bat global ingredients - Non-tobacco components

 
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About tobacco leaf
Our products contain different types of tobacco, blended for aroma, taste and character.
Non-tobacco components
Most of our companies' products also use materials such as filters, paper and adhesives.

Cigarettes obviously involve a little more than just tobacco. Cigarette paper holds the tobacco, while other components include filter material, tipping paper, adhesives and printing inks.

Specialist manufacturers supply these components to our Group companies.

Generally, hand-rolling tobacco, pipe tobacco, cigars and chewing tobacco products do not include any non-tobacco components, although some cigars and filter cigarillos can include filter material, tipping paper (including inks) and adhesives. Smokeless snus tobacco is contained in a pouch.

Although consuming any tobacco product poses risks to health, we have Group-wide procedures in place to ensure that the components used to make our companies’ products do not present any additional health risk.
 
Non-tobacco components of a cigarette:

  • Special cigarette paper is used to contain the tobacco and to help make the cigarette burn evenly. The porosity of this paper (its ability to admit air) influences the taste of the cigarette and the delivery of tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide.
  • Sideseam adhesive is used to glue the cigarette paper in place around the tobacco and a small amount of die print ink may be applied to the cigarette paper, near the filter tip, to add a distinctive brand mark to the product.
  • The filter is a white plug made mainly from wood fibre (cellulose acetate) that absorbs particles in the smoke to reduce the delivery of tar and nicotine. A hardening agent (triacetin) helps the filter keep its shape in the packet and while it is being smoked.
  • Plugwrap is a special paper wrapper put around the filter to hold it together during manufacture.
  • The filter and tobacco rod are held together by tipping paper, often with an imitation cork pattern printed on it using ink. This paper may also have holes in it to admit air.
  • Filter adhesive is used to glue the tipping paper to the filter and the tobacco rod.

Non-tobacco components of a cigar:

  • Some cigars use little or no non-tobacco components, although most use cigar seam adhesives to glue the wrapper and binder in place around the tobacco.
  • Filters are used in some cigars and perform the same role as in cigarettes.
  • In these products, cigar tipping paper (which is sometimes printed) holds the filter and tobacco rod together and cigar plugwrap paper holds the filter together during manufacture.
  • Cigar tipping adhesives are used to glue the tipping paper/filter or tip to the tobacco rod. They can also be applied to an untipped cigar to seal the end.
 
Page last updated: 10/05/2010 11:06:21