Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PACKAGED TOBACCO PRODUCT INCLUDING PASTEURISED TOBACCO
The present invention relates to a method for the pasteurisation of fine-cut
tobacco
material and to a packaged tobacco product comprising pasteurised fine-cut
tobacco
material.
Tobacco materials for the self assembly of smoking articles typically have a
relatively
high moisture content compared to the tobacco material used in pre-
manufactured smoking
articles such as cigarettes. For example, roll-your-own tobacco products
typically have a
moisture content of above about 15 to 18 percent by weight and make-your-own
tobacco
products typically have a moisture content of above about 18 to 21 percent by
weight, while
the moisture content of the tobacco material in pre-manufactured cigarettes is
typically less
than about 14 percent by weight.
As tobacco is an organic material, it may be subject to deterioration by
microorganisms, such as mould. In moderate climates, mould spores are
naturally present
in the environment and moist conditions favour mould growth. The deterioration
of tobacco
may therefore be of particular concern for tobacco products having a high
moisture content.
One way to reduce or prevent mould growth is through the use of preservatives.
However,
the use of preservatives in tobacco products may not be desirable.
It is has previously been proposed to pasteurise snuff, a moist tobacco
product, by
heating the snuff in a cooker to elevated temperatures over a certain period
of time. The
pasteurised snuff is then removed from the cooker and further processed. For
example, US
patent publication US-A-2008/0156338 discloses a process for the
pasteurisation of snuff
wherein the pasteurisation is carried out after the snuff has been packaged in
a sealed
container.
WO 201 3/1 27528 describes a method for pasteurising fine-cut tobacco material
for
the self assembly of smoking articles, wherein the fine-cut tobacco is
pasteurised within a
sealed package which is preferably the retail package. In some examples given
in
WO 2013/127528 one or more packages may be placed in a reusable external
enclosure
that can protect the package or packages during pasteurisation. However, in
some cases,
the retail package may contain features, such as product information or
branding, that could
be adversely affected by the pasteurisation conditions.
It would be desirable to provide an improved method for the pasteurisation of
fine-cut
tobacco material and an improved way of packaging the fine-cut pasteurised
tobacco. It
would be particularly desirable to provide an improved way of packaging
pasteurised fine cut
tobacco material for the self assembly of smoking articles.
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According to the invention there is provided a package for sale to a consumer
containing tobacco material for combustible smoking articles, the package
comprising outer
packaging, a sealed inner pouch within the outer packaging and pasteurised
tobacco
material within the sealed inner pouch, the pasteurised tobacco material
comprising tobacco
material for combustible smoking articles, the tobacco material having a cut
width of
between 0.3 mm and 0.9 mm.
The pasteurisation of the tobacco material is preferably carried out whilst
the tobacco
material is within the sealed inner pouch although in certain embodiments the
tobacco
material may be pasteurised and then subsequently sealed within the inner
pouch. The
sealed inner pouch is inserted into the outer packaging after pasteurisation.
The inner
pouch may not be visible to the consumer in the assembled packaged product and
can
therefore advantageously comprise any structure and material suitable to
withstand the
heating required for pasteurisation. The form of the inner pouch can
additionally be
simplified and in particular, there is no need to provide additional flaps or
lids for the opening
and closure of the package, as these can be provided on the outer packaging.
This
simplifies the pasteurisation process and additionally reduces the likelihood
of moisture
being retained within the pouch following the heating.
Since the outer packaging need not be subjected to the heating process during
pasteurisation, it can comprise any desired structure and material. This
allows the outer
packaging to be better tailored to the function of marketing, shipping and
handling of the
package by providing a greater flexibility in the appearance of the packaged
product,
including the way in which the packaged product can be opened. Since the
pasteurisation
can take place before the inner pouch is inserted into the outer packaging,
there is no risk of
degradation or damage to the outer packaging as a result of heat or moisture
so that the
appearance of the packaged product can be retained.
The pasteurisation of the tobacco material within the inner pouch
advantageously
reduces the number of microorganisms within the package and thereby increases
the shelf
life of the packaged product. In particular, during the pasteurisation
process, the mould
count within the tobacco material is significantly reduced. The outer
packaging provides
additional protection to the inner pouch of tobacco material which further
improves the shelf
life of the packaged product.
Preferably, the inner pouch and the outer packaging are fixed to one another
so as to
retain the inner pouch in the outer packaging. This may be achieved, for
example, using a
suitable adhesive or other means to seal the material of the inner pouch to
the inside of the
outer packaging.
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Preferably, the inner pouch and the outer packaging are fixed to one another
such
that opening of the outer packaging simultaneously opens the inner pouch. The
inner pouch
is therefore automatically opened to provide access to the tobacco material
contained inside
upon opening of the outer packaging by the consumer. This arrangement provides
convenient access to the tobacco material since only a single opening step is
required.
Furthermore, the arrangement enables the inner pouch to be integrated within
the outer
packaging in a discrete manner so that the visual impact of the inner pouch
when the outer
packaging is open is minimised. As described above, the inner pouch and the
outer
packaging may be fixed to each other using a suitable adhesive or other means
to seal the
material of the inner pouch to the inside of the outer packaging to achieved
the desired
opening effect.
The inner pouch may be formed of any flexible material or combination of
materials
that is capable of withstanding the heating process to which the pouch is
subjected during
pasteurisation. Furthermore, the material should have sufficient moisture
barrier properties
to prevent loss of moisture from the tobacco material during processing or
storage and to
prevent the ingress of water or steam into the inner pouch during
pasteurisation. In addition,
the material forming the pouch is preferably impermeable to microorganisms.
The inner
pouch may be formed of a single layer material, or a laminate material, for
example a metal
and plastic laminate.
Preferably, the inner pouch is sealed in an air tight or gas tight manner and
particularly preferably, the inner pouch is hermetically sealed with the
tobacco material
inside. This may be achieved, for example, by heat sealing the pouch after
filling.
Preferably the inner pouch comprises a resealable opening for accessing the
tobacco
material. For example, the inner pouch may be sealed using a resealable or non-
permanent
adhesive along at least one edge. The inner pouch can therefore be resealed or
at least
partially resealed between openings in order to retain the freshness of the
tobacco material
and in particular to maintain the moisture level of the tobacco material. The
resealable
opening further prevents the tobacco material from falling out of the package
between uses.
The outer packaging may be formed of any suitable material or combination or
materials including for example, paper, cardboard, plastic, metal or
combinations thereof.
The outer packaging may be formed of a single layer material, or a laminate
material,
comprising paper, cardboard, plastic or metal foil. As described above, the
inner pouch is
inserted into the outer packaging after the pasteurisation process and so
there is no
requirement for the material forming the outer packaging to be able to
withstand heating or
moisture. Furthermore, there is no requirement for the outer packaging to
provide a
hermetic seal since this is preferably provided by the inner pouch.
Preferably, the outer
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packaging will, however, provide certain barrier properties against moisture
and
microorganisms to protect the inner pouch of tobacco material during storage.
This will
further increase the shelf life of the packaged product as well as increasing
the time for
which the tobacco material can be stored after opening of the inner pouch.
The outer packaging may be a rigid container, such as a hinge lid or slide and
shell
container of the type used to package smoking articles. Alternatively, the
outer packaging
may be a 'soft' pack formed of a flexible material. In one preferred
embodiment, the outer
packaging is a flexible outer pouch, such as those known for use in the
packaging of roll-
your-own tobacco.
Preferably, the outer packaging is of a form that is suitable for product sale
to the
consumer. Preferably, the outer packaging is provided with branding or product
information.
For example, the outer packaging may be printed, embossed or debossed with
branding or
product information, and/or may include one or more stickers or labels
containing branding
or product information.
Alternatively or in addition to providing a resealable opening on the inner
pouch, the
outer packaging may be provided with a resealable opening. The form of the
resealable
opening may depend upon the form and construction of the outer packaging. For
example,
where the outer packaging comprises an outer pouch as described in more detail
below, the
outer pouch may include a flap defined by one or more lines of perforation
which may be
closed by means of a resealable adhesive label, or a zip lock closure.
Alternatively, where
the outer packaging is in the form of a rigid pack, the rigid pack may be
provided with a
reclosable or resealable lid portion.
The package of the present invention is suitable for a wide variety of tobacco
materials including one or more tobacco types. The tobacco material may be in
any suitable
form and may include tobacco cut from tobacco leaves, reconstituted tobacco
material, or
both.
Preferably, the tobacco material is a fine-cut tobacco material having a cut
width of
between about 0.3 mm and about 0.9 mm, more preferably between about 0.5 mm
and
0.9 mm.
Fine-cut tobacco material having a cut width within these preferred ranges is
particularly suitable for use in the self assembly of smoking articles, for
example for use as a
roll-your-own or make-your-own tobacco product. The cut width is particularly
advantageous
for tobacco materials intended for the assembly of smoking articles by the
consumer, in
particular cigarettes, which require strips or strands of a certain size in
order to prevent the
tobacco from falling out of the open end of the cigarette. The cut width of
the fine-cut
tobacco material is also important to control the combustion process of the
tobacco material
and to ensure a suitable resistance-to-draw during consumption of a cigarette
formed from
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the fine-cut tobacco material. Preferably, the strands of the fine-cut tobacco
material have a
length of between about 6 mm and about 75 mm.
The size of the strips of fine-cut tobacco material is in contrast to the form
of snus
tobacco, for which the tobacco is usually ground or more finely cut and does
not fall within
5 the
ranges indicated above. Reducing the tobacco into this form has a significant
effect on
the tobacco, for example, on its cell structure or release of essential oils,
compared with a
more macroscopic cutting of the leaves into parallel strip of a distinctive
width. Typically, the
fine-cut tobacco material is unfermented or free of salt, or both and
preferably the fine-cut
tobacco material is not treated in the same way as a snuff or snus product.
However, the
fine-cut tobacco material may comprise leaf that has been fermented before
cutting. In
certain preferred embodiments, the fine-cut tobacco material consists only of
the strips of
tobacco leaf and includes little or no other additives. Preferably, the
tobacco material is free
from preservatives. The lack of additives such as preservatives is one of the
main reasons
why the pasteurisation of the tobacco material is important.
Preferably, the moisture content of the tobacco material within the inner
pouch is
between about 15 percent and about 22 percent by weight, more preferably
between about
16 percent and about 19 percent by weight. It is desirable to provide the
tobacco material
within this relatively high moisture range since this makes the strands of
tobacco less brittle
and facilitates rolling of the tobacco material into a tobacco rod during the
self assembly of a
smoking article by the consumer. The desired moisture level is typically set
during tobacco
processing through the appropriate addition of water or the appropriate drying
conditions or
a combination of both addition of water and drying conditions.
The tobacco material within the inner pouch optionally includes a humectant in
order to
ensure that the moisture level is retained. Suitable humectants include, for
example, glycol
and glycerine. Preferably, the tobacco material comprises up to about 9
percent by weight
of a humectant.
The tobacco material in the package preferably has a weight of between about
10
grams and about 500 grams, more preferably between about 30 grams and about
100
grams.
The package may be overwrapped, for example with a transparent wrapper, in
order
to provide an additional barrier layer to protect the tobacco material.
In order to produce a package according to the invention, the tobacco material
is first
sealed within an inner pouch and then a pasteurisation process is carried out
on the tobacco
material within the pouch. After pasteurisation, the inner pouch may be
inserted into the
assembled outer packaging, or the outer packaging may be at least partially
assembled
around the inner pouch.
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According to the invention there is also provided a method for the production
of a
package as described above, the method comprising the steps of providing
tobacco material
in an inner pouch, sealing the inner pouch, heating the tobacco material in
the inner pouch
such that the tobacco material is pasteurised and inserting the inner pouch
containing the
pasteurised tobacco material into an outer packaging.
Advantageously, the method according to the invention involves a
pasteurisation
process in which the tobacco material within the inner pouch is heated under
certain
conditions in order to reduce the mould count. Preferably, the mould count is
reduced by a
factor of at least about 1000 per gram of tobacco, more preferably by a factor
of at least
about 100,000 per gram of tobacco. As described above, the reduction of the
mould count
as a result of the pasteurisation of the tobacco material advantageously
increases the shelf
life of the packaged product. The method of the present invention finds
particular application
for moist tobacco products such as fine-cut tobacco material for the self
assembly of
smoking articles.
Preferably, after the pasteurisation, the tobacco material is substantially
free of
microorganisms.
The filled inner pouch is preferably hermetically sealed. The sealing step may
be
carried out using a heat sealing process. The inner pouch can be at least
partially
evacuated before pasteurisation by partially removing air or gas from the
inner pouch before
sealing. This may improve the heat transfer between the tobacco material and
the heating
medium.
Preferably, during the heating step, the tobacco material is heated to between
about
55 degrees Celsius and about 120 degrees Celsius, more preferably to between
about
60 degrees Celsius and about 85 degrees Celsius. In this temperature range, an
efficient
pasteurisation of the tobacco material within the inner pouch can be carried
out and the
mould count can be significantly reduced.
Preferably, the heating is carried out for between about 30 seconds and about
minutes, more preferably for between about 2 minutes and about 7 minutes. The
heating
can usually be carried out for short period of time, if the heating
temperature is high.
30 However, pasteurisation at a low temperature for a longer time may be
beneficial for the
quality of the tobacco and may pose fewer requirements on the heat stability
of the inner
pouch. The pasteurisation conditions are selected such that deterioration of
the packaging is
prevented while achieving adequate pasteurisation of the entire content of the
inner pouch.
Preferably, the heating step is carried out by subjecting the filled inner
pouch to a
heating medium, such as water, steam, air or an inert gas. The heating medium
may be a
mixture of water micro-droplets and saturated steam. Alternatively, the
heating medium may
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be a mixture of water, superheated steam and air. Alternatively, the heating
medium may be
a mixture of water, steam and air. Generally, the heating medium may be a hot
liquid or a
hot liquid vapour.
The amount of heat transferred to the inner pouch and the tobacco material
within
the pouch can be controlled, and depends in part on the heat capacity of the
heating
medium. In particular, it is preferable if a current is provided in the heat
medium such that
the heat medium passes around the inner pouch in order to prevent regions of
low
temperatures.
In a preferred embodiment, the tobacco material is heated by electromagnetic
radiation. The wavelength and frequency of the electromagnetic radiation can
be selected to
transfer an appropriate amount of heat to the tobacco material. The use of
electromagnetic
radiation to heat the tobacco material can advantageously reduce the time
necessary for the
heating step.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the tobacco material is heated by
microwave
or radiofrequency dielectric heating. This may be particularly beneficial
where the tobacco
material has a relatively high moisture content, so that the microwave or
radiofrequency field
will be able to quickly heat up the dielectric component of the tobacco,
water. The applied
electromagnetic field power is preferably controlled to achieve uniform
heating and
pasteurisation of the tobacco material by temperature measurement and control
of
electromagnetic field generator power during continuous processing of the
filled inner
pouches. The applied electromagnetic field power may be controlled to achieve
uniform
heating and pasteurisation of the tobacco by control of electromagnetic field
generator power
for successive microwave heating steps. Preferably, the control takes into
account the
product parameters of the tobacco material being treated, such as water
content. Preferably,
the product parameters of the tobacco material are predefined or determined by
sensors. In
one embodiment, the applied electromagnetic field power is controlled based on
measurements of the temperature inside the closed inner pouch, to prevent the
creation of
hot or cold spots during pasteurisation. The electromagnetic field power may
be applied in at
least two heating stages, taking into account the specific product parameters,
to prevent the
creation of hot or cold spots during treatment.
In certain embodiments, the heating step may be carried out at a pressure
above
atmospheric pressure. At such pressures, the inner pouch may be compressed, so
that
there is less space in between the individual tobacco particles and heat
conduction in the
inner pouch occurs faster. In such embodiments of the method according to the
invention,
the heating of the tobacco material can be carried out more uniformly and more
quickly.
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In alternative embodiments, the pasteurisation of the tobacco material is
carried out
at atmospheric pressure. In other embodiments, the pasteurisation of the
tobacco material
is carried out at a pressure below atmospheric pressure, to allow treatment
with specific
pasteurisation fluids, such as water, at temperatures below 100 degrees
Celsius. The
pressure during pasteurisation is preferably controlled depending upon the
temperature of
the treatment and the heating medium outside the package or pasteurisation
medium inside
the package used.
In particular embodiments, a cooling step may be carried out after the heating
step
by subjecting the inner pouch to a cooling medium, such as cold air, water or
inert gas.
Again, the duration of the cooling step may be adjusted depending on the heat
capacity of
the cooling medium. Further, a current in the cooling medium such as one
generated by a
pump or by a fan may be beneficial. The cooling of the tobacco material may
beneficially be
effected by spraying a mist of cool water onto the inner pouch. The
evaporation of small
water droplets in the mist improves the cooling properties.
Gaseous cooling or heating media are typically preferred over liquid heating
media.
While gaseous cooling or heating media have a lower heat capacity than liquid
cooling
media, they impose fewer restrictions on the material of the inner pouch, and
do not require
the inner pouch to dry after the heating or cooling step. As the inner pouch
is closed,
preferably in a hermetic, usually the cooling or heating media cannot
interfere with the
tobacco material.
In one embodiment, the tobacco material is cooled to below ambient
temperature.
The tobacco material can therefore easily be maintained at the lower
temperature, which
enables the tobacco material to be kept fresh, thus providing a longer storage
and shelf life
for the packaged product. After the cooling step, the package comprising the
tobacco
material may be distributed whilst remaining chilled, in particular
transported in a chilled
state. Also, chilled storage of the tobacco material after or before
transportation may be
applied and is beneficial regarding the shelf life.
Preferably, the temperature of the tobacco material is monitored during the
heating
step. This can be achieved by monitoring the temperature around the inner
pouch, and
estimating from this temperature the temperature of the tobacco material. The
temperature
of the tobacco may be measured for example by infrared sensors. The monitoring
of the
temperature allows the temperature during the heating step to be controlled.
By
implementing an analog or digital control device that controls the amount of
energy provided
to the closed inner pouch comprising the tobacco material, defined conditions
during the
pasteurisation can be achieved.
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In one embodiment, the temperature of the tobacco material may be measured at
the
start and at the end of a heating step, and the applied heating power for a
subsequent
heating step adjusted to achieve a uniform, desired temperature of the tobacco
material.
Preferably, the temperature in the centre of the tobacco material in the inner
pouch is
measured at the start and at the end of a heating step, and the applied
heating power for a
subsequent heating step is adjusted to achieve a uniform, desired temperature
of the
tobacco throughout the package.
The temperature may also be controlled or monitored during the cooling step.
In some embodiments, the temperature may be changed during the pasteurisation
process. In particular, the heating step may comprise several different heat
levels; thus, the
inner pouch containing the tobacco material is subjected to different
temperatures. This can
improve the efficiency of the pasteurisation.
The filled inner pouches may be passed through a layer of heating medium, such
as
steam, to enable a continuous pasteurisation of the tobacco material. The
packages may be
conveyed through a counter-flow of heating medium, such as steam. The heating
medium
may comprise water micro-droplets and steam.
After pasteurisation, the inner pouch is inserted into the outer packaging and
the
outer packaging is preferably closed or sealed shut. The inner pouch may be
inserted into
the partially assembled outer packaging, the remainder of the assembly of the
outer
packaging being carried out with the inner pouch in place. Alternatively, the
outer packaging
may be fully assembled and the inner pouch merely inserted into the packaging
as a final
step.
According to the invention there is also provided a packaged tobacco product
manufactured according to the method of the invention as described above.
The present invention also provides the use of an inner pouch for
pasteurisation of
tobacco, wherein tobacco material is sealed within the inner pouch for
pasteurisation, and
the inner pouch containing the pasteurised tobacco is then inserted into an
outer packaging.
The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to
the
accompanying drawing:
Figure 1 shows a package according to the invention, with the outer packaging
in an
open position.
The package 10 shown in Figure 1 comprises an outer pouch 12 and an inner
pouch
14 containing a pasteurised tobacco material. The inner pouch 14 is provided
within the
outer pouch 12 and is secured in place by means of an adhesive.
The outer pouch 12 is formed of a paper material and comprises a lid flap 16
to
provide access to the inner pouch 14 and the tobacco material.
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The inner pouch 14 is formed of a plastic film that has been hermetically heat
sealed
around a portion of pasteurised fine-cut tobacco material having a cut width
of between
0.3 mm and 0.9 mm and a moisture content of between about 16 percent and 18
percent by
weight.
5 The
inner pouch 14 is first filled with the fine-cut tobacco material and is then
heat
sealed around all of the edges except the top edge, which is instead sealed
using a
resealable adhesive to provide a resealable opening.
In order to pasteurise the fine-cut tobacco material within the inner pouch
14, the
sealed inner pouch 14 is heated such that the tobacco material reaches a
temperature of
10 85
degrees Celsius for 5 minutes. The heating is carried out using hot air as a
heating
medium. During the heating step, the temperature within the tobacco material
is monitored.
Following the pasteurisation process, the inner pouch 14 is inserted into the
outer
pouch 12 and the lid flap 16 of the outer pouch 12 is closed and sealed,
preferably using a
resealable adhesive.
