Smokeless tobacco

Abstract

A smokeless tobacco product is provided. A water-permeable pouch containing a tobacco formulation and configured for insertion into the mouth of a user of that product is provided. The tobacco formulation includes granular tobacco and a buffer comprised of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate. An outer packaging material enveloping the pouch is provided and is sealed so as to allow a controlled environment to be maintained within.

1 . A smokeless tobacco product comprising:
 a water-permeable pouch containing a tobacco formulation and configured for insertion into the mouth of a user of that product, the tobacco formulation including granular tobacco and a buffer comprised of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate; and   an outer packaging material enveloping said pouch and being sealed so as to allow a controlled environment to be maintained within.   
   
   
       2 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein said controlled environment consists of carbon dioxide. 
   
   
       3 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein said controlled environment consists essentially of carbon dioxide. 
   
   
       4 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein said buffer is comprised of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate at a ratio of between about 1:70 and 1:85. 
   
   
       5 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein said buffer is comprised of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate at a ratio of between about 1:20 and 1:99. 
   
   
       6 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , further comprising an oxygen absorber contained within the outer packaging material. 
   
   
       7 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1 , further comprising an oxygen and carbon dioxide absorber contained within the outer packaging material. 
   
   
       8 . A smokeless tobacco product comprising:
 a water-permeable pouch containing a tobacco formulation and configured for insertion into the mouth of a user of that product, the tobacco formulation including granular tobacco and a buffer comprised of at least two buffering elements; and   an outer packaging material enveloping said pouch and being sealed so as to allow a controlled environment to be maintained within.   
   
   
       9 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 8 , wherein said buffering elements are sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate. 
   
   
       10 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 8 , wherein said buffering elements are sodium carbonate and ammonium bicarbonate. 
   
   
       11 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 10 , wherein the ratio of sodium carbonate to ammonium bicarbonate is about 2:3. 
   
   
       12 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 8 , wherein said buffering elements are potassium hydroxide and sodium bicarbonate. 
   
   
       13 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 12 , wherein the ratio of potassium hydroxide to sodium bicarbonate is about 1:75. 
   
   
       14 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 8 , wherein said buffering elements are sodium hydroxide and potassium bicarbonate. 
   
   
       15 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 14 , wherein the ratio of sodium hydroxide to potassium bicarbonate is about 1:75. 
   
   
       16 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 8 , wherein said buffering elements are potassium hydroxide, sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate. 
   
   
       17 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 16 , wherein the ratio of potassium hydroxide to sodium carbonate to sodium bicarbonate is about 2:5:3. 
   
   
       18 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 8 , wherein said controlled environment consists of carbon dioxide. 
   
   
       19 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 8 , wherein said controlled environment consists essentially of carbon dioxide. 
   
   
       20 . A smokeless tobacco product comprising:
 a plurality of water-permeable pouches each configured for insertion into the mouth of a user of the product and containing a tobacco formulation, the tobacco formulation including granular tobacco and a buffer comprised of at least two buffering elements,   a hard container encompassing said water-permeable pouches, and an outer packaging material enveloping said hard container and being sealed so as to allow a controlled environment to be maintained within.   
   
   
       21 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 20 , wherein said controlled environment consists of carbon dioxide. 
   
   
       22 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 20 , wherein said controlled environment consists essentially of carbon dioxide. 
   
   
       23 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 20  wherein said hard container can be opened and resealed to allow one or more of said water permeable pouches to be dispensed as desired by the user. 
   
   
       24 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 23  wherein said hard container is made of metal or plastic. 
   
   
       25 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 20  wherein said outer packaging material is formed of two pieces of said material superimposed in edge to edge contact, said edges being sealed by an overlap seal. 
   
   
       26 . A smokeless tobacco product comprising:
 a plurality of water-permeable pouches containing a tobacco formulation and configured for insertion into the mouth of a user of that product, the tobacco formulation including granular tobacco and a buffer comprised of at least two buffering elements; and   a hard container encompassing said water-permeable pouches, said hard container being tightly sealed so as to allow a controlled environment to be maintained within.   
   
   
       27 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 26 , said hard container comprising a lower portion and a separate, upper portion which mates with said lower portion to form a closed container, and a band of sealing material covering the mating surfaces of said upper and lower portions. 
   
   
       28 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 26  wherein said container is made of metal or plastic. 
   
   
       29 . A smokeless tobacco product comprising:
 a plurality of water-permeable pouches each containing a tobacco formulation and configured for insertion into the mouth of a user of that product, the tobacco formulation including granular tobacco and a buffer comprised of at least two buffering elements;   an outer packaging material enveloping each of said pouches and being sealed so as to allow a controlled environment to be maintained within; and   a hard container encompassing said water-permeable pouches enveloped by said outer packaging material, said hard container being tightly sealed so as to allow a controlled environment to be maintained within.   
   
   
       30 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 29 , said hard container comprising a lower portion and a separate, upper portion which mates with said lower portion to form a closed container, and a band of sealing material covering the mating surfaces of said upper and lower portions. 
   
   
       31 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 29  wherein said container is made of metal or plastic. 
   
   
       32 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 29  wherein the controlled environment maintained within said outer packaging material enveloping each of said pouches is different from the controlled environment maintained within said hard container. 
   
   
       33 . A smokeless tobacco product comprising:
 a plurality of water-permeable pouches each containing a tobacco formulation and configured for insertion in the mouth of a user of that product, the tobacco formulation including granular tobacco and a buffer comprised of at least two buffering elements;   an outer packaging material enveloping each of said pouches and being sealed so as to allow a controlled environment to be maintained within;   a hard container encompassing said water-permeable pouches enveloped by said outer packaging material; and   a second outer packaging material enveloping said hard container and being sealed so as to allow a controlled environment to be maintained within.   
   
   
       34 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 33  wherein the controlled environment maintained within said outer packaging material enveloping each of said pouches is different from the controlled environment maintained within said second outer packaging material. 
   
   
       35 . A method of maintaining the pH producing ability of a smokeless tobacco product over a period of time, said method comprising the steps of:
 adding a buffer comprising at least two elements to a tobacco formulation including granular tobacco;   packaging said tobacco formulation in a controlled environment.   
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein said buffer comprises sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the ratio of sodium carbonate to sodium bicarbonate is between about 1:20 to 1:99. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein said controlled environment consists of carbon dioxide. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein said controlled environment consists essentially of carbon dioxide.