Gel-coated novel portion snus

Abstract

A pre-portioned snus product comprising a portion of snus tobacco and a coating is disclosed.

1 . A pre-portioned snus product for oral enjoyment comprising:
 a coating comprising a water-soluble, non-cross-linked component and a substantially water-insoluble, cross-linked component; and   a collection of particles of snus tobacco particles at least partially enclosed by said coating,   wherein the pre-portioned snus product is sized for placement in a user's mouth, and   the pre-portioned snus product is adapted to provide, during oral enjoyment of the product, tobacco solutes.   
     
     
         2 . The pre-portioned snus product of  claim 1 , wherein said water-soluble, non-cross-linked component is formed by a non-cross-linked polymer and wherein said non-cross-linked polymer is selected from the group consisting of starch and starch derivatives, such as modified starch, dextrin, gums, such as gum arabic, guar gum, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, curdlan gum, gellan gum, fenugreek derivative gums, pullulan, chitosan, chitin, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, synthetic polymers, such as polyvinyl alcohol, polylactide, polyethylene glycol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, or polyvinylacetate, soluble or insoluble vegetable fiber and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The pre-portioned snus product of  claim 1 , wherein said substantially water-insoluble, cross-linked component is formed by cross-linking a cross-linkable polymer with a cross-linking agent and wherein said cross-linkable polymer is selected from the group consisting of alginate, pectin, carrageenan, modified polysaccharides with cross-linkable functional groups, and combinations. 
     
     
         4 . The pre-portioned snus product of  claim 3 , wherein said cross-linkable polymer comprises pectin obtained from tobacco. 
     
     
         5 . The pre-portioned snus product of  claim 1 , wherein the snus tobacco comprises water in about 6% to about 30% by weight, or about 12% to about 20% by weight. 
     
     
         6 . The pre-portioned snus product of  claim 1 , wherein said coating further comprises:
 (a) at least one sweetener, sweetness potentiators, and/or modulator;   (b) at least one chemesthesis agent;   (c) a tobacco extract,   (d) at least one vitamin;   (e) at least one nutraceutical;   (f) at least one mineral;   (g) at least one botanical extract; and/or   (h) at least one amino acid;   wherein said at least one sweetener, sweetness potentiators, and/or modulator, said at least one chemesthesis agent; said tobacco extract, said at least one vitamin, said at least one nutraceutical, said at least one mineral, at least one botanical extract, and/or said at least one amino acid are released when said soluble component dissolves.   
     
     
         7 . The pre-portioned snus product of  claim 1 , wherein the product is adapted so as to quickly break up once the non-cross-linked components of the coating dissolve on exposure to the user's saliva. 
     
     
         8 . The pre-portioned snus product of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is adapted so that the product remains substantially intact during oral enjoyment thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The pre-portioned snus product of  claim 1 , wherein:
 (a) an individual portion of said product weighs about 2.5 g to 0.2 g;   (b) the snus tobacco contains about 12% to about 20% moisture by weight; and/or   (c) the snus tobacco contains about 2.5% to about 1.5% nicotine by weight.   
     
     
         10 . The pre-portioned snus product of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises a single layer having an inner surface in contact with the tobacco material and an outer surface which is exposed to saliva and tissue in the oral cavity when placed therein. 
     
     
         11 . The pre-portioned snus product of  claim 1 , wherein the water-soluble, non-cross-linkable component comprises a starch and the substantially water-insoluble, cross-linked component comprises pectin. 
     
     
         12 . A method of forming a pre-portioned snus product for oral enjoyment having a semi-dissolvable coating, the method comprising:
 forming a portion of snus tobacco particles to form a pre-portioned snus;   contacting the pre-portioned snus with a multi-component aqueous coating solution comprising a water-soluble, non-cross-linkable polymer and a cross-linkable polymer which forms a substantially water-insoluble polymer upon cross-linking to form a coating on said portion of moist plant material; and   cross-linking said cross-linkable polymer to form a semi-dissolvable, coating on the surface of the pre-portioned plant material,   wherein the pre-portioned snus product is adapted to provide, during oral enjoyment of the product, tobacco solutes.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said chemically, cross-linkable polymer and said non-cross-linkable polymer are polysaccharides. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said cross-linkable polymer is selected from the group consisting of alginate, pectin, carrageenan, modified polysaccharides with cross-linkable functional groups, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the cross-linking comprises exposing the coating to a cross-linking agent comprising a bivalent metal ion salt. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said bivalent metal ion salt is calcium lactate. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 (a) the pre-portioned snus is sprayed with said polymer solution;   (b) the pre-portioned snus is dipped into said polymer solution;   (c) the cross-linking agent is applied to the coating in a pattern, and/or   (d) the plant material comprises tobacco.   
     
     
         18 . method of  claim 12 , wherein the cross-linking occurs in an inward to outward direction via a crosslinker endogenous to the snus tobacco.