Oral chewable tobacco product and method of manufacture thereof

1. An oral chewable tobacco product comprising:

tobacco powder in an amount sufficient to form about 30% to about 70% by weight based on the weight of the oral tobacco product; and

an at least partially environmentally biodegradable and at least partially water soluble gum composition in an amount sufficient to form about 70% to about 30% by weight based on the weight of the oral chewable tobacco product, the at least partially environmentally biodegradable and at least partially water soluble gum composition comprising:

at least one environmentally biodegradable polymer included in an amount sufficient to form about 20% to about 95% by weight based on the weight of the gum composition, said at least one environmentally biodegradable polymer selected from the group consisting of polycaprolactone, polycaprolactone diol, polylactides, polyglycolides, and combinations thereof; and

at least one softener in an amount sufficient to maintain the softness and pliability of the gum composition and form about 80% to about 5% by weight based on the weight of the gum composition,

wherein the oral chewable tobacco product is chewable and disintegrable in an oral cavity of a user and/or substantially environmentally biodegrades and the oral chewable tobacco product is free of water insoluble polymers.

2. The oral chewable tobacco product of claim 1 , further comprising at least one non-tobacco flavorant in an amount of less than about 5% by weight based on the weight of the oral chewable tobacco product.

3. The oral chewable tobacco product of claim 2 , wherein said at least one non-tobacco flavorant is in the form of spray dried flavorants, essential oils, encapsulated flavorants, coacervated flavorants, colloidal encapsulated flavorants, suspensions, solutions and combinations thereof.

4. The oral chewable tobacco product of claim 1 , wherein the oral chewable tobacco product is pre-portioned.

5. The oral chewable tobacco product of claim 1 , wherein the oral chewable tobacco product weighs about 0.5 g to 4.0 g.

6. The oral chewable tobacco product of claim 1 , wherein the oral chewable tobacco product ranges in size from about 0.05 inches to about 1.5 inches in height, about 0.5 inches to about 1.5 inches in width and about 0.5 to about 1.5 inches in length.

7. The oral chewable tobacco product of claim 1 , wherein the at least one softener is selected from the group consisting of lactic acid esters of monoglycerides, citric acid esters of monoglycerides, succinic acid esters of monoglycerides, diacetyl tartaric acid esters of monoglycerides, calcium stearoyl di laciate, lecithin, sunflower oil, peanut oil and combinations thereof.

8. The oral chewable tobacco product of claim 1 , wherein the tobacco powder has particles smaller than about 400 mesh.

9. The oral chewable tobacco product of claim 1 , wherein said oral tobacco product further comprises at least one additive in an amount of less than about 5% by weight based on the weight of the oral chewable tobacco product, said at least one additive selected from the group consisting of (a) at least one vitamin, (b) at least one mineral, (c) at least one neutraceutical, (d) at least one amino acid, (e) at least one energizing agent, (f) at least one soothing agent, (g) at least one sweetener, (h) at least one coloring agent, (i) at least one chemesthesis agent, (j) at least one antioxidant and combinations thereof.

10. The oral chewable tobacco product of claim 1 , wherein said oral chewable tobacco product substantially disintegrates in the oral cavity in a time period ranging from about 30 seconds to about 60 minutes.

11. The oral chewable tobacco product of claim 1 , wherein said oral chewable tobacco product substantially biodegrades in less than about 30 days.

12. The oral tobacco product of claim 1 , wherein said oral chewable tobacco product substantially biodegrades in less than about 20 days.

13. The oral chewable tobacco product of claim 1 , wherein said oral chewable tobacco product substantially biodegrades in less than about 10 days.

14. A method of making the biodegradable oral chewable tobacco product of claim 1 comprising:

dissolving the biodegradable polymer in a solvent to form a solution;

adding the tobacco powder to the solution;

stirring the solution to form a paste;

adding the softener; and

forming a dough from the paste.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising heating the solution to a temperature of about 40° C. to about 80° C.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising portioning the dough to form a pre-portioned biodegradable oral chewable tobacco product.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the solution is stirred for about 15 to about 45 minutes.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein said solvent is ethanol.

19. A method of making the biodegradable oral chewable tobacco product comprising:

tobacco powder in an amount sufficient to form about 30% to about 70% by weight based on the weight of the oral tobacco product; and

an at least partially environmentally biodegradable and at least partially water soluble gum composition in an amount sufficient to form about 70% to about 30% by weight based on the weight of the oral chewable tobacco product, the at least partially environmentally biodegradable and at least partially water soluble gum composition comprising:

at least one environmentally biodegradable polymer included in an amount sufficient to form about 20% to about 95% by weight based on the weight of the gum composition, said at least one environmentally biodegradable polymer selected from the group consisting of polycaprolactone, polycaprolactone diol, polylactides, polyglycolides, and combinations thereof; and

at least one softener in an amount sufficient to maintain the softness and pliability of the gum composition and form about 80% to about 5% by weight based on the weight of the gum composition,

wherein the oral chewable tobacco product is chewable and disintegrable in an oral cavity of a user and/or substantially environmentally biodegrades and the oral chewable tobacco product is free of water insoluble polymers, the method comprising:

dissolving a biodegradable polymer in a solvent to form a solution, wherein the solvent is ethanol;

adding tobacco powder to the solution;

heating the solution to a temperature of about 40° C. to about 80° C. for about 15 to about 45 minutes;

stirring the solution to form a paste;

adding a softener;

forming a dough from the paste; and

portioning the dough to form a pre-portioned biodegradable oral chewable tobacco product.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the at least one softener is selected from the group consisting of lactic acid esters of monoglycerides, citric acid esters of monoglycerides, succinic acid esters of monoglycerides, diacetyl tartaric acid esters of monoglycerides, calcium stearoyl di laciate, lecithin, sunflower oil, peanut oil and combinations thereof.