WO2009122434A2 - A novel bidi with reduced harmful effect - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a bidi with a filter of unique design. The filter material has been selected to provide an optimum pressure drop over the filter length such that the smoker finds the smoking activity comfortable, at the same time reducing the level of harmful substances generated during smoking and providing satisfactory level of smoking experience. In spite of its lower smoke delivery as compared to the traditional bidi, a panel of experienced bidi smokers found the filter bidi of the present invention to be satisfactory in terms of the overall quality of the experience of the smoking, that is the strength, taste, harshness on throat, the overall likability, and also the ease of draw and sweetness.

Description

A novel bidi with reduced harmful effect

Field of invention

This invention relates to a composition for bidi, which is less harmful and a process for preparing the same.

Background of the invention

Bidis (pronounced bee-dees) also spelled beedis or biris are small hand-rolled smoking articles manufactured in India and other South-East Asian countries made of tobacco wrapped in a tendu (or temburini; Diospyros melonoxylon) leaf. They are exported to as many as 122 countries. Bidis, though smaller than regular cigarettes, produce three times more carbon monoxide and nicotine, and five times more tar.

The Tar / Nic delivery of Indian bidi is observed to be much higher (Tar 25 to 50 mg/stick, Nicotine 2.0 to 3.0 mg/stick) as compared to average Indian cigarettes. Filters have long been used in cigarettes. However, cigarettes are different from the bidis in many aspects such as chemical composition, physical characteristics, burning characteristics, wrapping material, and the ventilation techniques used in making smoking easier. These aspects are considered in further detail to understand the difficulty in providing a filter to a bidi for decades after the filters have come into existence for cigarettes. A comparison between a cigarette and bidis follows: Chemical composition (on the basis of salts, tar, nicotine, etc.):

Physical characteristics of tobacco(shredded for cigarettes versus leaves for bidis):

Cut Per Inches (CPI): Tobacco used in bidis is not cut using machines , whereas Tobacco used in cigarettes is cut using machines wherein lamina may be cut to 18 to 40 CPI while the stems are cut to 100 to 150 CPI using sophisticated cutting machines.

Tobacco leaves used for bidis are usually thicker and more fragile/brittle than those used for the cigarettes, whereas the leaves used in cigarettes ate usually thin and less fragile at similar moisture levels. Measurement criteron used in case of bidis is mesh size whereas in the case of cigarettes CPI is used.

Burning characteristics: - Bidis have poor burn characteristics compared to cigarettes. This is due to the wrrapper of the bidis which is a thick tendu leaf and due to the relatively higher chloride content of the bidi tobacco blend. Furthermore, in the process of rolling bidi, two layers of tendu leaf wrapper may overlap resulting in further poor burn property of bidi. Also, the burn property of bidis can not be altered or controlled, since there's little that can be done with tendu leafs.

- Cigarettes have relatively better burn characteristics as compared to bidis. This is because the cigarette wrapper is generally very thin and also because the • tobacco blend used in cigarettes is relatively low in chloride content. Also, there is a wide choice of cigarette papers with a range of burn characteristics available. Therefore, it is easier to control burn property of a cigarette

Since the tendu leaves are a natural product, their porosity, thickness and other properties that influence their burn characteristics cannot be altered or controlled. Therefore it is extremely difficult to control burn characteristics of a bidi. Wrapping material (paper selection):

- Although there are varieties of tendu leaf used as a wrapper for bidis, its porosity cannot be controlled or altered as it's a natural product. Besides, the tendu leaf is practically non-porous.

- Porosity of cigarette papers can be altered to some extent based on specific need of cigarette construction. A wide range of cigarette papers is available to match the porosity requirement. Cigarette paper usually has porosity in between 15 to 100 coresta units.

Another methodology to reduce the tar and nicotine level in cigarette is by using filter ventilation technique which dilutes the tar and nicotine level while smoking. The porous nature of cigarette wrappers supports this technique. In case of bidi as it is wrapped with the virtually non-porous tendu leaf, this technique can not be used for lowering smoke deliveries.

Ventilation techniques:

Ventilation technique used is specific to cigarette construction & target smoke deliveries. However, Ventilation technique can not be used for rolling bidi.

Filters:

In order to reduce total particulate matter (TPM) and hence the tar, and fine particles in the cigarette, the cigarette manufacturers also use a filter at one end of the cigarette, through which consumers inhale the smoke. The cigarette smoke passes through the filter which collects the tar and fine particles, making the tobacco smoke from a filtered cigarette less harmful than a unfiltered cigarette smoke. Cigarette filters are manufactured from cellulose (obtained from wood), which is acetylated, dissolved, and spun as continuous synthetic fibers arranged into a bundle called tow. The tow is then cut into desirable lengths to be used as a cigarette filter.

While the process of manufacturing a filter for a cigarette is well understood and has been in existence for a long time, it is not so easy to do in the case of bidis. The difficulty in introducing filters in a bidi stems from the following considerations:

- Bidis are manually rolled by hand while cigarettes are made using cigarette making machine which has facility to add different kinds of filters to cigarettes. It is extremely difficult to incorporate filters to produce desired results in a hand-rolling operation

- A great deal of a bidi's appeal is in its physical appearance which needs to be maintained for customer acceptance - this puts limitations based on physical shape and size of a filter that can be used in a bidi. New bidi products are usually developed with specific physical appearance keeping in mind reference bidis which are well established in the markets. Due to the physical appearance constraint, the length of a bidi is generally fixed within a very narrow range, and its diameter small compared to that of a cigarette. It's therefore difficult to obtain a desired pressure drop in the smoke and select right type (denier) of filter to achieve it. The choice and availability of filters for bidis is therefore limited, while that for cigarettes, due to higher diameter and a wider range of length, choice of filter deniers is much wider. physical dimensions (cross section, length, diameter) of both the stick and the filter. The limitations posed by physical dimensions of a bidi have serious implications on the filter material selection.

Diameter of Indian bidi is not uniform thoughout length of the stick since it has conical shape & tapers towards one of the ends. The diameter at the smoking end is usually between 5.1 to 6.0 mm while the diameter at the burning end is slightly higher and usually between 5.5 to 7.0 mm. The stick length is usually between 50 mm to 70 mm.

In the case of cigarettes, the diameter is usually between 7.0 to 8.2 mm. It depends on specific construction of cigarette brand. The stick length is usually between 58 mm to 100 mm.

Pressure drop

Pressure drop across the filter generally translates into comfort of drawing smoke. The higher the drop, the greater the effort required to draw smoke. A pressure drop equivalent to more than 360 mm of water colum height is more likely to lead to harder draw and hence smoking discomfort. The inventors have determined that the optimum pressure drop that would provide customer comfort and satisfaction is around 210 mm of water column. At the same time, the pressure drop that can be achieved during smoking is also function of filter fibre denier. To achieve specific pressure drops over a specific length, fibers of specific deniers would be required.

The pressure drop of cigarette is a key parameter & usually it is equivalent to a value between 80 to 130 mm of water gauge but it also depends on cigarette construction. Due to tapering shape of bidis, pressure drop measurement is difficult and usually not done or considered by bidi industry.

The physical dimentions of the fibre used in filter plays a special role to reduce the tar and nicotine in a smoking stick such as a cigarette or a bidi. A vast range of materials is available for cigarette filters based on target smoke deliveries. This is not the case for filters used in bidis due the limitation imposed by the shape & dimensions of bidi to be made, something that will be discussed during the course of this description.

The bidi manufacturing industry has hitherto not undertaken development of suitable specific fiber for this purpose, as such development is not easy. Due to the above mentioned differences in the cigarette and bidi manufacturing industries, a person skilled in the art has not been able to develop filters for bidis that would satisfy a traditional bidi user.

The main objective was in selection of filter was to have easy draw of smoke and no detectable change in smoke characteristics among normal bidi & filter bidi.

WO2004068974 describes the preparation of herbal filler composition for bidi, cigarette and the like comprising leaves of Lawsonia inermis L. and Ocimum .scrrrturrn L.

With some 900 billion bidis being consumed annually in India alone, there is a need to look at the ways to reduce the tar, nicotine content and fine particles generated during the consumption of bidis. As bidis are produced without properly designed filters, there is a strong need to provide a filter made from a substance which can reduce the above mentioned drawbacks of the bidis that are consumed in huge quantities.

Objects and advantages of the invention:

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a healtheir smoking alternative to the traditional non-filter bidi available in the markets such as India. It is another object to provide a smoking alternative that will provide the taste and quality of the overall smoking experience that a traditional bidi consumer expects from smoking a bidi.

Summary of the invention:

The present invention provides a bidi with a filter of unique design. The filter material has been selected to provide an optimum pressure drop over the filter length such that the smoker finds the smoking activity comfortable, at the same time reducing the level of harmful substances generated during smoking and providing satisfactory level of smoking experience.

Detailed description of the invention:

As there is little scope to reduce tar delivery from tobacco and tendu leaf, the applicants have introduced a bidi with a unique filter design.

The applicants have developed a unique filter comprising cellulose acetate fiber of 6 denier such that a pressure drop equivalent of 210 and 360 mm height of water column respectively are developed over a filter rod of 66mm length and 16.65mm circumference. Out of the two filters developed for the two pressure drop values, the one for the 210 mm proved to be superior in terms of meeting the draw-comfort requirement and maintainig the overall smoke characteristics that a typical bidi smoker expects from a non-filter bidi.

One of the key reasons why the bidi industry has hitherto shied away from making filter bidis is that it is extremely difficult to come out with a design that satisfies all requirements (appearance, touch and feel, and smoking feel) while working with the limitations imposed by the conical shape of the bidi and those arising due the various other considerations discussed in the earlier sections. In particular, the smallness of the bidi diameter at the mouth end poses difficulties in selecting the filter fiber to make a filter of specific physical and chemical characteristics, and which need to be overcome inventively.

The materials used for making filters of the present invention are paper (of wood and cotton origin), polypropylene, and cellulose acetate, preferably cellulose acetate or it sequivalent tow. Cellulose acetate is used with a denier per filament of value between 1.9 to 9, preferably 5 to 9, even more preferably between 5.5 to 8.5.

The filter bidi of the preferred embodiment is of the Circumference of filters is from 15 mm. to 22 mm. preferably 15 to 19 mm and more preferably 15.5 to 17.5 mm is chosen.

Length of filter tip (plugs) used for individual bidi ranges from 5 mm to 25 mm preferably 7 mm to 15 mm. more preferably 9 to 11 mm. is used. The inventors have found that the tar /nicotine delivery of the filter bidis is less than that for the bidis without filter. The sample filter bidis are smoked and checked on the basis of various parameters in the bidi smoking panel members, choosed from regular bidi consumers.

Results and analysis:

Smoke delivery tests were carried out on market samples of non-filter bidis (noted as Market Sample in Table 1), non-filter bidis currently manufactured by the applicant (noted as Non Filter Bidi in Table 1), and the product of the present invention (noted as Filter Bidi in Table 1). The results of the tests are provided in Table 1.

A consumer panel comprised experienced smokers of non-filter bidis was asked to assess the filter bidis of the present invention (noted as Filter Bidi in Table 2)and non-filter bidis available in the market (noted as Benchmark Bidi in Table 2). The results of their assessment are provided in Table 2. The % numbers indicate the percentage of the panel members who commented favourably on any given aspect.

Annalysis of smoke delivery tests:

The Tar / Nicotine delivery of Indian bidi is observed to be much higher (Tar 25 to 50 mg/stick / Nicotine 2.0 to 3.0 mg/stick) than that of regular Indian cigarettes. Smoke delivery of cigarettes was gradually reduced in the past and seems to be reduced further in future.

In view of reducing health risks by reducing Tar level of bidi from its present levels (i.e. from 41-50 mg to 36 to 34 mg) . Since there is little scope to reduce Tar delivery from tobacco and Tendu leaf, it was thought of using appropriate filter to filter the smoke and reduce smoke delivery and harmful effects.

Pressure Drop measured across the test filters was observed to be between 150 mm to 400 mm height of water column for individual filter of 66 mm length or its equivalent. The filter length for a bidi is selected such that the pressure drop is in the range of 210 to 360 mm of water column height.

Bidi samples were generated along with filter, without filter and one of the branded Bidi available in market for smoke assessments. The Panel members are choosen from regular consumers of bidi. They were screened on the basis of their discerning ability for selecting them in the panel.

Test results : Smoke chemistry (Tar / Nicotine) :

Table 1: Analytical data It is observed based on the data contained in Table 1 that the final bidi product developed using filter produces lower tar (approximately 6% reduction) and lower nicotine (approximately 21% reduction) compared to corresponding non-filter bidi. The filter bidi of the present invention thus has reduced smoke delivery than the traditional bidis, making the filter bidi an healthier smoking option.

Analysis of the assessment by the consumer panel:

Table 2: Findings of the consumer panel It can be seen that the key aspects that a bidi smoker considers while assessing the quality of the experience of the smoking, that is the strength, taste, harshness on throat, and overall likability, are aspects where the consumer panel found the filter bidis to be superior to the traditional non-filter bidis. On the count of overall satisfaction, an overwhelming majority found the filter bidi to be extremely satisfactory. On some other important aspects, such as the ease of draw and sweetness a large majority of the consumer panel were pleased with the present invention. It is therefore concluded that in spite of lowering smoke delivery, smoke quality improved maintaining satisfaction levei of the product as compared to normal i.e. non filtered bidi.

While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitation in the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of the preferred embodiments thereof. Many other variations are possible. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

In view of the detailed foregoing description of the present invention, it will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the present invention basically comprises the following items:

1. A novel bidi with reduced harmful effects, said bidi comprising a tendu leaf wrapper, tobacco stuffing, said stuffing contained within said wrapping and said wrapping secured, preferably by means of thread or any other means to prevent unfolding of the wrapper preferably made of cotton, such that said bidi is of a shape of a cone cut off at both ends, characterised in that a filter is placed at one end of said bidi, preferably the end with smaller diameter.

2. A novel bidi as described in item 1 and further characterised in that said filter is made using any of the materials from a group comprising paper, preferably made from wood and cotton, polypropylene, and cellulose acetate, preferably cellulose acetate or its equivalent tow, or any combination thereof.

3. A novel bidi as described in items 1 and 2, wherein said cellulose acetate is used with a denier per filament of value between 1.9 to 9, preferably 5 to 9, even more preferably between 5.5 to 8.5.

4. A novel bidi as described in items 1 to 3, wherein the circumference of said filters is preferably within the range from 15 mm to 22 mm, preferably 15 to 19 mm, more preferably 15.5 to 17.5 mm, and wherein the length of said filter is in the range between 5 mm to 25 mm, preferably 7 mm to 15 mm, ^• more preferably 9 to 11 mm.

Claims

Claim:

1. A novel bidi with reduced harmful effects, said bidi comprising a tendu leaf wrapper, tobacco stuffing, said stuffing contained within said wrapping and said wrapping secured, preferably by means of thread or any other means to prevent unfolding of the wrapper preferably made of cotton, such that said bidi is of a shape of a cone cut off at both ends, characterised in that a filter is placed at one end of said bidi, preferably the end with smaller diameter.

2. A novel bidi as claimed in claim 1 further characterised in that said filter is made using any of the materials from a group comprising paper, preferably made from wood and cotton, polypropylene, and cellulose acetate, preferably cellulose acetate or its equivalent tow, or any combination thereof.

3. ^' A novel bidi as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein said cellulose acetate is used with a denier per filament of value between 1.9 to 9, preferably 5 to 9, even more preferably between 5.5 to 8.5.

4. A novel bidi as claimed in claims 1 to 3, wherein the circumference of said filters is preferably within the range from 15 mm to 22 mm, preferably 15 to 19 mm, more preferably 15.5 to 17.5 mm, and wherein the length of said filter is in the range between 5 mm to 25 mm, preferably 7 mm to 15 mm, more preferably 9 to 11 mm.