Treatment of tobacco stems

A tobacco product comprising tobacco stem material produced by a method comprising, in any order, the steps of: processing by rolling or flaking the tobacco stem material; and fermenting the tobacco stem material in the presence of homolactic acid bacteria and limited oxygen for a time between 4 and 21 days at a temperature between 15 ºC and 45ºC. A further step is drying the processed fermented tobacco stem material where the tobacco stem material has a thickness between 0.1mm and 1.2mm. The homolactic acid bacteria are from the genus Lactobacillus, Pediococcus or both in the fermentation step. One or more enzymes have cellulose or cellobiose hydrolase activity are added prior to the fermenting step. Also provided are tobacco products comprising tobacco stem material produced by the method of the invention.