TOBACCO POSTHARVEST TREATMENT METHOD Russian patent published in 2002 - IPC

FIELD: tobacco industry. SUBSTANCE: method involves holding tobacco raw material while providing air blowing of tobacco leaves mass in two stages until yellowing of part of tobacco leaves by at least 90% of area of their laminas; providing color fixation by treating held tobacco leaves with overheated steam in two stages; drying tobacco mass and exposing to hydrothermal treatment process; sorting out and packing in hot state. Method allows fermented tobacco raw material to be produced, which has increased filling property and reduced content of toxic substances in smoke of smoking articles. EFFECT: improved quality of raw tobacco, reduced labor consumption, decreased irreversible losses of raw material and reduced consumption of technical heat.