Analyses of Steam Distillates and Aqueous Extracts of Smokeless Tobacco

The steam distillates or aqueous extracts of nine brands of commercial snuff were analyzed in an effort to determine those constituents present as additives. These extracts were then partitioned with methylene chloride and profiled on capillary GC. These profiles were compared with those obtained with extracts from 1S3 tobacco, the University of Kentucky's reference research tobacco for moist snuff. Those compounds unique to the commercial brands or present in exceptional quantities relative to 1S3 tobacco were identified by GC-MS. Quantitative analyses were performed by selective ion monitoring/mass spectrometry. Methyl salicylate, ethyl salicylate, benzyl benzoate, phenylethanol, geraniol, citronellol, acetovanillone, syringaldehyde, and acetylpyridine were among the compounds identified and quantitated in commercial moist snuff.