The two step papermaking reconstitution is a well-known process to reshape raw materials that are unusable directly in the cigarette, generated during tobacco harvesting and cigarette manufacturing. An essential step of this process is the temporary fractionation of tobacco materials into a water soluble fraction and a fibrous fraction, which potentially allows the application of treatments to reduce certain smoke harmful constituent precursors.

The purpose of this presentation is to give an overview of the reconstituted tobacco composition variation, particularly the chemical components distribution between the fibre and soluble fractions.

Main components of reconstituted tobacco are: cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignin, proteins, pectins, organic acids such as malic acid and citric acid, sugars as glucose, fructose, saccharose, maltose, minerals such as potassium, calcium, nitrate, chloride, free amino acids, alkaloids, polyphenols such as chlorogenic acid and rutin, with a variable distribution depending on raw materials blending. Low amounts of minor alkaloids, terpenes, metals, carotenoids are also present.

Cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignin are recovered in the fibre fraction whereas proteins, pectins, and terpenes are split between both fractions with different ratios. Highly methylated pectins are mainly recovered in the soluble fraction whereas low methylated pectins and protopectins are observed in the fibrous one.

Sugars, are higher in Chinese flue-cured tobacco-solubles, lower in Oriental blends. Minerals in soluble fraction vary between 15% and 29% with a higher amount of potassium, nitrate in blended tobacco, and lower amounts of potassium, nitrate and chloride in Oriental blends.

Polyphenols, mainly recovered in tobacco solubles, are higher in Chinese flue-cured and Oriental tobacco blends. Alkaloids are mostly found in the soluble fraction. Total amount of free amino acids are similar in the various tobacco blends, but lower aspartic and glutamic acids, higher tryptophan contents are observed in flue-cured soluble fraction. High recovery of organic acids in solubles is observed, particularly malic acid. Metals (cadmium, mercury, selenium) are distributed between the soluble and fibrous fractions, except chromium which is mainly observed in fibres, and arsenic in the soluble fraction.