US Patent 12063953 Method for whitening tobacco

A method of preparing a whitened tobacco material for use in a smokeless tobacco product, including: (i) extracting a tobacco material with an aqueous solution to provide a tobacco solids material and a tobacco extract; (ii) bleaching the tobacco solids material with a solution comprising a strong base, an oxidizing agent, or a combination thereof to provide a bleached tobacco material; and (iii) drying the bleached tobacco material to provide the whitened tobacco material; wherein the tobacco solids material is not subjected to treatment at an elevated temperature with sulfur-containing reagents, organic solvents, sodium hydroxide, or an acid between the extraction and the bleaching.