Translucent smokeless tobacco product

1. A smokeless tobacco product comprising:

a. a tobacco extract in an amount of at least about 3% by weight, wherein the tobacco extract is an ultrafiltered tobacco extract characterized as translucent or transparent and consists of compounds having a molecular weight of less than about 50,000 Da;

b. a sugar substitute in an amount of at least about 80% by weight, wherein the sugar substitute is a non-hygroscopic sugar alcohol capable of forming a glassy matrix; and

c. a sugar alcohol syrup,

wherein the smokeless tobacco product is translucent.

2. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1 , wherein the sugar substitute is isomalt.

3. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1 , wherein the sugar substitute is present in an amount of at least about 84% by weight.

4. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1 , wherein the sugar substitute is present in an amount of at least about 90% by weight.

5. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1 , wherein the sugar alcohol syrup is maltitol syrup.

6. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1 , wherein the tobacco extract is a heat-treated tobacco extract that has been treated prior to inclusion in the smokeless tobacco product by heating the tobacco extract in an aqueous solution comprising L-lysine, L-cysteine, asparaginase, or hydrogen peroxide.

7. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 6 , wherein the aqueous solution further comprises NaOH.

8. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1 , wherein the tobacco extract is a heat-treated tobacco extract that has been treated prior to inclusion in the smokeless tobacco product by heating the tobacco extract in an aqueous solution comprising L-lysine and NaOH.

9. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1 , wherein the tobacco extract consists of compounds having a molecular weight of less than about 5,000 Da.

10. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1 , further comprising one or more flavorants.

11. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 10 , wherein the amount of flavorant is from about 0.1 to about 0.5 percent by weight of the smokeless tobacco product.

12. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 10 , wherein the flavorant is vanillin or mint flavor.

13. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1 , further comprising at least one sweetener.

14. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 13 , wherein the at least one sweetener comprises sucralose.

15. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1 , further comprising NaCl.

16. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 15 , wherein the amount of NaCl is from about 0.5 to about 1 percent by weight of the smokeless tobacco product.

17. A translucent smokeless tobacco product comprising:

a. a translucent or transparent tobacco extract consisting of components having a molecular weight of no more than about 50,000 Da in an amount of at least about 3% by weight;

b. a non-hygroscopic sugar alcohol capable of forming a glassy matrix in an amount of at least about 80% by weight; and

c. a sugar alcohol syrup in an amount sufficient to slow recrystallization of the non-hygroscopic sugar alcohol,

wherein the smokeless tobacco product is translucent.

18. A method of preparing the translucent smokeless tobacco product of claim 1 , comprising:

(i) mixing a translucent or transparent tobacco extract with a non-hygroscopic sugar alcohol capable of forming a glassy matrix in a melted state to form a mixture; and

(ii) cooling the mixture to room temperature to form a solid smokeless tobacco product exhibiting translucency.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the translucent or transparent tobacco extract has been treated by size exclusion chromatography, microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, or a combination thereof.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the treatment removes components having a molecular weight above about 50,000 Da.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the translucent or transparent tobacco extract has been heat treated by heating the tobacco extract in an aqueous solution comprising L-lysine, L-cysteine, asparaginase, or hydrogen peroxide.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the aqueous solution further comprises NaOH.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the heat treating step is conducted at about 88° C.

24. The method of claim 21 , wherein the translucent smokeless tobacco product has an acrylamide content of less than about 500 ppb.

25. The method of claim 18 , wherein the mixing step comprises heating the non-hygroscopic sugar alcohol to a temperature above the hard crack stage in the absence of the tobacco extract and mixing the tobacco extract into the non-hygroscopic sugar alcohol at a temperature below the hard crack stage.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the hard crack stage is about 145° C. to about 155° C. and the non-hygroscopic sugar alcohol is heated at a temperature between the hard crack stage and about 171° C.

27. The method of claim 18 , further comprising introducing the mixture into molds to create individual product units prior to the cooling step.