There is provided a method of forming an aerosol-generating substrate, the method including providing a liquid nicotine source containing at least one tobacco-specific nitrosamine; mixing the liquid nicotine source with a solvent and at least one aerosol former to form an aerosol-generating substrate; and irradiating the aerosol-generating substrate with ultraviolet light to reduce an amount of the at least one tobacco-specific nitrosamine. Also provided is a method of forming an aerosol-generating substrate, the method including providing a tobacco slurry containing at least one tobacco-specific nitrosamine; irradiating the tobacco slurry with ultraviolet light to reduce an amount of the at least one tobacco-specific nitrosamine; and drying the tobacco slurry to form an aerosol-generating substrate.

A method for preparing a tobacco flavor extract from cured tobacco materials. The tobacco flavor extract has reduced level of tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) and/or nicotine. The tobacco flavor extract is suitable for use in an electronic smoking device to provide a tobacco taste for a user of the electronic smoking device. The method preserves volatile and semi-volatile flavor components that can be released during a low-temperature vaporization process occurring in the electronic smoking device.

An oral tobacco composition is provided which has a 0.06 or greater ratio (A/N) of the total amount of carboxylic acid with 6 or fewer carbon atoms to the nicotine content, and which has a 20 ng or lower TSNA content per 1 mg of nicotine.

The present invention relates to a method of reducing the content of at least one tobacco specific nitrosamine (TSNA) or a precursor of a TSNA in tobacco comprising expressing a deregulated cation efflux protein in a tobacco plant, or plant part thereof, or plant cell.

The present invention relates to a method of reducing the content of at least one tobacco specific nitrosamine (TSNA) precursor in tobacco, the method comprising modulating the activity or expression of at least one gene encoding a Walls are thin 1-related (WAT1-related) protein.

A method of modifying the content of certain chemical compounds in tobacco materials is provided, the method including treatment of a tobacco plant component with at least one probiotic. For example, the method may modify the asparagine content in tobacco materials, which can result in a modification in acrylamide production when the tobacco material is exposed to elevated temperatures. The type of tobacco plant component treated according to the invention can be a tobacco seed, a tobacco seedling, an immature live plant, a mature live plant, a harvested plant, or a portion thereof. Examples of probiotics include probiotic species of the genera Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Proionobacterium, Bacillus, Saccharomyces, Streptococcus, and mixtures thereof. Smoking articles and other tobacco products including such probiotic-treated tobacco materials are also provided.

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 pulp and a tobacco extract; (ii) treating the tobacco pulp with at least one of a caustic reagent and 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; (iii) clarifying the tobacco extract to remove higher molecular weight components; and (iv) combining the whitened tobacco pulp with a clarified tobacco extract to form a whitened tobacco material. The whitened tobacco material can be isolated and incorporated into a smokeless tobacco product. 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 pulp and a tobacco extract; (ii) treating the tobacco pulp with at least one of a caustic reagent and 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; (iii) clarifying the tobacco extract to remove higher molecular weight components; and (iv) combining the whitened tobacco pulp with a clarified tobacco extract to form a whitened tobacco material. The whitened tobacco material can be isolated and incorporated into a smokeless tobacco product. 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.

Immobilized diluents in a smoking article are provided, wherein diluents can be immobilized through absorption and/or adsorption of the diluents into immobilizing materials, such as sorbents like silica gels. By immobilizing diluents, the diluents can be available for vaporization, while still being protected from migration and/or loss of the diluents in a smoking article.

The present disclosure provides approaches for reducing tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) in tobacco. Some of these approaches include genetically engineering tobacco plants to increase one or more antioxidants, increase oxygen radicle absorbance capacity (ORAC), or reduce nitrite. Also provided are methods and compositions for producing modified tobacco plants and tobacco products therefrom comprising reduced TSNAs.