Importance

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Abstract

The tobacco products incorporate binder systems. The binder systems exhibit thermoplastic properties, characteristics, or behaviors. The binder system can incorporate at least one type of binding agent that exhibits thermoplastic properties. Additionally, the binder system can incorporate materials to provide a binding agent that exhibits thermoplastic characteristics, for example at least one thermoplastic binding material in combination with a plasticizer. Also, tobacco products can incorporate a plasticizer blend. Tobacco products are produced by contacting tobacco, with other desired ingredients, in the presence of a binder system, and forming the resulting mixture into a shape. Of particular interest are processing conditions that involve exposing a tobacco formulation to less than about 100° C. during processing, using relatively low amounts of a binding agent that exhibits desirable thermoplastic behavior at such processing temperatures, and using relatively low to moderate amounts of liquid processing aids. Other processing conditions include adding a plasticizer blend to the tobacco formulation.

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First Claim