RENOVATED FACTORY FOR PROCESSING RAW TOBACCO MATERIAL

Fact #1 - The first "victim" of smoking suffered not from nicotine

During Columbus' expedition, one of the navigators fell in love with smoking tobacco leaves. After returning to his homeland, he went everywhere with a pipe. For the clouds of smoke he emitted, his compatriots decided that he was under the influence of an unclean force. For this obsession he was condemned and sentenced to seven years in prison.

Fact #2 - In pre-Petrine Russia, smokers were executed.

Today you can get a fine for smoking in public places. But it is not so terrible as deciding to turn heads for it. In 1634, there was a massive fire in Moscow, the main cause of which was smoking. For this, Tsar Mikhail Fyodorovich issued a law that ordered smokers to be executed.

His son abolished the measure. He replaced it with torture of smokers until they tell from whom they bought tobacco. After Peter 1 came to power, the smoking ban was lifted because he himself became a tobacco lover after a trip to Holland.

Fact #3 - The word "nicotine" is derived from a French name.

In the mid-16th century, French ambassador Jean Villemagne Nicot brought tobacco from Spain to his native country for the first time. At the court of the Spanish king, it was used mainly as an ornamental plant. In France, however, it was immediately recognised, and Queen Catherine de Medici quickly became addicted to smoking it. For such a gift, the ambassador was soon promoted.

Fact #4 - Tobacco saved Pablo Picasso's life at birth

When Pablo Picasso was born, he didn't cry or scream. His uncle was standing nearby smoking a cigar. He breathed the smoke on the child and the child immediately began to show signs of life. So without tobacco there might not have been this outstanding artist.

Fact #5 - The Nazis did not support smoking

When Hitler was young, he liked to smoke. But in adulthood he gave up the habit. He set himself the goal of ridding the entire nation of smoking and incorporated the rejection of cigarettes into Nazi ideology. This was the first state-sponsored anti-smoking campaign. At the same time, Stalin's and Churchill's bad habit was actively used in propaganda against them.

Fact #6 - In some armies, tobacco was a mandatory item on a soldier's "menu"

Tobacco products used to be thought to satisfy hunger. Therefore, many countries encouraged their soldiers to smoke. In France, for example, tobacco was used to replace part of the daily bread allowance, and US President Roosevelt ordered the army to have an adequate supply of tobacco products.

Fact #7 - Doctors have contributed to the spread of smoking

Today, "the Ministry of Health warns that smoking is dangerous to health and life", but once tobacco was recommended for health-improving purposes. It was considered a cure for many diseases. For example, it was used to treat headaches and was given to pregnant women to control their weight.

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Since then, new technologies have been introduced into the production process, allowing tobacco waste (leaf trimmings, stem parts, etc.) to be processed in several stages and added to the main mixture in low proportions. Such tobacco processing allowed to save valuable raw materials and at the same time obtain a new product that retained excellent flavour qualities.

The process of producing leaf tobacco

Tobacco raw material in the process of processing is divided into first-grade material - cut tobacco, obtained by cutting dried leaves, used in the production of cigarettes and cigars. And second-grade material - waste. Waste includes tobacco crumbs, dust, tobacco veins, leaf and stem trimmings. They are sorted only because of their size, which does not correspond to the filling of cigarette products. Nevertheless, in terms of flavour, waste tobacco is not inferior to the main raw material, which allows its use as other types of tobacco products (e.g. chewing or pipe tobacco). However, since the percentage of such products on the market is quite small, tobacco manufacturers are actively introducing a recovery stage in the tobacco processing process, which makes it possible to obtain material ready for use as a filler for cigarettes and cigars.

The following steps are involved in the recovery process:

• Cutting tobacco stalks
• Roll out the sliced stems to the thickness of a paper sheet
• Grinding of the obtained raw materials

Industrial production makes it possible to produce leaf tobacco, but this process is not completely waste-free. Thus, about 3 per cent more waste is generated during the production of tobacco products. This part includes crumbs and dust, veins and fragments of tobacco leaf. Still, the vast majority of tobacco is used in the manufacture of cigarette products.

Methods used in the recovery process

Leaf tobacco can be produced from tobacco crumbs, trimmings and other waste materials by a number of methods. These may include:

1. Process of recovery of leaf tobacco from slurry.
   
   This method is the most popular. It is based on the processing of waste, from which a viscous suspension is prepared with the help of special additives. Subsequently, this colloidal substance is poured in certain doses into moulds and dried. The result is finished leaf tobacco. The same principle is used to produce whole tobacco sheets, which are made from a mushy mixture prepared from tobacco waste.
2. The method of papermaking (or the production of paper-like leaf tobacco).
   
   It is widely used in the production of the main raw material for cigarette fillings. To produce reconstituted leaf tobacco, the soluble parts of the raw material are first soaked to separate them from the insoluble parts. The insoluble parts of the tobacco are then chemically treated and refined to produce a fibrous mass. This is subsequently processed in a special paper machine to produce a lightweight spider web. After drying, the fabric is impregnated with a solution obtained from the soluble parts of tobacco with the addition of moisture-retaining additives.
3. Obtaining tobacco leaf by reduction from dust (powder).
   
   In this method, shredded and dried tobacco is combined with a sticky substance (derived from the stems) in layers. First, a layer of powder is applied to the conveyor belt, which is covered with the adhesive substance, followed by another layer of dried fine tobacco particles. After drying, the three-layer mass is cut into pieces and used for further production.
4. Pressing and calendering method.
   
   This method has less limited application, although it is the basis for some other tobacco waste treatment methods. This method is based on the tobacco raw material first being mixed with thermoplastic resin (binder additives or liquid solvent) and extruded, before being calendered into a sheet mould.

In each of these cases, a finished product is produced which, after cutting, is stuffed into cigarettes or used in the manufacture of cigars. And despite the use of waste tobacco in the production process, the cigarette products that are marketed are characterised by excellent taste.

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The formation of residual tobacco raw materials is a natural process in the smokers' product technology, which involves the step-by-step processing of tobacco. Waste tobacco residues have less pronounced technological, chemical and hygienic properties, as the main raw materials are processed with different equipment during production.

The key differences between production tobacco residues are only the size of their fractions, as well as the amount of mineral impurities in their composition. And they are divided into: non-returnable and returnable. The latter include, in particular, residues and fibres obtained from the processing of substandard cigarette products (defective cigarettes and strang), which can still be returned to production without further processing. They may even be used as part of the main production process, but in small quantities. At the same time, tobacco veins and fines/powder (non-returnable waste) are raw materials for the production of reconstituted tobacco.

Three ways to rationalise the use of tobacco waste returns

The collection, processing and further use of waste tobacco is quite reasonable, given the quality of the residual material, which is quite suitable for the production of excellent smoking product. But this requires the organisation of separate technological procedures and the use of special industrial equipment for large-scale production. And there are several ways in the tobacco industry to get ready raw materials for the production of satisfactory quality of smoking products on the basis of returnable waste.

One such method of processing defective cigarettes, shtrang and small tobacco particles utilises a rejecting machine. The tobacco residues entering the rejecting machine are sorted, followed by separation of the main tobacco raw material from the paper part, and then the material is sorted. Raw materials are sorted by size (fractions): small particles are sent to special installations - feeders in cigarette machines, and the remaining dust is sifted out and further used for other purposes. Although this option of tobacco residue recycling is quite popular, it is not at all efficient.

The fact is that in such a technological process there is an irrational consumption of effort, because the production of strang and other smoking material occurs with labour losses. In addition to this, during the operation of the rejecting machine, fine dust is formed, which is in the air and creates certain inconveniences for workers.

The other processing method also produces tobacco products with excellent flavour. It excludes the use of a rejecting machine and is more rational, cost-effective and, most importantly, environmentally friendly. This is possible due to the step-by-step processing of raw materials and observance of the specifics of the technological process.

Initially, leaf tobacco is processed, and the return waste is collected in a separate container where it is stored for 12 days (not longer) at permissible humidity levels of 65% to 80%. This allows to keep optimum humidity of raw materials, which are subsequently sorted - cigarette strang with permissible packing density and without defects is selected from it. After that, the strand is cut into sections with optimal length and packed into packs.

There are special devices that can be used in the tobacco industry when cutting cigarette strand:

• cigarette machine apparatus in the form of a shaft with rows of knives,
• units for packaging of finished cigarette products.

But both of them are not suitable for carrying out the process of recycling of returnable waste due to the complexity and costliness of their manufacture, with their further use as autonomous machines.

Against the background of this situation, another method of processing tobacco waste at the production site to create smoking products has been developed. It is based on the use of a structurally simple apparatus, which is easy to operate and is not part of large-scale industrial devices. Such a unit has two units, one of which produces cut tobacco (knives located on the shaft cut cigarette strang), and the second provides automated packaging of the processed product transferred through a network of conveyors connecting both units.

This automated machine has been tested and is gradually being introduced in large tobacco factories. The use of this method of processing tobacco waste allows the utilisation of production residues, obtaining at a lower financial cost smoking products of decent quality, with quite satisfactory properties and suitable for use.

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Specially to reduce this, it was decided to turn tobacco waste into compost. Such recycling of tobacco is very promising, as it makes it possible to return useful and valuable elements and organic substances back into the soil. Moreover, such fertiliser obtained by decomposition (composting) is safe for humans and the environment, not to mention its enormous benefits. In addition to improving soil fertility, organic fertilisers from tobacco waste can stimulate agrobiological health of the soil by:

• increasing nitrifying capacity
• accelerating the decomposition of fibre in soil layers
• intensive suppression of harmful microorganisms and pathogenic microflora in general

Compostable tobacco dust and leaf tobacco is suitable for composting after nicotine extraction, which is possible after decomposition with the addition of special solutions.

Known methods of tobacco waste decomposition

Two methods are known to produce bio-organic fertilisers from the residues generated in the process when cut tobacco is processed in production.

In the first case, tobacco dust is decomposted by mixing several ingredients (tobacco dust, lowland peat and chernozem) in specified proportions. After mixing and obtaining a homogeneous substance, it is moved to special trenches, followed by moistening the mixture to 55-60%.

The composting of tobacco waste itself takes between 60 and 65 days, but during this time samples are still taken from the compost mixture (at the beginning of the process, in the middle and around day 60) to monitor changes in the composition of the future fertiliser. After 60-65 days, the finished tobacco waste compost can be used as a bio-organic fertiliser for outdoor crops (without restrictions). After composting, tobacco waste can also be used as a base material in the production of biohumus or soil-fertiliser preparations used in protected areas.

Another composting method was developed as a landfill-free option for tobacco waste (dust) utilisation in order to maintain a favourable environmental situation in the country. This method involves the simultaneous use of tobacco residues with bio-destructors in specified proportions. Additional solutions make it possible to achieve accelerated decomposition of tobacco industry waste. Subsequently, they can be used for agricultural purposes in growing crops by applying tobacco dust-based compost one month before the expected planting/sowing date.

When using technology to improve the economic and operational efficiency of tobacco residue management, it is important to take precautions. All parts of tobacco (leaves, tobacco veins, etc.) can cause allergic reactions in people who are prone to allergic reactions.

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Most cigarettes are made primarily from blends of the most popular tobacco varieties. Ground tobacco and tobacco are the key ingredients in smoking products.

But in addition to them, there are other components that determine not only the marketability but also the flavouring properties of cigarette products. Additional ingredients are: special sauce and flavour impregnations. With their help, manufacturers adjust the flavour, increasing the attractiveness of the product.

Importance of saucing and flavourings

The processing of tobacco from the initial stage to the final product involves several processing steps. In each of them, the composition of the raw material changes and certain substances are lost.

Saucing and flavouring are procedures in which manufacturers use additional ingredients to compensate for the lack of substances lost during the processing and drying of raw materials. Special sauce is added to tobacco to soften and impart a unique taste and smell to finished products, as well as to eliminate defects (including heterogeneity of blends).

Interesting fact: the saucing procedure results in a lower tar mass fraction in the composition of the raw tobacco (bag or leaf tobacco) and, compared to control samples, the smoke of saucered cigarettes contains less nicotine.

Composition of sauces and additives

The use of sauces in tobacco factories contributes to the expansion of the assortment and the creation of new cigarette brands. With the economy of raw materials used in production, they are characterised by high consumer data.

For each type of cigarette, the sauce is developed separately. The composition of such solutions is usually kept secret by manufacturers in order to reserve the right of authorship for the sake of creating original cigarette products.

Flavouring and aromatic additives used for impregnation of tobacco raw materials belong to the category of food additives. Each such composition has a certain functional value, which allows to divide sauces into several categories:

• carbohydrate-containing
• to stabilise the flavour of the smoke
• moisture-retaining
• to improve the combustibility of smoking products

The components intended for the preparation of the sauce are selected taking into account several factors. Initially, it is the chemical composition of raw materials (cut tobacco, bag tobacco) and its adsorption capacity. It is obligatory to take into account the type of smoking products to be produced and the requirements to it regarding strength and flavour saturation.

In the course of research and experimentation, more than a dozen sauce formulations have been created that differ in the ingredients they contain and their quantitative composition. Of these, only five have achieved the high levels of performance in finished cigarette products that have made them sought after by consumers.

Companies engaged in the development of recipes of products for saucing do not disclose the composition and percentage ratio of flavouring and aromatic additives. This allows to create unique smoking products with harmonious aroma, flavour characteristics, strength.

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In the domestic tobacco processing industry, the issue of efficient and safe zero-waste technology is also relevant. This is due in large part to the fact that there are over 15,000 tonnes of waste generated annually during the production of 410 billion cigarettes.

Of course, cut tobacco and most of the waste is used in the main production of "smoking" products. But the remaining, non-recyclable, tobacco production residues go for disposal. Although the utilisation of production residues can be effective and beneficial to the environment.

Tobacco dust, being the subject of thorough scientific research, is recognised as a promising raw material for various human activities. It is proved that tobacco dust retains almost the same chemical composition as leaf tobacco at the initial stage of processing. It is possible to use tobacco production waste in horticulture, veterinary medicine, agricultural sphere.

The effectiveness of using tobacco residues in agriculture as fertiliser has long been justified. Tobacco and tobacco dust is an excellent organic fertiliser, applied either in pure form or by biocomposting.

Benefits of "tobacco" organic fertilisers Tobacco processing produces a non-smokable product (residues) that is suitable for soil improvement in all respects. The use of tobacco residues is not only useful but also safe, because the raw material is dehydrated during processing. This guarantees the destruction of any harmful insect larvae and weed seeds.

The chemical composition of tobacco is rich in substances that are particularly valued in the cultivation of various plants and crops. Necessary components that are present in the composition of tobacco materials and ensure normal plant growth:

• nitrogen
• phosphorus
• potassium

Tobacco dust can be compared to straw-based bedding manure in terms of the percentage of these ingredients. When tobacco residues start the natural decomposition process (when immersed in moist soil), its natural organic fertiliser properties are activated. Thus, the beneficial bacteria in the soil can be considered as a link in the chain of assimilation processes of nutrition of plant crops.

In addition, the components contained in tobacco veins and other parts of tobacco after processing, when immersed in the soil, can improve its microbiological activity. These organic tobacco-based fertilisers stimulate yield growth by acting in a holistic manner. Scientists have observed a favourable improvement of 40% in the harvest of vegetables, fruits and berries on land with applied "tobacco" fertilisers.

Safe use of tobacco dust as fertiliser has a favourable effect on the environment and contributes to agrobiological improvement of soil. This is manifested in the form of more intensive processes of fibre decomposition, increase in nitrifying properties of soil, as well as production of carbon dioxide and active suppression of pathogenic microflora.

Composting

Composting is one of the most popular methods of making organic fertiliser from tobacco residues. Companies specialising in environmentally friendly and safe waste treatment technologies turn tobacco residues into compost, helping the soil to partially replenish its reserves of organic matter, useful and valuable minerals.

For composting, tobacco dust and leaf tobacco are taken, from which nicotine is first extracted by soaking the raw materials in special solutions. This process is called decomposition. During the procedure, tobacco production residues are decomposed by mixing the raw materials with chernozem and lowland peat in a specific ratio. The obtained substance with preliminary moistening up to 55% is moved into pre-prepared trenches for 60-65 days. After this time, the samples are extracted and, if they meet the stated indicators, composting is considered complete. Further such bioorganic fertilisers can be used for soil enrichment and cultivation of plants and crops.

Technologies of non-waste recycling of tobacco production residues are very successfully solving the most urgent tasks of our time to create a favourable environmental situation in the world. It is safe to say that the reduction of utilised tobacco waste helps to preserve the natural environment to a great extent.

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Initially, its medicinal properties were discovered, which found actual application in medicine (both traditional and folk). Tobacco vein and other tobacco raw materials, due to their useful qualities, are able to heal from some common internal pathologies (heart disease, nervous system, epilepsy, etc.), as well as from external skin diseases.

Valuable components in tobacco and their beneficial effects

Long-term scientific research has revealed the beneficial effects of tobacco on the human body. Namely, the components contained in the chemical composition of the plant are able to stimulate the growth of new cells. It has now been proven that some of the chemical components of tobacco:

• accelerate stem cell development
• purify blood vessels, restore their structure, which improves blood circulation in the skin
• counteract inflammatory processes and neutralise the pathogenic effects of microbes

All these properties have found application in the field of cosmetology. Thanks to its valuable properties, tobacco is an indispensable component used in skin care products for face, head and body. Means containing tobacco extract perfectly cope with common problems of facial skin. Cosmetic creams and care products with tobacco extract in the composition are recommended for use by owners of problem skin.

Tobacco is still used in cosmetology with particular success. The plant is used to produce detergents, such as shower gels and bath foams, which are very popular. Proven to be a favourable and useful product for beauty, tobacco helps women to look attractive and well-groomed.

The benefits of nicotinic acid are widely known among cosmetologists. In this form, tobacco derivatives are used to create masks not only for the face, but also for the hair. Means in which there is nicotinic acid, are able to "awaken" and stimulate the growth of hair follicles. As a result of their regular use, hair begins to grow more actively, which will allow every girl and woman to become the owner of a luxurious and thick hairstyle with a small financial investment.

Interesting fact

Scientists have also learnt how to obtain squalene from tobacco. This is an important cosmetic ingredient that is indispensable in the production of a variety of skin care products for face and body. Initially, squalene was extracted from shark liver and was therefore considered a very expensive substance, which was reflected in the cost of finished cosmetic products.

Research has shown that leaf tobacco is a very successful analogue for squalene extraction. These developments, which are currently ongoing, are very promising. At this stage of research, scientists are actively adding "tobacco" squalene to cosmetic formulas to prove its high efficiency and that this ingredient is no worse in characteristics than the component extracted from shark liver.

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Despite the fact that smoking electronic cigarettes and hookahs is actively popularised in the world, there are many people who appreciate the true taste of tobacco products. It is for these consumers that tobacco processing companies select first-class raw materials, the flavour of which can literally touch the strings of the soul.

Tobacco is a product of the plant environment

The processing of tobacco to create cigarette products is considered a rather complex, sensitive and responsible process. Over the years of production of smoking products, only a few varieties have been able to develop in accordance with the wishes of consumers and become "basic". Even then, they are used to create blends that differ in flavour.

5 most sought-after tobacco varieties

Virginia is a tobacco that is excellent to smoke pure or in blends. Virginia leaf tobacco has a high percentage of sugar (dextrose) in its composition, thanks to which the flavour of the finished product is very delicate with an interesting sweet flavour and seductive fruity and spicy notes. It is not only the taste for which this natural product is famous that is considered attractive, but also its appearance - the colour of the leaves of the plant can be either light yellow or a rich, sunny orange.

Relatively young but already established, Burley tobacco is a unique raw material. It is considered a "light" tobacco of natural drying, which is never bitter and has a very pronounced flavour. Burley cut tobacco is able to absorb flavourings perfectly, which is why it is used in the preparation of pipe blends.

In the composition of such raw materials, nicotine may be in the range of 1.5-4.5%, but there is practically no sugar in it. That is why such tobacco gives a drier, but at the same time more flavourful smoke than the Virginia variety. Burley" has a gorgeous multifaceted flavour with a nutty tinge and provides slow smouldering in cigarette products.

It is grown mainly in the USA (Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri) and Mexico. It is dried for 1.5-2 months by natural method under air flow, laid out in huge ventilated hangars (barns). In tobacco production, it is practised to combine varieties to obtain more interesting compositions. The most commonly mixed tobacco vein is Burley and Virginia.

"Kentucky" is a tobacco grown mainly in the Eastern United States, with long, dark brown leaves and a rich flavour, up to very strong. The strong flavour of this raw material is due to the abundant fertilisation of the land where the tobacco grows, so there is a high concentration of oils in the composition of the plant. Tobacco of this variety has a very dense, smoky, dry flavour.

"Oriental" or "Orientals" is the combined name for several tobacco varieties that are actively cultivated in the countries of the Black Sea and Mediterranean regions, as well as in the Balkans. Oriental tobacco varieties are bushes with many small leaves growing on them. They are dried under direct sunlight, which ensures excellent dryness of the raw material. Oriental tobaccos are distinguished by their composition, which is dominated by sugar and aromatic substances, thanks to which these varieties have a very sweet taste and a pronounced, spicy odour.

"Latakia" is an Asian tobacco, named after a town in Syria. And it is in this country that this variety is grown, which is a small bush with small leaves, which is cut completely (under the root) at harvest. The plant on drying is fuelled by the smoke of sawdust from hardwood trees (it can be oak, cypress, myrtle). Thanks to this technology of raw material preparation, the tobacco product acquires a dark saturated colour and languid, deep, very characteristic aroma.

There are many other varieties with individual flavour and aroma characteristics. In the manufacture of smoking products, blends of several varieties of tobacco are most often used in order to achieve the most vivid qualities for the consumer's enjoyment.

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In addition to the classical way of using tobacco (in the creation of smoking products), there are many alternative methods of using raw materials, which are not known to everyone. Did you know that leaf tobacco has at least 3 non-traditional uses?

Benefits of raw tobacco

The chemical composition of the plant is multifaceted and has found its application in a variety of sectors. Tobacco has been used in agriculture (as a fertiliser) and horticulture (as an insecticide against aphids, honeybees, leafhoppers, ground fleas and other harmful insects).

The plant can also be used with equal success in perfumery, landscaping, in the production of scented candles and even in cooking. Tobacco waste is also suitable for such applications.

Tobacco fines are now recognised as a worthy alternative to leaf raw materials. Several new technologies have been developed to recycle the waste. In the past, dust and other tobacco manufacturing residues were sent directly for disposal.

Tobacco in medicine and pharmacology

Pharmacology and medicine (folk and traditional), cosmetology are equally widespread areas of use of derivatives based on tobacco raw materials.

Tobacco processing at the production site involves several procedures with the raw material, resulting in waste products. Since they are not inferior to the first-grade material in terms of quality and chemical properties, they have been used in medicine with great success. The most valuable ingredient in the composition of this plant turned out to be nicotinic acid, although in addition to it there are more than 200 other components.

Nicotinic acid is added to the formulas of medicines and drugs that can improve blood circulation and metabolism, stimulate tissue respiration, help dilate small blood vessels, and fight allergic reactions.

Tobacco waste can be used to make effective medicines for a wide variety of diseases, from runny noses and haemorrhoids to oncological pathologies and tuberculosis. In folk medicine, tobacco is used to make ointments against burns. Such remedy can act as an analgesic.

It is possible to find a recipe, the key ingredient of which will be tobacco vein or another part of the plant and which can become (in the absence of contraindications) a real salvation for a particular disease.

Other alternative uses for the plant

That tobacco can be chewed was known by many. But the fact that it is edible is probably not known by everyone. Resourceful cooks began experimenting with tobacco in order to add variety to their recipes. Its flavour turned out to be quite eccentric and allowed dishes to open up from the most unexpected side. To evaluate the "tobacco culinary experiments", numerous festivals were held, where not only salads and snacks were served, but also freshly baked bread, baked fish and original ice cream with the addition of the smoking plant.

As a park plant, tobacco has also proven itself to be a good choice. The first to use it for garden decoration was Philip II, King of Portugal. Later, tobacco was used in other countries to beautify gardens and park areas. Nowadays there are many ornamental tobacco varieties, which are a real decoration of any garden.

Careful research and experimentation with such a product can be of great benefit to mankind. Tobacco and tobacco waste is a very promising material in many areas of life.

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The Indians were the first to ferment tobacco

Indians started fermenting tobacco leaves more than 500 years ago. Native Americans tried to use them in different ways: cooking, chewing, making infusions, but most commonly, they smoked them. Initially, they used green leaves, but such tobacco burned poorly. Therefore, they started drying it before smoking. This allowed them to create aromatic cigars that possessed intoxicating properties.

The Indians learnt fermentation by accident. They simply left the dried leaves outside, they got wet and stood like that for some time. When this was discovered, the tobacco had already rotted. However, since it was sacred to their people, they couldn't just throw it away. So, they had to roll up the tobacco leaves as they were.

Afterward, smokers noticed that the taste of moistened leaves became milder, and the smoke became more aromatic. Following Christopher Columbus's expedition to America, its members reported that Indians buried tobacco in the ground to enhance its flavor. This was how Europe first learned about the fermentation of tobacco.

After the Indians, the Spaniards perfected the fermentation process

In the mid-16th century, during Thomas Cavendish's circumnavigation, the Spaniards introduced tobacco to the country. Their journey back home was lengthy, so the expedition leader ordered the pressing of leaves into barrels previously used for rum. This helped prevent them from drying out in the open air. In some barrels, they even added rum. This led to the tobacco fermenting, improving its taste, and enhancing its aroma.

Nowadays, this process has changed significantly. Often, tobacco leaves undergo double or multiple fermentations. In some cases, sweet syrup must be added, and the tobacco fermented several times to start the process. In others, it is sufficient to dry the leaves well and do a single fermentation.

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What tobacco was used to make cigarettes in the USSR?

The Soviet Union had vast territories for cultivating tobacco across various climatic zones. Additionally, it was imported from Bulgaria and Cuba. Therefore, the USSR had a rich assortment of tobacco, allowing the creation of numerous blends to satisfy the tastes of all consumers.

Cigarettes in the USSR were often divided into classes. There were seven of them, the first was considered to be the highest quality and most prestigious. Tobacco was also divided into 3 groups:

1. Yellow Eastern tobacco.
   
   Cultivated throughout the country. It was used in the following cigarettes: "Golden Fleece", "Java", "Stolichnye" and others. At that time, no special chemical additives were used to improve the flavor, so a balanced pouch had to be made. It included skeleton tobacco and blending tobacco. Skeleton tobacco gave strength, and blended tobacco improved the flavor.
2. Large-leaf tobacco.
   
   It was most often cultivated in Western Ukraine. It had a bitter taste, which was not distinguished by complexity. It also had noticeable hay and grainy tones. It is a skeleton tobacco that was mainly used in cigarettes and cheap cigarettes for quick nicotine saturation. It was used in the following cigarettes: "Vatra", "Svyatkovi", "Prilutskiy", etc.
3. Cigar Tobacco.
   
   It was used for cigars, cigarettes, and strong cigarettes. Cigar tobacco was grown in special greenhouses where it was protected from ultraviolet light. The following varieties were mainly produced: "Sumatra" and "Havana". The latter was used to create cigars.

The tobacco of Soviet cigarettes was supplemented with reconstituted tobacco leaf and other plant materials. Sauces, softeners, and flavourings could also be added to the bags to improve taste and smell. But it was forbidden to use any chemicals or impurities.

Hand-rolled cigarettes of the Soviet Union.

Growing tobacco in one's garden was not prohibited. After the Civil War, this was even favorable for the authorities. The tobacco industry reduced its turnover, while the number of smokers continued to grow. Everyone smoked, but when cigarettes and papirosi ran out, there was nothing left to smoke.

The villagers quickly solved this problem - they simply began to grow tobacco on their plots. However, the villagers did not have varieties of good tobacco, so they mainly grew mahorka. It grew well even in Siberian vegetable gardens.

Thus, it can be concluded that tobacco in the USSR was indeed of good quality and natural. Chemical fertilizers were not used in its cultivation, and artificial flavorings were not added to the blends.

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What is tobacco blending?

Tobacco blend refers to a mixture of different types of tobacco in sacks. What do the compilers of these sacks pursue? They look for six elements that are the main components of a good tobacco blend:

The first one is taste, the second is strength

Often, there's a conflict between these elements. A tobacco blend can end up strong and robust, yet its taste might hardly be noticeable. Conversely, it can also turn out soft with a sufficiently deep taste.

The third one is aroma, or scent

During smoking, we first perceive the taste of the tobacco blend—bitter, sour, sweet. Then, nuances start to unfold—freshness, sharpness, woody or coffee notes, coconut, grass, or cedar. The perception of aroma is individual and depends on the specific person's sensory characteristics.

Aroma is very important as it can enhance the pleasure of smoking. It depends on the type of tobacco and the region where it's grown. Different territories have varying climatic conditions and soil types, which exert no less influence than the variety of the product.

Fourth is complexity

Without complexity in the smoking process, even the best quality, dense and flavourful tobacco blend will be ordinary. It is important that during smoking, additional notes and nuances are revealed that were not present at the beginning.

Fifth is the balance of ingredients

Balance ensures that all ingredients in the blend are in their proper place. Complexity without balance can be perceived as an error made by the manufacturer during tobacco blending.

Sixth is the aftertaste

This is also an important component of a good tobacco blend. Aftertaste is the residual taste after smoking. Without it, you would enjoy the taste and aroma of the tobacco while smoking, but they would disappear once you finish.

Experienced blend creators know how to enhance strength, improve aroma, or prolong aftertaste. For instance, to impart stronger strength, they might use all the leaves. However, this could disrupt the balance. Therefore, they often select only certain leaves to ensure harmony between aroma and taste.

Creating a blend can be likened to creating a new dish. A specialist mixes ingredients, then decreases the amount of some components while increasing others until achieving a unique taste and aroma. Crafting a quality blend can take days or even weeks.

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"Memorable books": a window into the merchant's world

Ivan Chumakov kept meticulous records, recording not only financial transactions (every penny and every unit of goods), but also details of his personal life. His "Memorable Books" provide a rare glimpse into the everyday life of wealthy merchants, allowing you to plunge into the atmosphere of that era. He told about balls, dinners with the governor and the police chief, trips to Moscow and trade transactions worth tens of thousands of rubles.

Ivan Mikhailovich described in detail family holidays, clothes, weather and everything that surrounded him. Reading these diaries, it is as if we are traveling through time. For example, in one of the entries from March 21, 1885, Chumakov notes: "March 21. Went to Kasatkin, ordered him a coat in a new style, a surtukom, for 65 rubles - expensive, but what to do, people wear the same, in a Polish store ordered boots with galoshes for 14 rubles. Such details immerse us in the world of merchant fashion and give us an idea of the typical expenses of a rich merchant.

He also wrote in notes about his experiences: "Ah life, life, you do not smile for everyone! The conditions of my life are original, my profession is commerce, and entertainment and pleasure are all the same to me. Every successful enterprise and constitutes my pleasure; but as you wish, but such a life is unbearable: no friend, no person with whom I could talk frankly", showing us his emotions and feelings.

The Chumakov tobacco empire

At the age of 22, Ivan Nikolaevich Chumakov, Ivan Mikhailovich's uncle, left his native Makarievsky district of Kostroma province and went to the city of Kostroma. There he got a job as a clerk in the tobacco shop of the burgher Yegor Ilyich Volkov. In 1834, the future merchant invited his 14-year-old brother Makar to Kostroma and arranged for him to be employed without salary in Yaroslavl to learn the tobacco business.

Seven years later, in 1836, Ivan Nikolaevich left Volkov's service and opened his own shop in the tobacco row. Initially, the trade was conducted under the name of Semyonov, as Chumakov received a certificate from him as a clerk.

In 1838 Ivan Nikolayevich, who had already begun to be assisted by his younger brothers Makar and Mikhail, rented a tobacco factory in Voznesensky Lane from Lapotnikov. Now he became not only the head of the enterprise, but also a skillful master of makhorka production. Leaf tobacco was dried in special chambers and then ground and mixed with various additives.

To purchase raw materials, the brothers traveled to Malorossiya, which helped them to become immediately independent of supplies from Yaroslavl. The finished tobacco was sold to both wholesale and retail buyers. It was delivered to various towns and villages on horseback and by water. The distribution of products was handled by Mikhail Nikolayevich, one of the brothers, and the employee Ivan Aleksandrovich Sokolov, who later became the factory manager.

In 1843, the Chumakov brothers bought a house on Pavlovskaya Street from merchant widow Anna Andreevna Domernikova, where they moved to the factory. The product range included smoking tobacco (makhorka), snuff and a small number of cigars. The Chumakov factory quickly gained popularity among consumers due to its high quality and affordable price.

Next, the Chumakov brothers opened their own trading house and built a second factory. Their goods began to be delivered by their own steamship to the lower Volga and Kama rivers, from where they were shipped by land to Western Siberia and the Urals. This allowed them to expand to such an extent that their snuff was delivered directly to the Tsar's court.

In 1853, they purchased a 12-horsepower steam engine from Semyon Pankratievich Maslennikov, a merchant of the second guild, and installed it in their factory. This helped to significantly increase production volumes and reduce costs. In 1869, the factory was re-equipped and the first tobacco cutting machine in Russia, imported from England, appeared there.

By the mid-19th century, the Chumakov factory had become one of the largest enterprises in Kostroma. Their products were recognized at international exhibitions, including the World Exhibition in Vienna in 1873.

After Ivan Nikolayevich's death, his nephews Mikhail and Ivan Mikhailovich inherited the business. They owned a million-dollar capital, became merchants of the first guild, attended dinners at the governor's house and continued to develop the firm.

The enterprise remained one of the leading ones in the tobacco industry until the beginning of the 20th century, when it was nationalized by the Soviet authorities. Nowadays, tobacco production in Kostroma continues to develop, but the factory founded by Ivan Nikolayevich Chumakov has remained only a historical legacy.

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