Smokeless tobacco composition

The invention provides a process for preparing a tobacco composition suitable for use as a smokeless tobacco composition, the process including: providing a slurry comprising water and a tobacco material, the slurry comprising at least about 75% by weight water, based on the total weight of the slurry; heating the slurry to a temperature of at least about 60° C. for a time sufficient to pasteurize the tobacco material; adding an amount of a base to the slurry sufficient to raise the pH of the slurry to at least about 8.5, thereby forming a pH-adjusted slurry; and continuing to heat the pH-adjusted slurry to a temperature of at least about 60° C. for a time sufficient for the pH of the slurry to drop at least about 0.5 pH unit following the adding step.