Variations and Correlation of Color Value and Chemical Component in Cut Filler of Different Lengths

PurposeIn order to provide technical basis for the rapid evaluation of tobacco structure distribution stability and cut tobacco blending uniformity by color difference method, the variations and correlation of color values and routine chemical component in cut filler of different lengths were analyzed.

MethodThe cut filler of two types of cigarettes of Yunyan brand were sieved by a rotary screener with 6-layer screen. The color values, lightness value (L^*), redness value (a^*), yellowness value (b^*), total color different (ΔE) and routine chemical component in cut tobacco of different lengths were measured and used to construct Pearson correlation between the color values and routine chemical components. Finally, the functional relationships between the b^* and PV value (product of sugar-nicotine ratio and potassium content) was constructed.

Results1) There were significant differences in the four color indexes and six routine chemical components in cut tobacco of different lengths of the same specification cigarette (P<0.05). 2) With the decrease of cut tobacco length, a^*, ΔE values and the contents of total sugar, reducing sugar, total alkaloids decreased gradually, the content of total nitrogen increased gradually, the L^*, b^* values and the contents of potassium, chlorine increased first and then decreased. 3) The L^* value significantly negatively correlated to the contents of total sugar, reducing sugar and total alkaloids (P<0.05), and significantly (P<0.05) or extremely significantly (P<0.01) positively correlated to the contents of total nitrogen, potassium and chlorine. The a^*, ΔE values extremely significantly (P<0.01) positively correlated to the contents of total sugar, reducing sugar and total alkaloids, and significantly (P<0.05) or extremely significantly (P<0.01) negatively correlated to the contents of total nitrogen, potassium and chlorine. The b^* value significantly (P<0.05) or extremely significantly (P<0.01) positively correlated to the content of chlorine and PV value, and there was a highly fitted linear relationship between b^* and PV value.

ConclusionThere was a high correlation between the color values and the contents of routine chemical components in cut filler, which provide a technical basis for the rapid evaluation of cut tobacco blending uniformity by color difference method.