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CORESTA Meeting, Smoke Science/Product Technology, Freiburg, 2003, ST 36

Effects of glycerin applied to cut tobacco on tar and nicotine variation in smoke

ITO H.
Japan Tobacco Inc., Yokokawa, Tokyo, Japan.

We have confirmed that the tar and nicotine (hereinafter referred to as TN) yields in smoke varies if the amount of glycerin applied to cut tobacco increases at the tobacco manufacturing process. We assume that this is because the amount of glycerin affects the variation of the cut tobacco filling density in tobacco columns, which changes the free burning rate (mg/min) and the burning condition in smoking and, as a result, causes the variation of the TN yields in smoke. In this study, we found a relationship between the amount of glycerin and the film of liquid on the surface of cut tobacco. The film was observed using a laser microscope.One of the factors that increases the variation of the cut tobacco filling density of tobacco columns is the adhesion among cut tobacco caused by the film of glycerin-based liquid. In the meantime, it was also confirmed that the average particle size of cut tobacco in tobacco columns becomes bigger (i.e. improved) when glycerin is applied further to cut tobacco. This is assumed that improved toughness of cut tobacco prevents the destruction of cut tobacco, which occurs during cigarette making process, etc. We believe the above findings can be useful when studying the way to reduce the TN variation in smoke.