HK1262981B - Tobacco filling for non-combustion-type heating smoking article - Google Patents

Description

Tobacco filler for non-combustion heated smoking articles

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a tobacco filler for a non-combustion type heat-and-smoking article used for filling the non-combustion type heat-and-smoking article.

Background Art

In recent years, non-combustion type heat-to-smoking articles that provide a flavorful smoke without burning tobacco have been developed as an alternative to tobacco. Representative examples include non-combustion type heat-to-smoking articles in which a pod-shaped container is filled with flavorful ingredients and aerosol-generating ingredients, and non-combustion type heat-to-smoking articles with a heat source at the front end.

Furthermore, there have been reports of adding an acid to a filler in such a non-combustion heat-and-smoking article, or adding a capsule containing an acid (see Patent Documents 1 to 5).

Prior art literature

Patent Literature

Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2014/190079

Patent Document 2: U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0020820

Patent Document 3: U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0345631

Patent Document 4: International Publication No. 2015/101651

Patent Document 5: International Publication No. 2015/000974

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

When smoking a non-combustion smoking article, the amount of flavor and aroma components evaporated may be insufficient compared to that of tobacco, or a so-called "flavor and aroma obstruction" may be experienced.

The object of the present invention is to provide a tobacco filler for non-combustion heated smoking articles that can suppress the reduction in the evaporation amount of flavor and aroma components in the form of heated non-combustion heated smoking articles, especially fillers containing tobacco shreds, and can suppress the "flavor and aroma obstruction feeling".

Solutions to the Problem

The present inventors conducted intensive research to solve the above-mentioned problems and found that a salt that meets specific conditions in a tobacco filler can suppress the reduction in the evaporation amount of flavor components and the "flavor and aroma obstruction feeling", thereby completing the present invention.

That is, the present invention is as follows.

<1> A tobacco filler for a non-combustion heated smoking article comprising shredded tobacco and a liquid that generates an aerosol,

The tobacco filler contains a dihydrogen salt of a tribasic or tetrabasic acid having a first acid dissociation constant of 1.0 or less.

<2> The tobacco filler according to <1>, wherein the dihydrogen salt is a dihydrogen salt of pyrophosphate.

<3> The tobacco filler according to <1> or <2>, wherein the content of the dihydrogen salt is 0.1% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less of the entire tobacco filler.

<4> The tobacco filler according to any one of <1> to <3>, wherein the aerosol-generating liquid contains propylene glycol (PG).

<5> The tobacco filler according to any one of <1> to <4>, wherein the water content is 5.0% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less of the entire tobacco filler.

Effects of the Invention

According to the present invention, a non-combustion heated smoking article in which a filler containing shredded tobacco is heated can suppress a decrease in the amount of vaporized flavor components and can also suppress a "sense of flavor obstruction."

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a non-combustion type heat-to-smoking article.

FIG2 is a graph showing the relationship between the first acid dissociation constant of the conjugate acid constituting the salt and the evaporation amount of the aroma and flavor component.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing the relationship between the first acid dissociation constant of the conjugate acid constituting the salt and the aroma and taste resistance sensation.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing the relationship between the content of disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate and the aroma and flavor resistance sensation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While the present invention will be described with reference to specific examples, the present invention is not limited to the following contents and can be carried out with appropriate modifications without departing from the gist of the present invention.

<Tobacco filler for non-combustion heated smoking articles>

A tobacco filler for a non-combustion heated smoking article as one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "tobacco filler of the present invention") is a tobacco filler comprising tobacco shreds and an aerosol-generating liquid, and is characterized in that it comprises a dihydrogen salt of a tribasic or tetrabasic acid having a first acid dissociation constant of 1.0 or less.

The present inventors have identified various problems with non-combustion heat-and-smoking articles, particularly smoking articles that heat a filler containing shredded tobacco.

For example, if an acid is added to a filler containing tobacco shreds (usually containing a liquid that generates an aerosol), the amount of flavorful components evaporated may decrease. This is believed to be because the added acid, together with the aerosol-generating liquid, penetrates into the interior of the tobacco shreds and forms salts with the flavorful components in the tobacco shreds. For non-combustion heated smoking articles with a high heating temperature, it is believed that the salt dissociates due to heating or that the high temperature can suppress the reduction in the amount of flavorful components evaporated. However, for non-combustion heated smoking articles with a low heating temperature, the effect is believed to be significant. In addition, it can be said that encapsulating the acid and adding it is not preferred from the perspective of manufacturing cost.

Furthermore, when smoking non-combustion heat-and-smoke products, some people experience a "flavor-blocking sensation" due to a different stimulation from tobacco or a physiological sensation such as a "choking sensation." This is believed to be due to the presence of flavor-blocking ingredients in the filling, which evaporate along with solvents such as propylene glycol, leading to the "flavor-blocking sensation."

The present inventors discovered that by adding a salt that dissociates to form an acid due to water or other factors contained in the filler, rather than directly adding the acid, the effect can be achieved without forming a salt between the acid and the flavorful components in the tobacco. It should be noted that to prevent the dissociated acid from forming a salt with the flavorful components, thermal evaporation of the acid is required during hydrolysis of the acid salt. Furthermore, it is apparent that the acid formed by dissociation is preferably a strong acid, and the salt is preferably composed of the conjugate base of the strong acid. Specifically, the inventors discovered that by adding a "dihydrogen salt of a tribasic or tetrabasic acid having a first acid dissociation constant of 1.0 or less" to the tobacco filler, a decrease in the evaporation of flavorful components can be suppressed, thereby reducing the perception of flavor obstruction.

It should be noted that the "first acid dissociation constant" refers to the acid dissociation constant in water at room temperature (25°C).

The “non-combustion heat-and-smoking article,” “cut tobacco,” “aerosol-generating liquid,” and “dihydrogen salt of a tribasic or tetrabasic acid having a first acid dissociation constant of 1.0 or less” are described in detail below.

The tobacco filler of the present invention is a tobacco filler for a non-combustion heat-and-smoking article comprising shredded tobacco and an aerosol-generating liquid. The specific structure of the non-combustion heat-and-smoking article filled with the tobacco filler of the present invention is not particularly limited, and a known structure can be appropriately adopted. Specific examples are provided below for further explanation.

Examples of non-combustion heat-and-smoking articles include those having a structure such as the non-combustion heat-and-smoking article 10 shown in FIG1 . FIG1 is a cross-sectional view of a cylindrical heat-and-smoking article cut along its length, showing a structure comprising a battery 101, a pod 103 containing a filler 102, a heater 104, and a mouthpiece 105. The tobacco filler of the present invention is filled into the pod 103, and an aerosol is generated by heating.

The heating temperature of the tobacco filler in a non-combustion heat-and-smoking article is generally 22°C or higher, preferably 100°C or higher, and more preferably 150°C or higher, and generally 350°C or lower, preferably 300°C or lower, and more preferably 250°C or lower. Heat-and-smoking articles in which the tobacco filler is heated at a temperature within this range are less likely to experience the problem of "impaired flavor and aroma," and the characteristics of the tobacco filler of the present invention can be more effectively utilized.

Examples of types of cut tobacco include yellow tobacco, Burley tobacco, local tobacco, and reconstituted tobacco. Examples of parts of the tobacco used include leaves (soft cut tobacco), stems, veins (medium cut tobacco), roots, and flowers.

The size of the tobacco shreds is not limited, but the equivalent spherical diameter is usually 1.5 mm or less, preferably 0.5 mm or less, and usually 0.01 mm or more, as determined by a projected cross-sectional area measurement method (eg, a method using Camsizer (Retsch)).

The tobacco filler of the present invention generally contains shredded tobacco at a content of 20% by mass or greater, preferably 30% by mass or greater, and more preferably 40% by mass or greater, and generally contains 80% by mass or less, preferably 70% by mass or less, and more preferably 60% by mass or less. Within this range, a decrease in the amount of evaporation of flavor and aroma components can be more effectively suppressed, and the "flavor and aroma obstruction" sensation can be more effectively suppressed.

Examples of liquids for generating aerosols include polyols such as glycerin, propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, and tetraethylene glycol; and aliphatic carboxylic acid esters such as methyl stearate, dimethyl dodecanedioate, and dimethyl tetradecanedioate. It should be noted that the liquid is not limited to one type, and two or more types may be used in combination.

The liquid generating the aerosol preferably contains propylene glycol. Propylene glycol is a highly safe solution used in food and medical products. Due to its low boiling point and easy vaporization, it can easily generate visible smoke. On the other hand, propylene glycol's high vapor pressure makes it easily volatile in the mouth. Therefore, it is believed that the formation of an atmosphere that easily volatilizes the components that hinder the flavor and aroma of the aerosol can easily lead to the problem of "flavor obstruction." Therefore, the characteristics of the tobacco filler of the present invention can be more effectively utilized.

The content of the aerosol-generating liquid in the tobacco filler of the present invention is generally 20% by mass or more, preferably 30% by mass or more, and more preferably 40% by mass or more, and generally 80% by mass or less, preferably 70% by mass or less, and more preferably 60% by mass or less. Within this range, a decrease in the amount of evaporation of flavor and aroma components can be more easily suppressed, and the "flavor and aroma obstruction" sensation can be more effectively suppressed.

The tobacco filler of the present invention is characterized by containing a dihydrogen salt of a tribasic or tetrabasic acid having a first acid dissociation constant of 1.0 or less (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a "dihydrogen salt"). The specific dihydrogen salt is not particularly limited, as long as the conditions are met, and a known dihydrogen salt can be appropriately used as needed. Specific examples are provided below for illustration. It should be noted that "dihydrogen salt" refers to a salt containing two hydrogen ions (H ⁺ ) as cations, and other cations are not particularly limited.

The first acid dissociation constant of the conjugate acid constituting the dihydrogen salt is preferably 0.8 or less, and usually -1.0 or more.

The conjugate acid constituting the dihydrogen salt has a 3- or 4-membered valence, preferably a 3-membered valence.

Examples of cations other than hydrogen ions constituting dihydrogen salts include alkali metal ions such as lithium ion, sodium ion, and potassium ion; alkaline earth metal ions such as magnesium ion and calcium ion; and ammonium ions such as ammonium ion and tetramethylammonium ion.

Examples of the conjugate acid constituting the dihydrogen salt include pyrophosphoric acid and the like.

Such a substance can further easily suppress a decrease in the evaporation amount of flavor and aroma components, and can more effectively suppress the "flavor and aroma obstruction feeling."

The molecular weight of the conjugate acid constituting the dihydrogen salt is generally 90 or more, preferably 120 or more, more preferably 170 or more, and generally 300 or less, preferably 250 or less, more preferably 200 or less. Within the above range, the strong acid of the dissociated dihydrogen salt can suppress the reduction of the appropriate evaporation amount and can remain in the aerosol. Since the strong acid has a high acid function, if it can be present in the aerosol, even in a small amount, it can also exert an effect.

Examples of the dihydrogen salt include disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate and dipotassium dihydrogen pyrophosphate.

Such a substance can further easily suppress a decrease in the evaporation amount of flavor and aroma components, and can more effectively suppress the "flavor and aroma obstruction feeling."

The content of the dihydrogen salt in the tobacco filler of the present invention is generally 0.1% by mass or greater, preferably 0.25% by mass or greater, and more preferably 1% by mass or greater, and generally 10% by mass or less, preferably 5% by mass or less. Within this range, a decrease in the amount of evaporation of flavor and aroma components can be further suppressed, and the "flavor and aroma obstruction" sensation can be more effectively suppressed.

The tobacco filler of the present invention contains shredded tobacco and a liquid for generating an aerosol. However, shredded tobacco generally contains moisture, and it can be said that the tobacco filler of the present invention also contains water.

The water content of the tobacco filler of the present invention is generally 5% by mass or more, preferably 7.5% by mass or more, and more preferably 10% by mass or more, and generally 30% by mass or less, preferably 25% by mass or less, and more preferably 20% by mass or less, based on the total weight of the tobacco filler. Within this range, a decrease in the amount of flavor and aroma components evaporated can be more easily suppressed, and the "flavor and aroma obstruction" sensation can be more effectively suppressed.

Example

The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but appropriate changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

<Example 1, Comparative Examples 1-6: Influence of the First Acid Dissociation Constant and Boiling Point of the Conjugate Acid Constituting the Salt>

Samples were prepared by adding 100 mg of a 1:1 (weight ratio) mixture of propylene glycol and glycerin to 100 mg of yellow tobacco (produced in Japan). The salts listed in Table 1 were then added at 5% by mass, based on the total mass of the composition. The tobacco was pre-ground in a household blender and then vibrated for 2 minutes using a sieve (AS200, manufactured by Retch) with an amplitude of 1.5 mm/g. The sieve used had a mesh diameter of 0.5 mm or less.

The prepared samples were attached to a pod specifically designed for the "Ploom (registered trademark)" brand sold by Japan Tobacco Co., Ltd. and left at 22°C and 60% humidity for at least two days. It should be noted that the heating temperature of the tobacco cut during Ploom use (during stable operation) was confirmed to be approximately 160°C to 170°C by prior measurement using a thermocouple. Since the tobacco cut contains 13% by mass of water, the prepared samples were estimated to contain approximately 6.0% by mass of water.

In the smoking test, the prepared pods were mounted on a Ploom using a smoking machine (Borgwaldt, RM-26). The aroma and flavor components of the initial 10 puffs were measured under prescribed smoking conditions (55 ml/2s, 30s between puffs). It should be noted that nicotine, a readily quantifiable aroma and flavor component, was selected as the target component in this experiment. Smoke was captured using a Cambridge filter pad, and the smoke collected on the filter was shaken and extracted with methanol for 40 minutes. Nicotine was then quantified using GC-FID.

The sensory evaluation of the smoking test was conducted by four individuals, who rated the "flavor and aroma obstruction" on a seven-point scale from 1 to 7. In the results of this example, a value of 2 or less for flavor and aroma obstruction indicated that the evaluators could fully discern a difference and was considered excellent. A value of 7 indicates the degree to which the person experiences an obstruction or an impact on smoking, and the numerical value is recorded based on the sensation experienced during smoking.

The physical properties of the salt, the evaporation amount of the aroma and taste components, and the results of the sensory evaluation are shown in Table 1.

[Table 1]

Table 1 Salt types, physical properties and evaluation results

Figure 2 shows the relationship between the first acid dissociation constant of the conjugate acid constituting the salt and the amount of evaporated flavorful components. As shown in Figure 2, the amount of flavorful components is roughly the same when a dihydrogen salt is added as when it is not. For monohydrogen salts or salts containing no hydrogen, the amount of flavorful components can be observed to vary. These results demonstrate that the addition of a dihydrogen salt stabilizes the amount of evaporated flavorful components.

Next, a graph showing the relationship between the first acid dissociation constant of the conjugate acid constituting the salt and the perceived flavor and aroma obstruction is shown in Figure 3. It was confirmed that the lower the first acid dissociation constant of the conjugate acid constituting the salt, the less flavor and aroma obstruction the sensation. Among the salts used in this example, disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate had the highest effect, presumably due to the acid strength of the conjugate acid constituting the salt.

The above results indicate that the addition of a dihydrogen salt having a first acid dissociation constant of 1.0 or less of the conjugate acid constituting the salt can eliminate the aroma and flavor obstruction while maintaining the evaporation amount of the aroma and flavor components.

<Examples 2 to 4: Effect of Dihydrogen Salt Content>

The same method as in the previous example was used, except that the content of disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate was changed from 5% by mass to 3% and 1% by mass. Note that in this evaluation, since the amounts of flavor and aroma components were the same, only the effect on flavor and aroma suppression was considered.

[Table 2]

Table 2 Evaluation results when the addition amount of acidic sodium pyrophosphate was changed

Figure 4 shows the relationship between the content of disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate and the perceived flavor and aroma suppression. Figure 4 confirms that the acid effect is high even when the content is reduced to 1% by mass. It is expected that strong acids are highly effective as acids, and as long as they are present in the aerosol, even small amounts will exert an effect. It is believed that the stronger the conjugate acid constituting the salt, the more preferable it is.

Industrial Applicability

The tobacco filler of the present invention can be filled into a non-combustion type heat-and-smoking article for smoking.

Claims (3)

1. A tobacco filling material for non-combustible heated smoking articles comprising tobacco shreds and a liquid that generates an aerosol. The liquid that generates the aerosol has a content of 20% by mass or more. The tobacco filling contains dihydrogen salts of tribasic or tetrabasic acids with a first acid dissociation constant of less than 1.0. The dihydrogen salt is the dihydrogen salt of pyrophosphate. The content of the dihydrogen salt is more than 0.1% by mass and less than 10% by mass of the total tobacco filler. 2. The tobacco filler according to claim 1, wherein the liquid that generates the aerosol comprises propylene glycol. 3. The tobacco filler according to claim 1, wherein the water content is 5.0% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less of the total tobacco filler.