Fractionation as the main method for smoked tobacco products identification

Smokeless tobacco products are products that do not require a pyrolysis process and / or  the production of tobacco aerosol (smoke) at the time of use. In the absence of data on the toxicological  risks of smokeless tobacco, their consumption is potentially on the rise. The variety of non-smoking  tobacco products creates certain problems in identifying chewing tobacco and sucking tobacco (banned  for sale in the Russian Federation) as products that are identical in terms of physiological effects, method  of consumption, and component composition. A methodology has been developed for a comprehensive  assessment of non-smoking products, including the determination of consumer properties and  technological indicators by instrumental methods, as well as the determination of the level of toxic  components (nicotine, TSNA, B(a)P). The difference between the types of smokeless tobacco is mainly  in the granulometric composition of the product: snus – finely ground tobacco, chewing tobacco –  snatches of tobacco with a removed middle vein. Identification indicators have been determined: the  presence of raw tobacco, the size of its particles and the number of large fragments in the finished product.  The presence of raw tobacco can be determined by optical microscopy and/or luminescent analysis, and  the quantitative content can be determined by sieve analysis. The quantitative content of the coarse  fraction in chewing tobacco (not less than 15 %) is the main indicator of the product. The use of the  fractionation method makes it possible to differentiate between sucking and chewing tobacco. A «Method  for determining the fractional composition of non-smoking tobacco products for oral consumption by the  method of sieve analysis» was developed (Certificate No. 022-01.00281-2013-2022). To certify the  methodology, a set of studies was carried out, the data were obtained as a result of five parallel  measurements by three performers for each sample. The technique is registered in the State Register of  Measuring Instruments (FR.1.31.2022.43935 of 09/02/2022). Technological indicators of SLT samples  were established: humidity (11,4-53,3) %, pH level 5,7-9,7, coarse fraction content (0,4-56,9) %, dust  fraction content (0,2-76,3) %. The results of identification of commercial samples of a segmental product  are presented.