There is provided a method of extracting one or more volatile compounds of interest from tobacco material, the method comprising the steps of: i) providing tobacco material; ii) subjecting the tobacco material to steam distillation; and iii) extracting one or more volatile compounds of interest from the tobacco material with a solvent; wherein distillation step (ii) and extraction step (iii) are carried out simultaneously and at a pH of no greater than 2, and wherein the period during which both the distillation step (ii) and the extraction step (iii) are carried out is from about 8 to about 20 hours.

A method of isolating compounds from a tobacco-derived black liquor, including receiving a black liquor from a pulping process of an input material comprising a plant of the Nicotiana species, treating the black liquor with an acid to lower the pH of the black liquor to about 7 or lower in order to produce a precipitate and an acidified black liquor, separating the precipitate and the acidified black liquor, extracting the acidified black liquor with an organic solvent in order to produce an organic layer extract and an aqueous layer extract, and separating the organic layer extract and the aqueous layer extract.

The present disclosure describes methods of obtaining and/or deriving proteins from plants of the Nicotiana species and methods for incorporation of such proteins into various products. For example, a method for obtaining a protein-enriched material from a plant of the Nicotiana species or portion thereof is provided, comprising: extracting one or more proteins from the plant material into a solvent to form a liquid protein-containing extract; separating a solid extracted plant material from the liquid protein-containing extract; clarifying the liquid protein-containing extract to form a clarified protein-containing extract and a solids fraction; and treating the clarified protein-containing extract so as to provide a protein-enriched material comprising at least about 60% protein by weight.

The disclosure describes methods for the purification of protein-enriched extracts to provide concentrates and isolates and methods for incorporation of such materials into products. The purification methods are adapted for removal of nicotine and may have other benefits, e.g., lightening the color of the protein-enriched extracts. The methods generally include treatment with peracetic acid or hydrogen peroxide and filtrations. A protein composition in the form of a concentrate or isolate is provided, the protein composition including RuBisCO, F2 fraction proteins, or combination thereof extracted from a plant of the Nicotiana species, wherein the protein composition is characterized by relatively low nicotine content.

The present disclosure provides a method of preparing whitened tobacco composition including chemically pulping a tobacco material to form a tobacco pulp, extracting the tobacco pulp with an extraction solution, treating the tobacco pulp with a solution comprising an oxidizing agent for a time and at a temperature sufficient to lighten the color of the tobacco pulp to give a whitened tobacco pulp, and drying the whitened tobacco pulp to provide the whitened tobacco composition. Alternative bleaching processes and treatment methods effective for preparing whitened tobacco compositions are also provided herein.

The present disclosure describes methods of obtaining and/or deriving proteins from plants of the Nicotiana species and methods for incorporation of such proteins into various products. For example, a method for obtaining a protein-enriched material from a plant of the Nicotiana species or portion thereof is provided, comprising: extracting one or more proteins from the plant material into a solvent to form a liquid protein-containing extract; separating a solid extracted plant material from the liquid protein-containing extract; clarifying the liquid protein-containing extract to form a clarified protein-containing extract and a solids fraction; and treating the clarified protein-containing extract so as to provide a protein-enriched material comprising at least about 60% protein by weight.

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate oxygenase (RuBisCO) protein fibers and a method of producing them are disclosed herein. The method of producing one or more RuBisCO protein fibers including obtaining RuBisCO, tbr example from tobacco, combining the RuBisCO with one or more plasticizers, heating the combination of the RuBisCO and the one or more plasticizers up to about 140 degrees C., filtering the heated combination through an about 20 μm filter, and passing the filtered combination through an orifice to produce one or more RuBisCO protein fibers.

A method of manufacturing a concentrated tobacco extract for an aerosol-generating article is provided, including: providing a natural tobacco material; heating the material to a temperature and for a time such that volatile species including nicotine are released from the material, the heating includes heating the material in a flow of inert gas or in a flow of a combination of an inert gas with water or steam or heating the material under vacuum; collecting the released volatile species and forming a liquid, naturally derived tobacco extract including the collected species, a polyhydric alcohol, and at least about 40 percent by weight of water; and heating the liquid extract to evaporate at least some of the water and obtain concentrated tobacco extract, by heating to a temperature and for a time such that a water content in the naturally derived tobacco extract is reduced by at least about 60 percent.

The present disclosure describes methods of obtaining and/or deriving proteins from plants of the Nicotiana species and methods for incorporation of such proteins into various products. For example, a method for obtaining a protein-enriched material from a plant of the Nicotiana species or portion thereof is provided, comprising: extracting one or more proteins from the plant material into a solvent to form a liquid protein-containing extract; separating a solid extracted plant material from the liquid protein-containing extract; clarifying the liquid protein-containing extract to form a clarified protein-containing extract and a solids fraction; and treating the clarified protein-containing extract so as to provide a protein-enriched material comprising at least about 60% protein by weight.

A liquid tobacco extract is provided, including: a non-aqueous solvent; at least 0.2 percent by weight of nicotine based on a weight of the liquid tobacco extract; and a ratio by weight of (β-ionone+β-damascenone) to (phenol) of greater than 0.25.