JP7574436B2 - Tobacco flavor liquid manufacturing method, tobacco flavor liquid, and flavor inhaler - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for producing tobacco flavor liquid, a tobacco flavor liquid, and a flavor inhaler.

Dried tobacco plant leaves are used as a flavor source for flavor inhalers such as cigarettes and heat-not-burn tobacco products, and are called leaf tobacco. Leaf tobacco contains various flavor components. Leaf tobacco may be used as a flavor source for flavor inhalers as is, or tobacco flavor components may be extracted from the leaf tobacco and the resulting tobacco extract may be used as a flavor source for flavor inhalers. Because tobacco extract contains microorganisms such as yeast, it is desirable to remove the microorganisms when using it as a flavor source for a flavor inhaler.

It is also known that the flavor components contained in the tobacco extract can be increased by reacting the tobacco extract with microorganisms such as yeast (for example, Patent Document 1). In this case, too, it is desirable to remove the microorganisms if the tobacco extract after the reaction is to be used as a flavor source for a flavor inhaler.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,175

The present invention aims to provide a technology for removing microorganisms such as yeast from tobacco extract in a simple manner without impairing the tobacco flavor.

According to one aspect, a method for producing tobacco flavor liquid is provided, which comprises treating a tobacco extract with a material containing an inorganic porous body to remove microorganisms from the tobacco extract.

In another aspect, there is provided a tobacco flavor liquid obtained by the above-mentioned method.

According to yet another aspect, there is provided a flavor inhaler containing the aforementioned tobacco flavor liquid.

The present invention provides a technology for easily removing microorganisms such as yeast from tobacco extract without impairing the tobacco flavor.

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing an example of a method for producing a tobacco flavor liquid. FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing another example of a method for producing a tobacco flavor liquid. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a combustion type flavor inhaler. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a heating type flavor inhaler. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the internal structure of a tobacco stick. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the internal structure of the aerosol generating device.

The present invention is described in detail below, but the following description is intended to illustrate the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention.

1. Method for producing tobacco flavor liquid
The method for producing a tobacco flavor liquid includes treating a tobacco extract with a material containing an inorganic porous body to remove microorganisms from the tobacco extract.

In this method, microorganisms contained in the tobacco extract are removed, so that the resulting tobacco flavor liquid has a reduced amount of microorganisms compared to the tobacco extract. In this specification, "microorganisms" refers to any microorganisms contained in the tobacco extract immediately before the tobacco extract is treated with the material containing an inorganic porous body, and includes bacteria and fungi.

In the first embodiment, the tobacco extract is a tobacco supernatant obtained by extracting water-soluble components contained in a tobacco material from the tobacco material with an aqueous solvent. The method according to the first embodiment is described in detail in the section <1-1. First embodiment> below.

In a second embodiment, the tobacco extract is a useful component extract obtained by a method including the following steps (a) to (c):
(a) extracting water-soluble components contained in a tobacco material from the tobacco material with an aqueous solvent to obtain a tobacco supernatant;
(b) culturing yeast in the tobacco supernatant to obtain a yeast-containing culture solution, and (c) mixing the yeast-containing culture solution with an elution solvent containing an organic solvent, and eluting useful components contained within the yeast cells from the yeast contained in the resulting mixture into the liquid portion of the mixture to obtain a useful component eluate. The method according to the second embodiment will be described in detail in the section <1-2. Second embodiment> below.

<1-1. First embodiment>
According to the first embodiment, a method for producing a tobacco flavor liquid includes:
(S1) extracting water-soluble components contained in a tobacco material from the tobacco material with an aqueous solvent to obtain a tobacco supernatant;
(S4) treating the tobacco supernatant with a material containing an inorganic porous body to obtain a microorganism-free tobacco supernatant.

The method according to the first embodiment is shown in FIG. 1. The method according to the first embodiment will be described in the order of steps (S1) and (S4) with reference to FIG. 1. The "microorganism-free tobacco supernatant" obtained by the method according to the first embodiment can be used as a "tobacco flavor liquid".

[Extraction step (S1)]
In the extraction step (S1), water-soluble components contained in the tobacco material are extracted from the tobacco material with an aqueous solvent to obtain a tobacco supernatant. is also obtained (see FIG. 1).

The tobacco material may be shredded tobacco that is ready to be incorporated into tobacco products, such as combustion-type or heat-type flavor inhalers. "Shredded tobacco that is ready to be incorporated into tobacco products" refers to shredded tobacco that has been through a drying process at the farm, a long-term aging process of one to several years at a raw material factory, and various other processing steps, such as blending and cutting at a manufacturing factory, and is ready to be incorporated into tobacco products.

Tobacco shreds are cut leaves of tobacco. They may be shredded leaves, shredded backbones, shredded reconstituted tobacco (i.e., tobacco material produced by processing leaf waste, shredded waste, backbone waste, powder, etc., generated during factory operations into a reusable form), or a mixture of these. Tobacco shreds may be crushed to increase the extraction efficiency, and the resulting crushed material may be used for extraction.

The shredded tobacco may be of any variety, such as flue-cured, burley, oriental, etc. The shredded tobacco may be of a single variety or a mixture of different varieties.

As the aqueous solvent, water or aqueous ethanol can be used. As the aqueous ethanol, for example, a mixture of ethanol and water in a volume ratio of 1:1 can be used. The aqueous solvent is generally water, preferably water at room temperature (e.g., about 20°C) to 70°C. The aqueous solvent can be used in an amount of, for example, 500 to 5000% by mass relative to the tobacco material.

Extraction can be carried out, for example, by soaking the tobacco material in warm water at 40 to 60°C for 30 to 180 minutes, or by shaking (e.g., at 200 rpm) the tobacco material in warm water at 40 to 60°C for 30 to 180 minutes.

Extraction may also be performed by repeating the extraction procedure multiple times. Specifically, extraction may be performed by extracting water-soluble components contained in the tobacco material from the tobacco material with an aqueous solvent, then placing the resulting tobacco residue in a new aqueous solvent to perform a second extraction procedure, and, if necessary, further repeating the extraction procedure with the new aqueous solvent.

The extraction results in a mixture of tobacco residue and tobacco supernatant. The tobacco supernatant contains the water-soluble components contained in the tobacco material. Examples of "water-soluble components contained in the tobacco material" include components that serve as nutrient sources for microorganisms such as yeast (e.g., sugars, amino acids, proteins, and nutrients), and components that contribute to tobacco flavor (e.g., organic acids, leaf resins, terpenoids, and polyphenols).

After extraction, the tobacco residue and the tobacco supernatant are separated, and the tobacco supernatant is used as a raw material for obtaining a tobacco flavor liquid. On the other hand, the tobacco residue can be mixed with the final tobacco flavor liquid (in this embodiment, the "microorganism-free tobacco supernatant") and the resulting mixture can be appropriately processed and used to prepare a tobacco filler. For example, the tobacco residue can be mixed with the final tobacco flavor liquid and used to prepare a tobacco molded body such as a sheet tobacco from the resulting mixture. Alternatively, the tobacco residue can be mixed with the final tobacco flavor liquid and used to prepare a tobacco powder by drying and grinding the resulting mixture.

[Treatment step (S4)]
In the treatment step (S4), the tobacco supernatant is treated with a material containing an inorganic porous body to remove microorganisms from the tobacco supernatant, thereby obtaining a microorganism-free tobacco supernatant as a tobacco flavor liquid.

The inorganic porous body is, for example, diatomaceous earth or zeolite. Diatomaceous earth is a deposit consisting of fossilized diatom shells and contains silicon dioxide as a main component. Zeolite is a microporous crystalline hydrous aluminosilicate, and may be a natural zeolite or a synthetic zeolite.

The microorganisms removed in the treatment step (S4) are those contained in the tobacco supernatant, such as yeast, mold, and microalgae. Since the clarity of the tobacco flavor liquid is demonstrated in Example 1 described below, it is believed that the treatment step (S4) can remove all microorganisms contained in the tobacco supernatant, as well as fine particles other than microorganisms, such as fine particles with a size of 1 μm or more.

Because microorganisms in the tobacco flavor liquid change the composition of the tobacco flavor liquid through metabolism and cause quality deterioration, it is preferable that the tobacco flavor liquid does not contain microorganisms. Furthermore, when the tobacco flavor liquid is applied to an electronic cigarette (i.e., a smoking device in which the tobacco flavor liquid is heated by a heater to evaporate and vaporize the liquid so that the user can inhale it), it is preferable that the tobacco flavor liquid does not contain microorganisms because microorganisms in the tobacco flavor liquid can cause the heater to burn.

The treatment step (S4) may be carried out by passing the tobacco supernatant through a material containing an inorganic porous body, or by adding a material containing an inorganic porous body to the tobacco supernatant and then removing the material containing the inorganic porous body from the tobacco supernatant.

In a preferred embodiment, the treatment step (S4) can be carried out by passing the tobacco supernatant through a layer containing an inorganic porous body. The layer containing an inorganic porous body is, for example, a layer containing diatomaceous earth or a layer containing zeolite. The "layer containing an inorganic porous body" may be a layer consisting of an inorganic porous body only, or may be a layer containing an inorganic porous body as a main component and an additive as an additional component. Examples of additives include molding aids and binders.

In one embodiment, the "layer containing an inorganic porous body" may be composed of a molded body containing an inorganic porous body. That is, the treatment step (S4) may be performed by passing the tobacco supernatant through a molded body containing an inorganic porous body. The molded body containing an inorganic porous body is, for example, a molded body containing diatomaceous earth or a molded body containing zeolite. The "molded body containing an inorganic porous body" may be a molded body consisting of an inorganic porous body alone, or a molded body containing an inorganic porous body as a main component and an additive as an additional component. Examples of additives include molding assistants and binders. More specifically, the "molded body containing an inorganic porous body" may be a fired molded body containing an inorganic porous body, or a compressed molded body of particles containing an inorganic porous body.

Examples of molded bodies containing diatomaceous earth that can be used include Celite (registered trademark) (GL Sciences Inc.) and Supradisc (Pall Corporation).

Alternatively, in another embodiment, the "layer containing an inorganic porous body" may be composed of an aggregate of particles containing an inorganic porous body. That is, the treatment step (S4) may be performed by passing the tobacco supernatant through an aggregate of particles containing an inorganic porous body. The particles containing an inorganic porous body are, for example, particles containing diatomaceous earth or particles containing zeolite. The "particles containing an inorganic porous body" may be particles consisting of an inorganic porous body only, or may be particles containing an inorganic porous body as a main component and an additive as an additional component. Examples of additives include molding aids and binders.

"Particles containing inorganic porous bodies" have a particle size of, for example, <400 μm, generally 10 to 400 μm, preferably <100 μm, more preferably 10 to 100 μm, even more preferably 10 to 80 μm, and even more preferably 30 to 75 μm. A particle size of <X μm means that the particle size is smaller than X μm. In other words, a particle size of <X μm refers to the particle size of particles that have passed through a sieve with X μm openings. A particle size of Y to Z μm means that the particle size is equal to or larger than Y μm and smaller than Z μm. In other words, a particle size of Y to Z μm refers to the particle size of particles that have passed through a sieve with Z μm openings but not through a sieve with Y μm openings. In this specification, particle size refers to a value measured by a sieve particle size measurement method (JIS Z 8815:1994).

For example, pulverized diatomaceous earth (particle size: <354 μm) commercially available under the trade name K-solute (GL Sciences, Inc.) can be used as the particles containing diatomaceous earth. For example, synthetic zeolite powder (particle size: <75 μm) (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) can be used as the particles containing zeolite.

In a more preferred embodiment, the treatment step (S4) can be carried out by passing the tobacco supernatant through a column packed with an aggregate of particles containing an inorganic porous body. The "particles containing an inorganic porous body" are as described above, and are, for example, particles containing diatomaceous earth or particles containing zeolite. The column may have an inner diameter of, for example, 11 to 100 mm and a length of 100 to 1000 mm. The tobacco supernatant can be passed through the column by, for example, gravity.

<1-2. Second embodiment>
In the second embodiment, the tobacco supernatant is reacted with yeast to increase the amount of flavor components contained in the tobacco supernatant, and then microorganisms are removed from the tobacco supernatant in which the amount of flavor components has been increased. That is, according to the second embodiment, the method for producing a tobacco flavor liquid includes:
(S1) extracting water-soluble components contained in a tobacco material from the tobacco material with an aqueous solvent to obtain a tobacco supernatant;
(S2) culturing yeast in the tobacco supernatant to obtain a yeast-containing culture solution;
(S3) mixing the yeast-containing culture liquid with an elution solvent containing an organic solvent, and eluting useful components contained within the yeast cells from the yeast contained in the resulting mixture into the liquid portion of the mixture to obtain a useful component eluate;
(S4) Treating the useful component eluate with a material containing an inorganic porous body to obtain a microorganism-free useful component eluate.

The method according to the second embodiment is shown in FIG. 2. The method according to the second embodiment will be described in the order of steps (S1), (S2), (S3) and (S4) with reference to FIG. 2. In the following explanation, the explanation of the parts that overlap with the method according to the first embodiment will be omitted, and the explanation will focus on the parts that differ from the method according to the first embodiment. The "microorganism-free useful component eluate" obtained by the method according to the second embodiment can be used as a "tobacco flavor liquid".

[Extraction step (S1)]
In the extraction step (S1), water-soluble components contained in the tobacco material are extracted from the tobacco material with an aqueous solvent to obtain a tobacco supernatant. (See FIG. 2) The extraction step (S1) can be carried out in the same manner as the extraction step (S1) described in the method of the first embodiment.

[Culture step (S2)]
In the culturing step (S2), yeast is cultured in the tobacco supernatant obtained in the extraction step (S1) to obtain a yeast-containing culture solution (see FIG. 2).

Any type of yeast can be used as long as it is capable of producing useful components when cultured in tobacco supernatant.

In this specification, "useful component" refers to a component that is useful for the tobacco flavor liquid that is finally obtained. The useful component may be, for example, a component that contributes to the flavor of the tobacco flavor liquid (hereinafter referred to as a flavor-contributing component), a component that colors the tobacco flavor liquid (hereinafter referred to as a coloring component), or a component that prevents spoilage or fermentation of the tobacco flavor liquid (hereinafter referred to as an antiseptic component).

The useful ingredient is preferably a flavor contributing ingredient. A "flavor contributing ingredient" may be a flavor ingredient that releases a flavor or may be a precursor that is converted to a flavor ingredient when heated or burned in a flavor inhaler.

Examples of flavor-contributing components include carotenoids, fatty acids, neutral fats (i.e., glycerol esters of fatty acids), acetate esters, fatty acid esters, organic acids, higher alcohols (e.g., alcohols with 8 to 22 carbon atoms), etc. Examples of coloring components include carotenoids. Examples of preservative components include lactic acid, fatty acid glycosides, benzoic acid, etc.

Therefore, yeasts known to produce the above-mentioned useful components can be used in the methods of the present invention.

Yeasts that produce carotenoids include yeasts of the genus Rhodotorula, such as Rhodotorula alborubescens, Rhodotorula araucariae, Rhodotorula babjevae, Rhodotorula dairenensis, Rhodotorula diobovata, Rhodotorula evergladensis, Rhodotorula glutinis, Rhodotorula graminis, Rhodotorula kratochvilovae, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Rhodotorula ngohengohe, Rhodotorula pacifica, Rhodotorula paludigena, Rhodotorula sinensis, Rhodotorula sphaerocarpa, Rhodotorula taiwanensis, Rhodotorula toruloides; yeasts of the genus Xanthophyllomyces, such as Xanthophyllomyces australis, Xanthophyllomyces rhodozyma, and Xanthophyllomyces tasmanica.

Yeasts that produce fatty acids include yeasts of the genus Yarrowia, such as Yarrowia alimentaria, Yarrowia bubula, Yarrowia deformans, Yarrowia divulgata, Yarrowia galli, Yarrowia hollandica, Yarrowia keelungensis, Yarrowia lipolytica, Yarrowia osloensis, Yarrowia parophoni, Yarrowia phangngaensis, Yarrowia porcina, Yarrowia yakushimensis；Lipomyces属の酵母、例えばLipomyces anomalus、Lipomyces arxii、Lipomyces chichibuensis、Lipomyces doorenjongii、Lipomyces japonicus、Lipomyces kockii、Lipomyces kononenkoae、Lipomyces lipofer、Lipomyces mesembrius、Lipomyces okinawensis、Lipomyces oligophaga、Lipomyces orientalis, Lipomyces smithiae, Lipomyces spencermartinsiae, and Lipomyces starkeyi.

Examples of yeasts that produce acetate esters, fatty acid esters, or higher alcohols include yeasts of the genus Saccharomyces, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces paradoxus, Saccharomyces bayanus, Saccharomyces uvarum, and Saccharomyces arboricola; yeasts of the genus Cyberlindnera, such as Cyberlindnera jadinii, Cyberlindnera saturnus, Cyberlindnera fabianii, Cyberlindnera suaveolens, Cyberlindnera americana, and Cyberlindnera xylosilytyca; and yeasts of the genus Wickerhamomyces, such as Wickerhamomyces anomalus, Wickerhamomyces ciferri, and Wickerhamomyces canadensis.

One type of yeast may be cultured in the tobacco supernatant, or two or more types of yeast may be cultured in the tobacco supernatant. The yeast may also be a genetically modified yeast that has been genetically modified to increase the production of useful components.

The conditions for culturing the yeast are not particularly limited, and conditions suitable for the growth of the yeast used and the production of useful components can be appropriately selected. Prior to the culturing, the yeast can be added to the tobacco supernatant at a concentration of, for example, 10 to ¹⁰ cells/mL. The culturing can be carried out, for example, at 10 to 40° C. for, for example, 5 to 168 hours.

The tobacco supernatant contains components that serve as a nutrient source for yeast and components that serve as raw materials for useful components, and can provide an environment suitable for yeast growth and useful component production. For this reason, there is no need to add additional components to the tobacco supernatant. However, the method of the present invention does not exclude the addition of additional components to the tobacco supernatant.

The mixture of yeast and tobacco supernatant obtained after culturing yeast in tobacco supernatant is referred to in this specification as the "yeast-containing culture medium." Compared to the "mixture of yeast and tobacco supernatant before culture," the yeast-containing culture medium contains an increased amount of useful components produced by the yeast. Also, compared to the "mixture of yeast and tobacco supernatant before culture," the yeast-containing culture medium contains a decreased amount of substances consumed by the yeast for growth and production of useful components.

[Elution step (S3)]
In the elution step (S3), the yeast-containing culture liquid obtained in the culture step (S2) is mixed with an elution solvent containing an organic solvent, and the yeast cells contained in the yeast cells are eluted from the yeast contained in the resulting mixture. The useful components are dissolved in the liquid portion of the mixture, thereby obtaining a useful component eluate (see FIG. 2).

In this specification, the mixture containing yeast and dissolution solvent obtained after the dissolution process is completed is referred to as the "useful component dissolution solution."

As the elution solvent, an elution solvent containing an organic solvent can be used. The elution solvent may be an organic solvent itself or a mixture of an organic solvent and water. The elution solvent is preferably an elution solvent containing an organic solvent miscible with water, and more preferably an elution solvent containing an alcohol miscible with water. That is, a preferred elution solvent is an alcohol miscible with water, or a water-containing alcohol thereof.

The organic solvent contained in the elution solvent is preferably an organic solvent having an SP value of 10 to 14.5, and more preferably an alcohol having an SP value of 10 to 14.5. Examples of organic solvents contained in the elution solvent include ethanol, isopropanol, methanol, or butanol. The organic solvent contained in the elution solvent is more preferably ethanol or isopropanol, and most preferably ethanol. That is, the most preferred elution solvent is ethanol or aqueous ethanol.

The SP value refers to the value of the Hildebrand solubility parameter. The higher the SP value of a solvent, the higher its miscibility with water. SP values are known for various solvents; for example, the SP value of ethanol is 12.7, the SP value of isopropanol is 11.5, the SP value of methanol is 14.5, and the SP value of butanol is 11.4.

The organic solvent contained in the dissolution medium may be one type or two or more types may be mixed together.

The dissolution solvent can be added to the yeast-containing culture liquid in an amount such that the concentration of the organic solvent in the mixture of the yeast-containing culture liquid and the dissolution solvent is, for example, 50% by volume or more, preferably 50-95% by volume, and more preferably 60-95% by volume. The concentration of the organic solvent can be adjusted appropriately taking into consideration the efficiency of dissolution of useful components. In this specification, the term "mixed solution of yeast-containing culture liquid and dissolution solvent" refers to a mixture of the liquid portion of the yeast-containing culture liquid (i.e., the tobacco supernatant after culture) and the dissolution solvent, and does not include yeast.

The dissolution medium can be added to the yeast-containing culture medium in an amount of, for example, 100 to 900% by volume. The amount of dissolution medium added can be adjusted appropriately taking into account the efficiency of dissolution of useful components.

For example, when ethanol or aqueous ethanol is used as the dissolution solvent and fatty acids are to be dissolved as useful components, ethanol can be added to the yeast-containing culture liquid in an amount such that the concentration of ethanol in the mixture of the yeast-containing culture liquid and the dissolution solvent is, for example, 50% by volume or more, preferably 50 to 90% by volume, more preferably 60 to 90% by volume, even more preferably 60 to 80% by volume, and most preferably 70% by volume.

For example, when ethanol or aqueous ethanol is used as the dissolution solvent and carotenoids are to be dissolved as useful components, ethanol can be added to the yeast-containing culture medium in an amount such that the concentration of ethanol in the mixture of the yeast-containing culture medium and the dissolution solvent is, for example, 50% by volume or more, preferably 50 to 90% by volume, more preferably 60 to 90% by volume, even more preferably 70 to 90% by volume, even more preferably 80 to 90% by volume, and most preferably 90% by volume.

In the elution step (S3), the yeast-containing culture liquid and the elution solvent are mixed, and useful components contained within the yeast cells in the resulting mixture are eluted into the liquid portion of the mixture. The elution can be carried out by stirring the mixture of the yeast-containing culture liquid and the elution solvent for a predetermined period of time, while heating it if necessary.

From the viewpoint of the efficiency of dissolution of useful components, dissolution is preferably carried out while stirring the mixture, but it may also be carried out while the mixture is left to stand. When stirring the mixture, the stirring speed may be, for example, 60 to 300 rpm.

In addition, if heating promotes the dissolution of useful ingredients, dissolution may be carried out while heating, or if heating does not have the effect of promoting dissolution, dissolution may be carried out at room temperature (e.g., 15 to 25°C) without heating.

The dissolution temperature and dissolution time can be adjusted appropriately taking into account the dissolution efficiency of useful components.

For example, when ethanol or aqueous ethanol is used as the dissolution solvent and fatty acids are to be dissolved as useful components, dissolution can be carried out by stirring the mixture at room temperature (e.g., 15-25°C) for 5-60 minutes.

For example, if ethanol or aqueous ethanol is used as the dissolution solvent and carotenoids are to be dissolved as useful components, dissolution can be carried out by heating the mixture to 80-95°C and stirring for 15-60 minutes.

[Treatment step (S4)]
In the treatment step (S4), the useful component eluate obtained in the elution step (S3) is treated with a material containing diatomaceous earth to remove microorganisms from the useful component eluate. This results in a microorganism-free useful component eluate as a tobacco flavor liquid. The treatment step (S4) can be carried out in the same manner as the treatment step (S4) described in the method of the first embodiment.

The microorganisms removed in the treatment step (S4) are those contained in the yeast and tobacco supernatant used in the culture step (S2). Examples of microorganisms contained in the tobacco supernatant include yeast, mold, and microalgae. Since the clarity of the tobacco flavor liquid is demonstrated in Example 3 described below, it is believed that the treatment step (S4) can remove all microorganisms contained in the yeast and tobacco supernatant used in the culture step (S2), as well as fine particles other than microorganisms, such as fine particles with a size of 1 μm or more.

The method according to the second embodiment may further include removing the organic solvent from the "microorganism-free useful component eluate" after obtaining the "microorganism-free useful component eluate." The organic solvent can be removed by a general method such as vacuum concentration, atmospheric concentration, or spray drying.

<1-3. Effects>
According to the method of the present invention, microorganisms such as yeast can be removed from a tobacco extract ("tobacco supernatant" in the first embodiment, and "useful component eluate" in the second embodiment) in a simple manner without impairing the tobacco flavor. This makes it possible to produce a tobacco flavor liquid ("microorganism-free tobacco supernatant" in the first embodiment, and "microorganism-free useful component eluate" in the second embodiment) in which the amount of microorganisms is reduced, in a simple manner, without impairing the tobacco flavor.

The effects of the present invention will be described in detail below.
In the method of the present invention, in order to remove microorganisms from a tobacco extract, it is only necessary to treat the tobacco extract with a material containing an inorganic porous body, and there is no need to perform microfiltration. Microfiltration requires time for filtration, and requires a lot of effort for equipment maintenance, such as clearing clogging of the filtration membrane. The method of the present invention has low resistance even when the tobacco extract is passed through a layer containing an inorganic porous body, and is clearly simpler than treatment with a microfiltration membrane, and is superior in terms of production efficiency.

Furthermore, the method of the present invention is superior in terms of microbial removal efficiency, since it can remove microorganisms to the same extent as processing using a microfiltration membrane (see Examples 1 and 3 below).

In addition, the method of the present invention removes microorganisms and fine particles of the same size as microorganisms, but does not remove tobacco flavor components, making the tobacco flavor liquid of the present invention an excellent tobacco flavor source for flavor inhalers (see Example 4 below).

In particular, the method according to the second embodiment involves culturing yeast in tobacco supernatant, then eluting useful components contained within the yeast cells into the tobacco supernatant, and removing the yeast from the resulting useful component eluate. Therefore, according to the method according to the second embodiment, it is possible to produce a tobacco flavor liquid that contains a large amount of useful components and has a reduced amount of microorganisms.

2. Tobacco flavor liquid
According to another aspect, there is provided a tobacco flavor liquid produced by the above-mentioned "method for producing a tobacco flavor liquid".

As mentioned above, the tobacco flavor liquid may be any of the following:
(i) a "microbe-free tobacco supernatant" obtained by the method of the first embodiment; and (ii) a "microbe-free useful component-containing liquid" obtained by the method of the second embodiment.

Therefore, the tobacco flavor liquid produced by the above-mentioned "tobacco flavor liquid production method" includes the above two types of products as specific examples.

As described above, since microorganisms have been removed from the tobacco flavor liquid, there is no possibility that the composition of the tobacco flavor liquid will change due to microbial metabolism, making it superior in terms of quality stability when used as a flavor source for a flavor inhaler.

In particular, the tobacco flavor liquid obtained by the method according to the second embodiment can contain a large amount of useful components because it is produced by the method according to the second embodiment described above. Therefore, when such tobacco flavor liquid is incorporated into a flavor inhaler, the effect of the useful components can be significantly exhibited in the flavor inhaler. For example, when the useful components are flavor-contributing components, the tobacco flavor liquid can contain a large amount of the flavor-contributing components, and therefore, when incorporated into a tobacco product such as a flavor inhaler, an enhanced flavor can be provided to the user.

The tobacco flavor liquid produced by the above-mentioned "production method of tobacco flavor liquid" can be incorporated into tobacco products such as flavor inhalers according to known techniques. Examples of use of the tobacco flavor liquid are described below.

For example, tobacco flavor liquid can be used by adding it to tobacco material (e.g., deboned leaves or tobacco leaves) and drying the resulting mixture.

Alternatively, the tobacco flavor liquid can be added to the tobacco residue obtained in the extraction process (S1) described above, and the resulting mixture can be used to produce tobacco molded bodies such as tobacco sheets or tobacco granules, which can then be used as a tobacco flavor source for tobacco products.

Alternatively, the tobacco flavor liquid can be used by adding it to the tobacco residue obtained in the extraction step (S1) described above, drying and grinding the resulting mixture to produce tobacco powder, and adding the tobacco powder to tobacco material (e.g., deboned leaves or leaf tobacco).

Alternatively, the tobacco flavor liquid can be used by adding it to the tobacco residue obtained in the extraction step (S1) described above, drying and grinding the resulting mixture to produce tobacco powder, suspending the tobacco powder in water to prepare a tobacco slurry, and adding the tobacco slurry to tobacco material (e.g., deboned leaves or leaf tobacco).

Alternatively, the tobacco flavor liquid can be encapsulated in accordance with known techniques and the resulting flavor capsule incorporated into the filter portion of the tobacco product.

<3. Tobacco Additives>
As mentioned above, the tobacco flavor liquid may be used in combination with the tobacco residue obtained in the extraction step (S1) described above.
A tobacco flavor liquid produced by the above-mentioned "production method of tobacco flavor liquid" and
The present invention provides a tobacco additive comprising the tobacco residue obtained when obtaining the tobacco supernatant in the above-mentioned "method for producing tobacco flavor liquid".

Specific examples of tobacco additives are described below.
For example, the tobacco additive may be a product obtained by drying a mixture of a tobacco flavor liquid and the tobacco residue obtained in the extraction step (S1), which product can be used as a tobacco flavor source for tobacco products.

Alternatively, the tobacco additive may be a tobacco molded product obtained by molding a mixture of the tobacco flavor liquid and the tobacco residue obtained in the extraction step (S1) into a specific shape, such as a sheet shape or a granular shape. The tobacco molded product can be used as a tobacco flavor source for tobacco products.

Alternatively, the tobacco additive may be tobacco powder obtained by drying a mixture of the tobacco flavor liquid and the tobacco residue obtained in the extraction step (S1) and grinding it into a powder form. The tobacco powder can be added to tobacco materials (e.g., deboned leaves or leaf tobacco) to enhance the flavor of the tobacco materials.

Alternatively, the tobacco additive may be a tobacco slurry obtained by drying a mixture of the tobacco flavor liquid and the tobacco residue obtained in the extraction step (S1), grinding the mixture into a powder, and suspending the resulting powder in water. The tobacco slurry can be added to a tobacco material (e.g., deboned leaves or leaf tobacco) to enhance the flavor of the tobacco material.

Tobacco additives may contain additives such as binders, pH adjusters, preservatives, and antioxidants, as necessary.

<4. Flavor Inhaler>
The above-mentioned "tobacco flavor liquid" or the above-mentioned "tobacco additive" can be incorporated into any tobacco product. As a typical example, the above-mentioned "tobacco flavor liquid" or the above-mentioned "tobacco additive" can be incorporated into a flavor inhaler such as a combustion type flavor inhaler or a heating type flavor inhaler. That is, according to another aspect, a flavor inhaler containing the above-mentioned "tobacco flavor liquid" or a flavor inhaler containing the above-mentioned "tobacco additive" is provided.

The above-mentioned "tobacco flavor liquid" or the above-mentioned "tobacco additive" may be incorporated into any position of a tobacco product, provided that the user can taste an enhanced flavor when using the tobacco product.

Examples of combustion-type flavor inhalers include cigarettes, pipes, kiseru, cigars, or cigarillos. An example of a combustion-type flavor inhaler, i.e., a cigarette with a typical configuration, is shown in Figure 3.

The combustion type flavor inhaler 1 shown in FIG.
A tobacco rod 2 including a tobacco filler 2a and a tobacco paper 2b wrapped around the tobacco filler 2a;
A filter 3 including a filter medium 3a and a plug wrapper 3b wrapped around the filter medium 3a;
The tobacco rod 2 includes a tipping paper 4 wrapped around the filter 3 so as to connect the tobacco rod 2 and the filter 3.

The tobacco rod 2 contains tobacco filler 2a, such as tobacco shreds or a tobacco molded body. The tobacco rod can have a diameter of, for example, 5 to 10 mm and a length of 40 to 80 mm, similar to that of a normal cigarette.

The filter 3 is a so-called plain filter, consisting of a single filter material 3a. The filter material 3a can be made of acetate tow or other filter material, as in ordinary cigarettes. The filter 3 has approximately the same diameter as the tobacco rod 2, and the length can be, for example, 15 to 40 mm, as in ordinary cigarettes. The plug wrapper 3b can be 10 to 100 μm thick, and it does not matter whether it is breathable, but it is common to use breathable paper.

The tipping paper 4 is bonded with an adhesive so as to cover the entire plug wrapper 3b and a part of the tobacco paper 2b. The tipping paper 4 may have, for example, a length (width) of 20 to 50 mm in the axial direction of the tobacco rod and a thickness of 10 to 100 μm. As with normal cigarettes, the tipping paper 4 may have a number of small ventilation holes formed in a single row, multiple rows, or irregularly along the circumferential direction of the cigarette.

In the case of the combustion-type flavor inhaler 1 shown in Figure 3, the above-mentioned "tobacco flavor liquid" and the above-mentioned "tobacco additives" can be incorporated, for example, into the tobacco filler material 2a or the filter material 3a.

Next, an example of a heated flavor inhaler will be described.
Carbon heat source type inhalers that heat tobacco filler with the heat of combustion of a carbon heat source (see, for example, WO2006/073065);
An electrically heated inhaler including a tobacco stick containing a tobacco filler and a heating device for electrically heating the tobacco stick (see, for example, WO2010/110226); or a liquid atomization inhaler that generates an aerosol by heating a liquid aerosol source with a heater, and inhales the flavor derived from the tobacco filler together with the aerosol (see, for example, WO2015/046385).
etc.

An example of a heated flavor inhaler will be described below with reference to Figures 4 to 6. Figure 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a heated flavor inhaler. Figure 5 is a diagram showing the internal structure of a tobacco stick. Figure 6 is a diagram showing the internal structure of an aerosol generating device.

As shown in FIG. 4, the heating type flavor inhaler 100 includes:
a tobacco stick 110 including a tobacco filler material and an aerosol source;
The aerosol generating device 120 has a tobacco stick 110 removably attached thereto, and heats the tobacco stick 110 to generate an aerosol from an aerosol source, and releases flavor components from the tobacco filler by the action of the aerosol.

The tobacco stick 110 is a replaceable cartridge and has a columnar shape extending along the longitudinal direction. The tobacco stick 110 is configured to generate an aerosol and flavor components by being heated while inserted into the aerosol generating device 120.

5, the tobacco stick 110 has a base material portion 11A including a filler 111 and a first cigarette paper 112 around which the filler 111 is wrapped, and a mouthpiece portion 11B that forms an end portion opposite the base material portion 11A. The base material portion 11A and the mouthpiece portion 11B are connected by a second cigarette paper 113.

The suction mouth portion 11B has a paper tube portion 114, a filter portion 115, and a hollow segment portion 116 arranged between the paper tube portion 114 and the filter portion 115. The paper tube portion 114 is a paper tube formed by rolling paper into a cylindrical shape, and the inside is hollow. The filter portion 115 includes a filter material such as acetate tow. The hollow segment portion 116 includes a filling layer having one or more hollow channels. The filter material of the filter portion 115 and the filling layer of the hollow segment portion 116 are connected by covering them with a plug wrapper 117. The filling layer is made of fibers, and since the filling density of the fibers is high, air and aerosols flow only through the hollow channels during inhalation, and there is almost no flow within the filling layer. In the tobacco stick 110, when it is desired to reduce the loss of aerosol components due to filtration in the filter portion 115, shortening the length of the filter portion 115 and replacing it with a hollow segment portion 116 is effective in increasing the amount of aerosol delivered.

Although the suction mouth portion 11B is composed of three segments, it may be composed of one or two segments, or four or more segments. For example, the hollow segment portion 116 may be omitted, and the paper tube portion 114 and the filter portion 115 may be arranged adjacent to each other to form the suction mouth portion 11B.

The length of the tobacco stick 110 in the longitudinal direction is preferably 40 to 90 mm, more preferably 50 to 75 mm, and even more preferably 50 to 60 mm. The circumference of the tobacco stick 110 is preferably 15 to 25 mm, more preferably 17 to 24 mm, and even more preferably 20 to 23 mm. In addition, in the longitudinal direction of the tobacco stick 110, the length of the substrate portion 11A may be 20 mm, the length of the cardboard tube portion 114 may be 20 mm, the length of the hollow segment portion 116 may be 8 mm, and the length of the filter portion 115 may be 7 mm, but the lengths of these individual segments can be changed as appropriate depending on manufacturing suitability, required quality, and the like.

The filling 111 includes a tobacco filling material and an aerosol source. The aerosol source generates an aerosol when heated to a predetermined temperature. Examples of the aerosol source include glycerin, propylene glycol, triacetin, 1,3-butanediol, and mixtures thereof. The content of the aerosol source in the filling 111 is not particularly limited, and from the viewpoint of generating a sufficient amount of aerosol and imparting a good flavor and aroma, it is usually 5% by mass or more, preferably 10% by mass or more, and usually 50% by mass or less, preferably 20% by mass or less.

As explained above, the tobacco filler has, for example, the form of tobacco shreds or the form of a tobacco molded body. When the tobacco filler has the form of tobacco shreds, it may have the form of tobacco shreds obtained by shredding leaf tobacco (i.e., aged tobacco leaves) to a width of, for example, 0.8 to 1.2 mm. Alternatively, when the tobacco filler has the form of sheet tobacco, it may have the form of elongated sheet tobacco obtained by shredding sheet tobacco to a width of, for example, 0.8 to 1.2 mm, or it may have the form of corrugated sheet tobacco obtained by gathering sheet tobacco without shredding it.

When the substrate portion 11A has a circumference of 22 mm and a length of 20 mm, the content of the filler 111 in the tobacco stick 110 is, for example, 200 to 400 mg, and preferably 250 to 320 mg. The moisture content of the filler 111 is, for example, 8 to 18% by mass, and preferably 10 to 16% by mass. Such a moisture content suppresses the occurrence of rolling stains and improves the suitability of the substrate portion 11A for rolling during production.

The first wrapping paper 112, the second wrapping paper 113, and the plug wrapper 117 may be the same as the tobacco wrapping paper, tipping paper, and plug wrapper used in cigarettes, respectively.

In the case of the tobacco stick 110 shown in Figure 5, the above-mentioned "tobacco flavor liquid" and the above-mentioned "tobacco additives" can be incorporated, for example, into the filling material 111 or the filter material of the filter portion 115.

6, the aerosol generating device 120 has an insertion hole 130 into which the tobacco stick 110 can be inserted. That is, the aerosol generating device 120 has an inner tubular member 132 that constitutes the insertion hole 130. The inner tubular member 132 may be made of a heat conductive material such as aluminum or stainless steel (SUS).

The aerosol generating device 120 may also have a lid 140 that closes the insertion hole 130. The lid 140 is configured to be slidable between a state in which the insertion hole 130 is closed and a state in which the insertion hole 130 is exposed (see FIG. 4).

The aerosol generating device 120 may have an air flow path 160 that communicates with the insertion hole 130. One end of the air flow path 160 is connected to the insertion hole 130, and the other end of the air flow path 160 communicates with the outside of the aerosol generating device 120 (external air) at a location separate from the insertion hole 130.

The aerosol generating device 120 may have a lid 170 that covers the end of the air flow path 160 that communicates with the outside air. The lid 170 may cover the end of the air flow path 160 that communicates with the outside air, or may leave the air flow path 160 exposed.

The lid 170 does not airtightly close the air flow path 160 even when it covers the air flow path 160. In other words, even when the lid 170 covers the air flow path 160, outside air can flow into the air flow path 160 through the vicinity of the lid 170.

With the tobacco stick 110 inserted into the aerosol generating device 120, the user holds one end of the tobacco stick 110, specifically the mouthpiece portion 11B shown in FIG. 5, in their mouth and performs an inhalation action. When the user inhales, outside air flows into the air flow path 160. The air that flows into the air flow path 160 passes through the tobacco stick 110 in the insertion hole 130 and is guided into the user's oral cavity.

The aerosol generating device 120 may have a temperature sensor in the air flow path 160 or on the outer surface of the wall that constitutes the air flow path 160. The temperature sensor may be, for example, a thermistor or a thermocouple. When a user inhales through the mouthpiece portion 11B of the tobacco stick 110, the air flowing through the air flow path 160 from the lid portion 170 side toward the heater 30 side causes a decrease in the internal temperature of the air flow path 160 or the temperature of the wall that constitutes the air flow path 160. The temperature sensor can detect the user's inhalation action by measuring this decrease in temperature.

The aerosol generating device 120 has a battery 10, a control unit 20, and a heater 30. The battery 10 stores power used by the aerosol generating device 120. The battery 10 may be a chargeable and dischargeable secondary battery. The battery 10 may be, for example, a lithium ion battery.

The heater 30 may be provided around the inner tubular member 132. The space housing the heater 30 and the space housing the battery 10 may be separated from each other by a partition wall 180. This makes it possible to prevent air heated by the heater 30 from flowing into the space housing the battery 10. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the battery 10 from rising.

The heater 30 is preferably cylindrical and capable of heating the outer periphery of the columnar tobacco stick 110. The heater 30 may be, for example, a film heater. The film heater may have a pair of film-shaped substrates and a resistance heating element sandwiched between the pair of substrates. The film-shaped substrate is preferably made of a material having excellent heat resistance and electrical insulation properties, and is typically made of polyimide. The resistance heating element is preferably made of one or more metal materials such as copper, nickel alloy, chromium alloy, stainless steel, platinum-rhodium, etc., and may be formed, for example, by a stainless steel base material. Furthermore, the connection portion and its lead portion of the resistance heating element may be copper-plated in order to connect to a power source via a flexible printed circuit (FPC).

Preferably, a heat shrink tube may be provided on the outside of the heater 30. The heat shrink tube is a tube that shrinks radially when heated, and is made of, for example, a thermoplastic elastomer. The heater 30 is pressed against the inner cylindrical member 132 by the shrinking action of the heat shrink tube. This increases the adhesion between the heater 30 and the inner cylindrical member 132, thereby increasing the thermal conductivity from the heater 30 to the tobacco stick 110 via the inner cylindrical member 132.

The aerosol generating device 120 may have a cylindrical insulating material on the radial outside of the heater 30, preferably on the outside of the heat shrink tube. The insulating material can prevent the outer surface of the housing of the aerosol generating device 120 from reaching an excessively high temperature by blocking the heat of the heater 30. The insulating material can be made of aerogels such as silica aerogel, carbon aerogel, and alumina aerogel. The aerogel as the insulating material may typically be silica aerogel, which has high insulating performance and relatively low manufacturing costs. However, the insulating material may be a fiber-based insulating material such as glass wool or rock wool, or a foam-based insulating material such as urethane foam or phenol foam. Alternatively, the insulating material may be a vacuum insulating material.

The heat insulating material may be provided between the inner tubular member 132 facing the tobacco stick 110 and the outer tubular member 134 outside the heat insulating material. The outer tubular member 134 may be made of a heat conductive material such as aluminum or stainless steel (SUS). The heat insulating material is preferably provided in a sealed space.

The control unit 20 may include a control board, a CPU, a memory, etc. The aerosol generating device 120 may also have a notification unit for notifying the user of various information under the control of the control unit 20. The notification unit may be, for example, a light-emitting element such as an LED or a vibration element, or a combination of these.

When the control unit 20 detects a start-up request from the user, it starts supplying power from the battery 10 to the heater 30. The user's start-up request is made, for example, by the user operating a push button or a slide switch, or by the user's inhalation action. The user's start-up request may be made by pressing the push button 150. More specifically, the user's start-up request may be made by pressing the push button 150 with the lid 140 open. Alternatively, the user's start-up request may be made by detecting the user's inhalation action. The user's inhalation action can be detected, for example, by a temperature sensor as described above.

5. Preferred embodiment
Preferred embodiments are summarized below.
[A1] A method for producing a tobacco flavor liquid, comprising treating a tobacco extract with a material containing an inorganic porous body to remove microorganisms from the tobacco extract.

[A2] extracting water-soluble components contained in a tobacco material from the tobacco material with an aqueous solvent to obtain a tobacco supernatant;
and treating the tobacco supernatant with a material containing an inorganic porous body to obtain a microorganism-free tobacco supernatant.
[A3] extracting water-soluble components contained in a tobacco material from the tobacco material with an aqueous solvent to obtain a tobacco supernatant;
Cultivating yeast in the tobacco supernatant to obtain a yeast-containing culture solution;
mixing the yeast-containing culture liquid with an elution solvent containing an organic solvent, and eluting useful components contained within the yeast cells from the yeast contained in the resulting mixture into the liquid portion of the mixture to obtain a useful component eluate;
and treating the useful component eluate with a material containing an inorganic porous body to obtain a microorganism-free useful component eluate.

[A4] The method according to [A1], wherein the treatment is carried out by passing the tobacco extract through a layer containing an inorganic porous material.
[A5] The method according to [A2], wherein the treatment is carried out by passing the tobacco supernatant through a layer containing an inorganic porous material.
[A6] The method according to [A3], wherein the treatment is carried out by passing the useful component eluate through a layer containing an inorganic porous material.

[A7] The method according to [A1], wherein the treatment is carried out by passing the tobacco extract through a molded body containing an inorganic porous material.
[A8] The method according to [A2], wherein the treatment is carried out by passing the tobacco supernatant through a molded body containing an inorganic porous material.
[A9] The method according to [A3], wherein the treatment is carried out by passing the useful component eluate through a molded body containing an inorganic porous material.

[A10] The method according to [A1], wherein the treatment is carried out by passing the tobacco extract through an aggregate of particles containing an inorganic porous material.
[A11] The method according to [A2], wherein the treatment is carried out by passing the tobacco supernatant through a conglomerate of particles containing an inorganic porous material.
[A12] The method according to [A3], wherein the treatment is carried out by passing the useful component eluate through an aggregate of particles containing an inorganic porous material.

[A13] The method according to [A1], wherein the treatment is carried out by passing the tobacco extract through a column packed with particles containing inorganic porous materials.
[A14] The method according to [A2], wherein the treatment is carried out by passing the tobacco supernatant through a column packed with particles containing inorganic porous materials.
[A15] The method according to [A3], wherein the treatment is carried out by passing the useful component eluate through a column packed with particles containing inorganic porous materials.

[A16] The method according to any one of [A10] to [A15], wherein the particles have a particle size of <400 μm, typically 10 to 400 μm, preferably <100 μm, more preferably 10 to 100 μm, even more preferably 10 to 80 μm, even more preferably 30 to 75 μm.
[A17] The method according to any one of [A1] to [A16], wherein the inorganic porous material is diatomaceous earth or zeolite.
[A18] The method according to any one of [A10] to [A17], wherein the particles containing an inorganic porous material are particles consisting of diatomaceous earth or particles consisting of zeolite.

[A19] The method according to any one of [A2] to [A18], wherein the tobacco material is tobacco shreds.
[A20] The method according to any one of [A2] to [A19], wherein the aqueous solvent is water or aqueous ethanol, preferably water, more preferably water at 20 to 70° C.
[A21] The method according to any one of [A3], [A6], [A9], [A12], and [A15] to [A20], wherein the yeast is at least one type of yeast selected from the group consisting of yeasts of the genus Rhodotorula, yeasts of the genus Xanthophyllomyces, yeasts of the genus Yarrowia, yeasts of the genus Lipomyces, yeasts of the genus Saccharomyces, yeasts of the genus Cyberlindnera, and yeasts of the genus Wickerhamomyces.

[A22] The method according to any one of [A3], [A6], [A9], [A12], and [A15] to [A21], wherein the elution solvent is an organic solvent or a mixture of an organic solvent and water.
[A23] The method according to any one of [A3], [A6], [A9], [A12], and [A15] to [A22], wherein the organic solvent is an organic solvent miscible with water, preferably an alcohol miscible with water.
[A24] The method according to any one of [A3], [A6], [A9], [A12], and [A15] to [A23], wherein the elution solvent is an alcohol miscible with water or a water-containing alcohol thereof.

[A25] The method according to any one of [A3], [A6], [A9], [A12], and [A15] to [A24], wherein the organic solvent is an organic solvent having an SP value of 10 to 14.5, preferably an alcohol having an SP value of 10 to 14.5, more preferably ethanol, isopropanol, methanol or butanol, even more preferably ethanol or isopropanol, and most preferably ethanol.
[A26] The method according to any one of [A3], [A6], [A9], [A12], and [A15] to [A25], wherein the elution solvent is ethanol or aqueous ethanol.
[A27] The method according to any one of [A3], [A6], [A9], [A12], and [A15] to [A26], wherein the dissolution solvent is added to the yeast-containing culture solution in an amount such that the concentration of the organic solvent in a mixture of the yeast-containing culture solution and the dissolution solvent is 50 vol% or more, preferably 50 to 95 vol%, and more preferably 60 to 95 vol%.

[A28] The method according to any one of [A3], [A6], [A9], [A12], and [A15] to [A27], wherein the elution is carried out by stirring a mixture of the yeast-containing culture medium and the elution solvent.
[A29] The method according to any one of [A3], [A6], [A9], [A12], and [A15] to [A28], wherein the elution is carried out by heating a mixture of the yeast-containing culture medium and the elution solvent.
[A30] The method according to any one of [A3], [A6], [A9], [A12], and [A15] to [A29], further comprising removing the organic solvent from the microorganism-free useful component eluate.

[A31] The method according to any one of [A3], [A6], [A9], [A12], and [A15] to [A30], wherein the useful component is a flavor-contributing component.
[A32] The method according to [A31], wherein the flavor-contributing component is at least one component selected from the group consisting of carotenoids, fatty acids, neutral fats (i.e., glycerol esters of fatty acids), acetate esters, fatty acid esters, organic acids, and higher alcohols (e.g., alcohols having 8 to 22 carbon atoms).

[B1] A tobacco flavor liquid obtained by the method according to any one of [A1] to [A32].
[B2] The tobacco flavor liquid according to [B1], wherein the tobacco flavor liquid is a microorganism-free tobacco supernatant according to [A2].
[B3] The tobacco flavor liquid according to [B1], wherein the tobacco flavor liquid is a microorganism-free useful component eluate according to [A3].

[C1] A tobacco flavor liquid obtained by the method according to any one of [A2] to [A32];
A tobacco additive comprising: a tobacco residue obtained when obtaining the tobacco supernatant by the method according to any one of [A2] to [A32].
[C2] The tobacco additive according to [C1], wherein the tobacco flavor liquid is a microorganism-free tobacco supernatant according to [A2].
[C3] The tobacco additive according to [C1], wherein the tobacco flavor liquid is a microorganism-free useful component eluate according to [A3].

[D1] A flavor inhaler containing the tobacco flavor liquid according to any one of [B1] to [B3].
[D2] A flavor inhaler containing the tobacco additive according to any one of [C1] to [C3].
[D3] The flavor inhaler according to [D1] or [D2], wherein the flavor inhaler is a combustion type flavor inhaler.
[D4] The flavor inhaler according to [D1] or [D2], wherein the flavor inhaler is a heating type flavor inhaler.

[Example 1]
In Example 1, the clarity of the tobacco flavor liquid produced according to the method of the present invention was evaluated.

1-1. Methods Flue-cured tobacco leaves were ground and used as the "tobacco material." 100 g of shredded flue-cured tobacco leaves were ground in a grinder to a size of 100 μm or less, and 600 mL of water at 60°C was added and shaken (200 rpm for 2 hours). This allowed the water-soluble components contained in the tobacco leaves to be extracted. The tobacco supernatant and tobacco residue were then separated by suction filtration. Advantec No. 60 was used as the filter paper. The resulting filtrate was called the "tobacco supernatant."

The tobacco supernatant was subjected to the following treatment to prepare samples.
Sample 1:
5 mL of the tobacco supernatant was passed through a column (inner diameter 11 mm and length 25 mm) packed with powdered diatomaceous earth (particle size: <354 μm) (GL Sciences, Inc.) by gravity to obtain a column eluate. The column eluate was designated as Sample 1.

Comparative sample 1:
The tobacco supernatant was used as comparative sample 1.

Reference sample 1:
5 mL of the tobacco supernatant was microfiltered through a filter with a pore size of 0.2 μm. The obtained filtrate was used as Reference Sample 1.

Sample 2:
100 mL of tobacco supernatant was sterilized in an autoclave, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was added to the sterilized tobacco supernatant to a concentration of ¹⁰⁵ cells/mL, followed by overnight shaking culture (28°C, 240 rpm). 5 mL of the yeast-containing culture solution obtained after the culture was passed through a column (inner diameter 11 mm, length 25 mm) packed with powdered diatomaceous earth (particle size: <354 μm) (GL Sciences Inc.) by gravity to obtain a column eluate. The column eluate was designated as Sample 2.

Comparative sample 2:
100 mL of the tobacco supernatant was sterilized in an autoclave, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was added to the sterilized tobacco supernatant to a concentration of ¹⁰ cells/mL, followed by overnight shaking culture (28°C, 240 rpm). The yeast-containing culture solution obtained after the culture was used as comparative sample 2.

Reference sample 2:
100 mL of the tobacco supernatant was sterilized in an autoclave, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was added to the sterilized tobacco supernatant to a concentration of ¹⁰⁵ cells/mL, and cultured overnight with shaking (28°C, 240 rpm). 5 mL of the yeast-containing culture solution obtained after the culture was microfiltered with a filter having a pore size of 0.2 μm. The obtained filtrate was used as Reference Sample 2.

The clarity of each sample was evaluated by measuring the absorbance at 600 nm using an absorption spectrophotometer. Reference Sample 1 was used as the standard for clarity of Sample 1 and Comparative Sample 1. Reference Sample 2 was used as the standard for clarity of Sample 2 and Comparative Sample 2.

1-2. Results The absorbance measurement results are shown in the table below.

The absorbance values shown in Table 1 represent the absorbance difference relative to the reference sample. Therefore, in Table 1, the closer the absorbance value of a sample is to 0, the more equivalent the clarity is to the reference sample.

The clarity of Sample 1 was significantly higher than that of Comparative Sample 1. This result indicates that by passing the tobacco supernatant through a column packed with diatomaceous earth, suspended solids with large molecular weights (including microorganisms contained in the tobacco supernatant) that reduced the clarity were removed.

The clarity of Sample 2 was significantly higher than that of Comparative Sample 2. This result indicates that by passing the tobacco supernatant through a column packed with diatomaceous earth, suspended solids with large molecular weights (including microorganisms contained in the tobacco supernatant and added yeast) that reduced the clarity were removed.

The above results demonstrate the clarity of the tobacco flavor liquid produced by the method of the present invention, and therefore it is believed that the method of the present invention can remove not only the added yeast but also all microorganisms, such as mold and bacteria, contained in the tobacco supernatant.

[Example 2]
In Example 2, the yeast concentration of the tobacco flavor liquid produced according to the method of the present invention was evaluated.

2-1. Method Tobacco supernatant was obtained according to the method described in Example 1. The tobacco supernatant was subjected to the following treatment to prepare samples.

Sample 3A:
100 mL of the tobacco supernatant was sterilized in an autoclave, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was added to the sterilized tobacco supernatant to a concentration of ¹⁰ cells/mL, followed by overnight shaking culture (28°C, 240 rpm). The yeast-containing culture solution obtained after the culture was designated as Sample 3A.

Sample 3B:
5 mL of the yeast-containing culture liquid (Sample 3A) was passed through a column (inner diameter 11 mm and length 25 mm) packed with glass powder (particle size: 63 to 106 μm) (AS ONE Corporation) by gravity to obtain a column eluate, which was designated Sample 3B.

Sample 3C:
5 mL of the yeast-containing culture liquid (Sample 3A) was passed by gravity through a column (inner diameter 11 mm and length 25 mm) packed with powdered diatomaceous earth (particle size: <105 μm) (IMERYS) to obtain a column eluate, designated Sample 3C.

Sample 3D:
5 mL of the yeast-containing culture solution (Sample 3A) was passed through a column (inner diameter 11 mm and length 25 mm) packed with powdered diatomaceous earth (particle size: <50 μm) (GL Sciences, Inc.) by gravity to obtain a column eluate, designated Sample 3D.

Sample 3E:
5 mL of the yeast-containing culture solution (Sample 3A) was passed through a column (inner diameter 11 mm and length 25 mm) packed with powdered diatomaceous earth (particle size: <354 μm) (GL Sciences, Inc.) by gravity to obtain a column eluate, designated Sample 3E.

Sample 3F:
5 mL of the yeast-containing culture liquid (Sample 3A) was passed through a column (inner diameter 11 mm and length 25 mm) packed with powdered synthetic zeolite (particle size: <75 μm) (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) by gravity to obtain a column eluate, designated Sample 3F.

Sample 4A:
On the other hand, the yeast-containing culture liquid (sample 3A) was centrifuged to obtain a centrifugation supernatant, which was designated as sample 4A.

Sample 4B:
5 mL of the centrifuged supernatant (Sample 4A) was passed through a column (inner diameter 11 mm and length 25 mm) packed with glass powder (particle size 63 to 106 μm) (AS ONE Corporation) by gravity to obtain a column eluate, which was designated Sample 4B.

Sample 4C:
5 mL of the centrifuged supernatant (Sample 4A) was passed through a column (inner diameter 11 mm and length 25 mm) packed with powdered diatomaceous earth (particle size: <105 μm) (IMERYS) by gravity to obtain a column eluate, designated Sample 4C.

Sample 4D:
5 mL of the centrifuged supernatant (Sample 4A) was passed by gravity through a column (inner diameter 11 mm and length 25 mm) packed with powdered diatomaceous earth (particle size: <50 μm) (IMERYS) to obtain a column eluate, designated Sample 4D.

Sample 4E:
5 mL of the centrifuged supernatant (Sample 4A) was passed through a column (inner diameter 11 mm and length 25 mm) packed with powdered diatomaceous earth (particle size: <354 μm) (GL Sciences, Inc.) by gravity to obtain a column eluate, designated Sample 4E.

Sample 4F:
5 mL of the centrifuged supernatant (Sample 4A) was passed through a column (inner diameter 11 mm, length 25 mm) packed with powdered synthetic zeolite (particle size: <75 μm) (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) by gravity to obtain a column eluate, designated Sample 4F.

The number of yeast cells in samples 3A to 3F and 4A to 4F was measured using the colony count method.

2-2. Results The results of measuring the yeast cell count are shown in the table below.

It was confirmed that yeast was indeed removed when tobacco supernatant was passed through a column packed with diatomaceous earth. The yeast could be similarly removed even when the particle size of the diatomaceous earth was changed. It was also confirmed that yeast was indeed removed when tobacco supernatant was passed through a column packed with zeolite. On the other hand, yeast could not be removed when tobacco supernatant was passed through a column packed with glass powder.

These results indicate that treating tobacco supernatant with an inorganic porous body according to the method of the present invention can remove added yeast to undetectable levels. Based on these results and the results of Example 1, it is believed that the method of the present invention can remove all microorganisms, such as mold and bacteria, contained in tobacco supernatant in addition to added yeast.

[Example 3]
In Example 3, the method according to the second embodiment was carried out.

3-1. Method Sample 5:
According to the method of the second embodiment, the extraction step (S1), the culture step (S2) and the elution step (S3) were performed, and 5 mL of the obtained useful component eluate was passed by gravity through a column (inner diameter 11 mm and length 25 mm) packed with powdered diatomaceous earth (particle size: <354 μm) (GL Sciences, Inc.). The column eluate was designated as Sample 5.

Comparative sample 5:
According to the method of the second embodiment, the extraction step (S1), the culture step (S2) and the elution step (S3) were carried out, and the obtained useful component eluate was used as comparative sample 5.

Reference sample 5:
According to the method of the second embodiment, the extraction step (S1), the culture step (S2) and the elution step (S3) were performed, and 5 mL of the obtained useful component eluate was microfiltered with a filter having a pore size of 0.2 μm. The obtained filtrate was used as Reference Sample 5.

Details of the extraction process (S1), culture process (S2) and dissolution process (S3) are described below.

Extraction step (S1)
Flue-cured tobacco leaves were ground and used as the "tobacco material." 100 g of shredded flue-cured tobacco leaves were ground in a grinder to a size of 100 μm or less, and 600 mL of water at 60° C. was added and shaken (200 rpm for 2 hours). This allowed the water-soluble components contained in the tobacco leaves to be extracted. Then, solid-liquid separation was performed by filtration. This resulted in the production of a tobacco supernatant and a tobacco residue.

Cultivation step (S2)
To 3 mL of the obtained tobacco supernatant, yeast of the genus Saccharomyces (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) was added to a concentration of ¹⁰⁵ cells/mL, and the yeast was cultured in the tobacco supernatant. The culture was performed by shaking culture (240 rpm) at 28°C for 24 hours under aerobic conditions. The "mixture of yeast and tobacco supernatant" obtained after the culture is called a "yeast-containing culture liquid."

Elution step (S3)
24 hours after the start of the culture, 7 mL of ethanol was added as a dissolution solvent to 3 mL of the yeast-containing culture liquid. Specifically, the amount of ethanol added was such that the concentration of ethanol in the mixture of the yeast-containing culture liquid and ethanol was 70% by volume.

The clarity of each sample was evaluated by measuring the absorbance at 600 nm using an absorption spectrophotometer. Reference Sample 5 was used as the standard for the clarity of Sample 5 and Comparative Sample 5.

3-2. Results The absorbance measurement results are shown in the table below.

The absorbance values shown in Table 3 represent the absorbance difference relative to Reference Sample 5. Therefore, in Table 3, the closer the absorbance value of a sample is to 0, the more the sample has the same clarity as Reference Sample 5.

The clarity of Sample 5 was superior to that of Comparative Sample 5. This result indicates that by passing the useful component eluate obtained according to the method of the second embodiment through a column packed with diatomaceous earth, suspended solids with large molecular weights (including microorganisms contained in the tobacco supernatant and added yeast) that reduced the clarity were removed.

[Example 4]
In Example 4, a sensory evaluation was carried out.

As described in Example 1, Sample 1, Comparative Sample 1, Reference Sample 1, Sample 2, Comparative Sample 2, and Reference Sample 2 were prepared and used as tobacco flavor liquids. 1 mL of each sample was mixed with 1 mL of propylene glycol, and the mixture was atomized and inhaled using a commercially available electronic cigarette, and the flavor and taste were evaluated.

4-2. Results No difference in flavor could be detected between Sample 1 and Comparative Sample 1. No difference in flavor could be detected between Sample 2 and Comparative Sample 2. These results show that when tobacco supernatant is passed through a diatomaceous earth column, suspended solids with large molecular weights are removed, but low molecular weight compounds that affect the flavor are not removed, and this treatment step does not affect the flavor of the tobacco supernatant.

No difference in flavor was detected between Sample 1 and Reference Sample 1. No difference in flavor was detected between Sample 2 and Reference Sample 2. These results indicate that there is no difference in flavor of the tobacco flavor liquid obtained when passed through a diatomaceous earth column and when subjected to microfiltration.

Claims (9)

extracting water-soluble components contained in the tobacco material from the tobacco material with an aqueous solvent to obtain a tobacco supernatant;
Cultivating yeast in the tobacco supernatant to obtain a yeast-containing culture solution;
mixing the yeast-containing culture liquid with an elution solvent containing an organic solvent, and eluting useful components contained within the yeast cells from the yeast contained in the resulting mixture into the liquid portion of the mixture to obtain a useful component eluate;
treating the useful component eluate with a material containing an inorganic porous body to remove microorganisms contained in the useful component eluate from the useful component eluate ;
A method for producing a tobacco flavor liquid, comprising: 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the treatment is carried out by passing the useful component eluate through a layer containing an inorganic porous material. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the treatment is carried out by passing the useful component eluate through a molded body containing an inorganic porous material. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the treatment is carried out by passing the useful component eluate through a mass of particles containing an inorganic porous material. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the inorganic porous body is diatomaceous earth or zeolite. A tobacco flavor liquid obtained by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 . A flavor inhaler containing the tobacco flavor liquid according to claim 6 . A tobacco flavor liquid obtained by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ;
A tobacco additive comprising: a tobacco residue obtained when obtaining the tobacco supernatant by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 . A flavor inhaler comprising the tobacco additive of claim 8 .

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