METHOD FOR WHITENING TOBACCO

A method of preparing a whitened tobacco material is provided, the method including the steps of (i) extracting a tobacco material with an aqueous solution to give a tobacco solids material and a tobacco extract; (ii) treating the tobacco solids material with a caustic wash to give a tobacco pulp; (iii) bleaching the tobacco pulp with a solution including a strong base, an oxidizing agent, or a combination thereof to give a bleached tobacco pulp; and (iv) drying the bleached tobacco pulp to give the whitened tobacco material. The invention also provides a smokeless tobacco product incorporating a whitened tobacco material. The smokeless tobacco product may be a snus-type formulation contained within a sealed pouch.