A method of modifying the moisture level of (e.g., dehydrating) a tobacco plant or portion thereof, a tobacco-derived material, a tobacco product, or a tobacco additive is provided herein. The methods of dehydration disclosed herein can provide various benefits relative to traditional drying techniques, including providing retention of various beneficial components present in green tobacco (e.g., organoleptic compounds and proteins). Smoking articles and other tobacco products including such dehydrated tobacco materials are also provided.

A method of modifying the moisture level of (e.g., dehydrating) a tobacco plant or portion thereof, a tobacco-derived material, a tobacco product, or a tobacco additive is provided herein. The methods of dehydration disclosed herein can provide various benefits relative to traditional drying techniques, including providing retention of various beneficial components present in green tobacco (e.g., organoleptic compounds and proteins). Smoking articles and other tobacco products including such dehydrated tobacco materials are also provided.

The invention relates to a reconstituted tobacco sheet having a basis weight of less than about about 230 grams per square metre and comprising tobacco stem or tobacco stalk refined fibres having an average length of at least about 200 micrometres and tobacco cast leaf material. There is further provided a method of making a reconstituted tobacco sheet, the method comprising providing tobacco stems and conditioning the tobacco stems such that their moisture content is increased to at least about 40% Oven Volatiles (OV). The tobacco stems are processed in a twin screw extruder to so as to obtain a pulp suspension having a Schop-per-Riegler index of at least about 30 degrees and comprising tobacco stem or tobacco stalk refined fibres having an average length of at least about 200 micrometres. This pulp suspension is combined with tobacco cast leaf material to obtain a slurry and a sheet is formed from this slurry.

The invention relates to a reconstituted tobacco sheet having a basis weight of less than about about 230 grams per square metre and comprising tobacco stem or tobacco stalk refined fibres having an average length of at least about 200 micrometres and tobacco cast leaf material. There is further provided a method of making a reconstituted tobacco sheet, the method comprising providing tobacco stems and conditioning the tobacco stems such that their moisture content is increased to at least about 40% Oven Volatiles (OV). The tobacco stems are processed in a twin screw extruder to so as to obtain a pulp suspension having a Schop-per-Riegler index of at least about 30 degrees and comprising tobacco stem or tobacco stalk refined fibres having an average length of at least about 200 micrometres. This pulp suspension is combined with tobacco cast leaf material to obtain a slurry and a sheet is formed from this slurry.

A method of preparing a whitened tobacco material is provided, the method including the steps of (i) extracting a tobacco material with an aqueous solution to give a tobacco solids material and a tobacco extract; (ii) treating the tobacco solids material with a caustic wash to give a tobacco pulp; (iii) bleaching the tobacco pulp with a solution including a strong base, an oxidizing agent, or a combination thereof to give a bleached tobacco pulp; and (iv) drying the bleached tobacco pulp to give the whitened tobacco material. The invention also provides a smokeless tobacco product incorporating a whitened tobacco material. The smokeless tobacco product may be a snus-type formulation contained within a sealed pouch.

A method of preparing a whitened tobacco material is provided, the method including the steps of (i) extracting a tobacco material with an aqueous solution to give a tobacco solids material and a tobacco extract; (ii) treating the tobacco solids material with a caustic wash to give a tobacco pulp; (iii) bleaching the tobacco pulp with a solution including a strong base, an oxidizing agent, or a combination thereof to give a bleached tobacco pulp; and (iv) drying the bleached tobacco pulp to give the whitened tobacco material. The invention also provides a smokeless tobacco product incorporating a whitened tobacco material. The smokeless tobacco product may be a snus-type formulation contained within a sealed pouch.

A rehydration device configured to be placed in a storage box is described. The rehydration device includes a first part and a second part. The first part and the second part may be connected via a hinge at a first portion about which the first part and the second part rotate. The first part and the second part may hold a piece of woven hemp fabric. The piece of woven hemp fabric may be configured to maintain a predetermined humidity level in the storage device. The rehydration device further includes a locking mechanism located along a periphery of the first part and the second part, to removably couple the first part and the second part in a closed position. The rehydration device further includes one or more openings to allow water vapors from the hemp fabric to flow out of the rehydration device.

A device for removing unwanted objects from cut tobacco in a cut tobacco production line is disclosed, which includes: a raw cut tobacco feeding and conveying unit (N1), a heavy unwanted object removal unit (N2), a cut tobacco dispersion and recovery unit (N3), a moderate unwanted object removal unit (N4), a cut tobacco humidification unit (N5) and a light unwanted object removal unit (N6). An unwanted object removal method using the cut tobacco unwanted object removal device is also disclosed. The device and method of the disclosure can effectively remove unwanted objects from cut tobacco.

A device for removing unwanted objects from cut tobacco in a cut tobacco production line is disclosed, which includes: a raw cut tobacco feeding and conveying unit (N1), a heavy unwanted object removal unit (N2), a cut tobacco dispersion and recovery unit (N3), a moderate unwanted object removal unit (N4), a cut tobacco humidification unit (N5) and a light unwanted object removal unit (N6). An unwanted object removal method using the cut tobacco unwanted object removal device is also disclosed. The device and method of the disclosure can effectively remove unwanted objects from cut tobacco.

An apparatus for enrobing a product portion can include at least one polymer spray head adapted to create at least one flow of polymeric fibers to produce at least one polymer enrobing zone and a conveyor system adapted to move at least one product portion from at least one position below at least one polymer enrobing zone and to at least one position above at least one polymer enrobing zone to drop each product portion through one or more polymer enrobing zones a plurality times at different orientations to enrobe each product portion with polymeric fibers.