moist snuff non-tobacco composition and a method for producing thereof

Abstract

A method for the production of a moist snuff non-tobacco composition, and a composition obtainable from the method are disclosed.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
   
   
       25 . A method for manufacturing a non-tobacco moist snuff composition for oral use, comprising one or more plant fibers, comprising the following steps:
 a) providing of one or more plant fibers, preferably in flour form, optionally preceded by grinding or cutting and/or sieving of raw material for providing said one or more plant fibers;   b) processing of one or more plant fibers provided in step a), preceded by mixing if more than one type of fiber is used or if fibers with different size distribution are used; wherein step b) comprises the following steps:
 i) adding water, one or more humectants, and NaCl to the plant fibers under stirring to form a mixture; 
 ii) heating and keeping the mixture heated, thus achieving a pasteurisation or a “sweating” of the mixture, 
 iii) cooling the moist snuff mixture; and 
 iv) optionally adding other ingredients such as one or more other salts, humectants, dyes, flavours and flavour additives, such as liquorice and ammonium chloride, 
   c) and optionally packing, either in pouches, which is preferred, or as is in cans.   
   
   
       26 . A method according to  claim 25  wherein water is added in step i) giving a final water content of from 30 to 50% per weight or more, preferably from 35 to 41%. 
   
   
       27 . A method according to  claim 25  wherein the humectant is glycerol or propylene glycol or a combination thereof, preferably glycerol. 
   
   
       28 . A method according to  claim 25  wherein the NaCl is added in an amount from 6 to 16%, preferably 8-10%. 
   
   
       29 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein glycerol is added in an amount from 2 to 15%, preferably from 8-12%. 
   
   
       30 . A method according to  claim 25  wherein the flavour is selected from the group containing fruits, berries, flowers, herbs, oil of fruits and edible plants or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       31 . A method according to  claim 25  wherein the other salt is a carbonate or ammonium chloride. 
   
   
       32 . A method according to  claim 25  wherein the dye is caramel or vegetable carbon. 
   
   
       33 . A method according to  claim 25  wherein the additive is selected from the group containing extracts from fruits, leaves, berries, vegetables, barks and herbs or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       34 . A method according to  claim 25  wherein the plant fibers are selected from the group containing maize fibers, oat fibers, tomato fibers, barley fibers, molasses fibers, rye fibers, sugar beet fibers, buck wheat fibers, potato fibers, cellulose fibers, apple fibers, cocoa fibers, or a combination thereof; preferably maize fibers or oat fibers are used. 
   
   
       35 . A method according to  claim 25  wherein sweetening agents, flavouring agents, colour agents and/or dyes additionally are added in step a). 
   
   
       36 . A method according to  claim 25  wherein NaCl is added from 6 to 16%, preferably 8-10%, and glycerol is added from 2-15%, preferably approximately 8-12%. 
   
   
       37 . A method according to  claim 36  wherein the heat treatment in step ii) is applied during from 1 to 30 hours, preferably approximately 10 h, with mixing each quarter of an hour. 
   
   
       38 . A method according to  claim 37  wherein the plant fibers is maize fibers and its weight fraction distribution is as follows:
   8-20%<100 μm,     100 μm<22-34%<160 μm,     160 μm<28-45%<250 μm, and     16-37% of the fiber blend>250 μm   
   
   
       39 . A method according to  claim 25  wherein an ingredient selected from the group consisting of: caffeine, red clover, Echinacea, Green tea extract, Maca, Mate, Matcha, Roiboos, ginger, rose hips, white clover, sweet clover, ginseng, guarana, arctic root, rosmary, buckthorn, bilberry, cranberry, lingon berry, anise, clove, gum tragacanth, gum arabic, gum acacia, gum karaya, locust bean gum, xanthan gum, or combinations thereof is added. 
   
   
       40 . A method according to  claim 39  wherein Guarana, caffeine, ginseng, matcha, maca, mate, green tea extract are added. 
   
   
       41 . A method according to  claim 39  wherein caffeine, gurarana and ginseng are added. 
   
   
       42 . A method according to  claim 39  wherein Green tea, Maca, Mate and Guarana are added. 
   
   
       43 . A method according to  claim 39  wherein Guarana, Ginseng, Mate, Maca and Green tea extract are added. 
   
   
       44 . A method according to  claim 39  wherein Matcha and/or Green tea extract are added. 
   
   
       45 . A method according to  claim 39  wherein Caffeine, Guarana, Ginseng, Maca and Mate are added. 
   
   
       46 . A method according to any  claim 40  wherein Roiboos is added. 
   
   
       47 . A moist snuff composition obtainable by a method according to  claim 25 .