Identification of Cellulose Fibers Isolated from Reconstituted Tobacco

It is well known that the physicaI characteristics of natural fibers, particularly those of vegetable or cellulosic origin, can be controlled within well-defined limits by the chemicaI pulping methods and by the degree of refining to which they are subjected. It has been found that when such materials are subjected to a mild chemical treatment for the isolation of the cellulose, the isolated cellulose fiber, under microscopic analysis, has retained its physicaI identity despite the chemicaI exposures. This technique has been successfully applied to reconstituted tobacco as a means of identifying the source of the cellulose used in its manufacture. Not only can the source of the cellulose be determined as being from tobacco or wood, but the degree of refining to which these constituents were subjected prior to conversion into the reconstituted product can be easily ascertained. Photomicrographic proof for the validity of these statements is presented