Change of the Volatile Aroma Components of Cut Tobacco in Different Cutting Widths in Drying Process

Purpose Our aim was to provide reference basis for selection and optimization of cutting width of cigarette formulation leaf group.

Method The difference and change law of volatile aroma components of different cutting width cut tobacco before and after drying were studied using variance analysis, principal component analysis and cluster analysis, respectively. Finally, sensory evaluation was also carried out to verify outcomes.

Results (1) For the cut tobacco before and after drying, and cut tobacco of different cutting width after drying, their volatile aroma compounds had great differences. Volatile aroma compounds content of cut tobacco after drying showed a decreasing trend compared with before drying. For the cut tobacco after drying, the volatile aroma compounds content showed a gradually decreasing trend with the increase of cutting width. (2) Cluster result based on the first two principal component score of volatile aroma compounds showed that. The cut tobacco samples before drying and cutting width at 0.85 mm after drying were clustered into a group. The cut tobacco samples of cutting width at 0.95 mm and 1.05 mm after drying were individually clustered into a group. The difference of volatile aroma compounds content was increasing with the increase of cutting width. (3) There was a difference in cigarette sensory quality of different cutting width. Sensory quality showed a gradually decreasing trend with the increase of cutting width.

Conclusion The cutting width has a great influence on cigarette quality in the cigarette processing. Two factors with sensory quality and process loss should be taken into consideration when the cutting width was set.