case of tobacco powder, the sugars, the proteins and the nicotine present in said powder 12 are transferred into the interior of the ribs 6, which before said transfer are virtually free of nicotine.

Hence in this manner, a particularly homogeneous compound 20 is obtained. In particular, the humidity of the compound 20 obtained in this manner (OVcomp) is within the range of 45-60%.

Advantageously, as shown in Figure 3, after carrying out a first mixing 10' with the powder 12, a first rolling process 18' is implemented in which the distance between the rollers is such that the rolled product has a thickness within the range of 0.3-0.5 mm. Then after adding a new quantity of powder 12 and carrying out a second mixing 10 in the aforesaid manner, a second rolling process 18 is carried out in the aforedescribed manner, but with the distance between the rollers such that the exit ribs have a thickness within the range of 0.1 -0.3 mm, preferably 0.1 - 0.25 mm.

The compound 20 which leaves the second rolling stage 18 is then subjected to a drying stage 22 which reduces its final humidity. In particular, the drying has the effect of contracting the volume of the ribs 6, which in this manner retain the vegetable powder 12 in the interior of the matrix defined by them.

If the final product is to be immediately used, the drying stage 22 is suitably controlled such that the product humidity (O.V_fi_nai) is within the range of 17-25%, preferably 20-22%. In contrast, if the final product is to be stored for future use, the drying stage 22 is controlled such that the product humidity (O.V_finai) is less than 14%, preferably 1 1 -13%.

The alternative embodiment shown in Figure 4 presents all the characteristics already described , includ ing preferably al l the detai led characteristics, but differs in that the rolling process 18 is implemented before adding and mixing 10 the vegetable powder 12.

In particular, the humidified ribs 6 leaving the humidification stage 4 are firstly subjected to a rolling process 18 with the already described characteristics, i.e. with a distance between rollers such that the exit ribs have a thickness within the range of 0.1 -0.3 mm, preferably 0.1 -0.25 mm.

The vegetable powder 12 is then added to the humidified ribs rolled in this manner, and deposits in the interior of the fissures of the ribs 6 created by the rolling process 18. Finally, the compound 20 obtained in this manner is subjected to the drying stage 22 to ensure stable intrusion of the vegetable powder 12 into the ribs 6.

From the aforegoing it is clear that the rib processing method according to the invention is particularly advantageous in that:

- the product obtained is similar to leaf laminae and, consequently, can be shredded individually or added to a leaf lamina mixture; in particular, the cutting width for the shredding stage can be similar to that used for leaf laminae,

- it enables a considerable energy saving compared with the traditional methods used for producing reconstituted tobacco; in particular, it enables the water quantity used to be considerably reduced, - it enables less valuable material, such as ribs, to be used and upgraded, and enables reject material deriving from the leaf lamina processing to be reused for powder production.

Moreover, from the chemical analysis of the combustion products, it can be seen that the cigarettes comprising final products obtained by the method according to the invention present values substantially s im i lar to those of cigarettes comprising only leaf laminae.

Claims

C L A I M S

1 . A method (2) for processing tobacco ribs (6), characterised by comprising:

- a humidification stage (4) for said ribs (6),

- at least one stage (1 0, 1 0') of mixing said humidified ribs with a vegetable powder (12),

- at least one stage (18, 18') of rolling said humidified ribs (6),

- a stage (22) in which said ribs (6) which have been humidified, rolled and mixed with said vegetable powder (12) are dried, with consequent contraction of their volume and intrusion of said vegetable powder (12) into their interior.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that said stage (10) of mixing said ribs (6) with said vegetable powder (12) is implemented first, followed by said stage (18) of rolling said thus mixed ribs, in this manner causing them to be squeezed, with simultaneous intrusion of the vegetable powder (12) thereinto.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that said stage (1 8) of rolling said ribs (6) is implemented first, followed by the stage (10) of mixing said rolled ribs (6) with said vegetable powder (12), with consequent intrusion of this latter into the interior of the fissures present in the rolled ribs.

4. A method as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said mixing stage (1 0) of said humidified ribs (6) is carried out with vegetable powder (12) comprising tobacco powder.

5. A method as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said m ixing stage (1 0) of said humidified ribs (6) is carried out with vegetable powder (12) comprising powder of cloves and/or of vanilla and/or of coffee and/or of cinnamon.

6. A method as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said mixing stage (1 0) of said humidified ribs (6) is carried out with a vegetable powder (12) having a weight percentage, on the weight of said ribs (6), in the range of 10-50%, a humidity within the range of 0-14%, and a particle size distribution within the range of 25-300pm.

7. A method as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said humidification stage (4) is implemented until said ribs have been brought to a moisture content within the range of 30-85%.

8. A method as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that during said rolling stage (18), the distance between the rolling rollers is maintained at a value such as to obtain rolled ribs with a thickness within the range of 0.1 -0.3 mm.

9. A method as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said mixing stage (10) of said humidified ribs (6) is carried out with vegetable powder (12) obtained starting from leaves, or parts of leaves, subjected to at least one stage of drying (16) and to a grinding stage (14).

10. A method as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said m ixing stage (1 0) of said humidified ribs (6) is carried out with vegetable powder (12) obtained from vegetable material subjected to a Maillard reaction and subsequent browning.

1 1 . A method as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised by comprising in sequence:

- a first stage (10') of mixing said ribs (6) with said vegetable powder (12),

- a first stage (18') of rolling said ribs (6) mixed with said vegetable powder, - 3 -

- a second stage (10) of mixing the same ribs (6) with further vegetable powder (12),

- a second stage (18) of rolling said ribs (6), mixed with said further vegetable powder (12).

12. A method as claimed in claim 1 1 , characterised in that in said second stage (18) of rolling, said ribs (6), mixed with said further vegetable powder (12), pass between rolling rollers having between them a distance less than that existing between the rolling rollers used in said first rolling stage (18').