A capsule is a widely used flavour carrier in cigarettes. It is a very effective tool to deliver menthol and other flavours to mainstream tobacco smoke. Even though menthol will be banned in EU from 2020, capsule cigarettes are still very popular in other markets like Asia, Middle East and Africa.

The structure of this study is divided into three sections.

• Influence of triacetin and menthol on the capsule crush strength. Capsule filters were produced applying 0 %, 5 %, 10 % and 15 % of triacetin with 0.3 mg/mm menthol and without menthol. Filters were stored within polyethylene/propylene bags and outside for several weeks in ambient conditions. The capsule crush strength and colour change was recorded each week.
• Open pack test – change in crush strength of commercial capsules when cigarettes are stored in an opened pack in ambient conditions for several weeks. It was observed that some capsules dried out. The crush strength was measured each week, dried capsules were quantified and a statistical analysis performed.
• Capsule crush strength in half-smoked cigarettes. Some smokers like to crush the capsule after smoking half or more of a cigarette. It was observed that during smoking capsules lose the “click” effect, crush strength and leak the flavour. Flavour analyses were made using Agilent 5973N GC-MS.

This study provides practical and insightful data about shelf life and crush strength changes of capsules in cigarettes under various storage conditions.