Volume 159, 15 September 2014, Pages 230–235
Highlights
- •
- A liqueur based on distilled tobacco leaves has been chemically characterised for the first time.
- •
- Targeted and non-targeted analyses using multiple chromatographic and spectroscopic approaches were applied.
- •
- Toxicologically relevant compounds were not identified, specifically nicotine was not detectable.
- •
- Nicotine can be effectively separated during spirit distillation.
Abstract
The
use of tobacco leaves as a food ingredient has been controversially
discussed, and alcoholic beverages containing distillates from fermented
tobacco leaves can be found as niche products. Currently there is an
absence of knowledge regarding the composition and toxicity of these
products. One liqueur sample based on distilled Louisiana Perique
tobacco was analysed using quantitative FTIR, GC-FID, LC/MS/MS and
GC/MS/MS methodologies, and qualitatively using non-targeted NMR and
GC/MS techniques. Quantitative NMR was used for nicotine analysis.
Nicotine was not detectable (LOD = 0.2 mg/l). Other compounds associated
with toxicity of tobacco or alcoholic beverages were either not
detectable, or were found below the toxicity thresholds. A model
experiment using fractionised distillation of a nicotine solution has
confirmed that the compound was predominantly found in the tailing
fractions of the distillate, which are discarded. In conclusion, there
was no additional health risk associated with beverages diligently
distilled from tobacco leaves, beside the effects of ethanol. This
judgment clearly does not apply to beverages where tobacco leaves have
only been macerated (and not distilled) or foods where the whole tobacco
leaves are incorporated.
Graphical abstract
Keywords
- Alcoholic beverages;
- Nicotiana tabacum;
- Tobacco;
- Distillation;
- Nicotine
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
