| abstract |
This invention is for a new composition of matter comprising tobacco and at least one gum selected from the group consisting of film-forming, polar solvent soluble ether, ester and mixed ether-ester substituted galacto-mannan gums. The process for preparing the new composition comprises mixing the tobacco, preferably in finely divided form, a polar solvent and the gum and agitating the mixture until a homogeneous composition is attained. Generally, in use, the composition is then formed into a sheet by conventional means, the sheet product having improved properties and which may be commercially used in smoking articles, especially a wrapper for cigars which has excellent wet strength as well as being more resistant to enzymatic degradation. |