Tobacco curing is a complex process that involves the control of natural senescence reactions to obtain a product tobacco leaf with desirable smoke quality. To understand the changes that occur in tobacco composition during curing processes has required the development of analytical techniques capable of revealing information about the biopolymers (e.g. carbohydrates and proteins) and related materials involved in senescence reactions. Fourier transform infrared evolved gas analysis (FT-IR-EGA) has demonstrated such a capability. This pyrolytic technique affords the ability to detect and to monitor multiple decomposition volatiles, continuously, as a material is heated under controlled conditions. Product evolution profiles generated as a function of temperature provide information relating to the physiochemical characteristics of constituents present in the sample material. In this paper, a description of the FT-IR-EGA methodology and its application to study the c hanges in tobacco composition during curing are presented. The model system employed for discussion is a Coker 319 tobacco subjected to both flue and air-curing.