A METHOD FOR MAKING A RECONSTITUTED TOBACCO SHEET USING STEAM EXPLODED TOBACCO

A process to improve the smoke quality and mechanical properties of reconstituted tobacco is accomplished by adding tobacco materials to an aqueous solution containing ammonium salts and urea. The resulting first tobacco slurry is then pressurized under steam pressure to at least 60 psi for a period of from 1 to 5 minutes then depressurized rapidly to ambient. The depressurized tobacco is then formed into a second tobacco slurry wherein the soluble components within the tobacco is removed. The resulting tobacco residue is then prepared into a reconstituted tobacco sheet and the extract is then concentrated to a solids level of at least 30 percent by weight of solids which is added back to the reconstituted tobacco sheet for further processing into smoking articles.