The most reliable ways to store tobacco at home

Self-grown and dried tobacco Can't compare to store-bought ones in taste and aroma. In large-scale production, tobacco leaves are often treated with chemicals to prevent the product from spoiling for as long as possible. These chemicals affect the taste and aroma of products and cause health problems because they release toxins and carcinogens during the combustion process.

Homemade tobacco is less dangerous in this regard, but it can deteriorate over time. Learn how to store your tobacco stock so you can enjoy the natural flavor and aroma for years to come.

Conditions for storing tobacco at home

Depending on the manipulations that were carried out with tobacco raw materials before storage, various changes will occur in the leaves. If the leaves are stored after fermentation, the longer they sit, the more nicotine and aromatic substances will accumulate in them.

Reference. Fermentation is a process of changing the chemical composition of plants that occurs under the action of enzymes in plant cells. At the same time, the amount of starchy and protein substances decreases and the amount of essential, resinous and active nitrogenous substances increases, and nicotine is released from the plant cells. Fermented tobacco is stronger than dried tobacco.

If the tobacco was simply dried, during storage the leaves become more fragile, and at the same time a slow fermentation process occurs.

Requirements for storage conditions of tobacco sushi:

1. Air humidity 15-30%. When the humidity is below 15%, the leaves dry out, become brittle, lose their elasticity and crumble into tobacco dust. When humidity is more than 30%, raw materials can become infected with mold and other pathogenic microorganisms. Moldy raw materials cannot be used for further use and are thrown away. At high humidity in rooms that are relatively clean in terms of the content of pathogenic microorganisms, the process of intracellular fermentation accelerates. In residential buildings, air humidity ranges from 30 to 45% in winter, and from 30 to 60% in warm seasons, so dry rooms are chosen for storage.
2. Temperature 15-20°C. At temperatures below 15°C, the raw material begins to absorb condensation from the air, which increases the moisture content of the tobacco and the risk of mold contamination. At temperatures above 25°C, the raw materials become overdried and their elasticity and quality decrease.
3. Lack of natural sunlight. Under the influence of ultraviolet rays, nicotine and other complex organic compounds oxidize and change structure. This produces unknown components that can be hazardous to health.
4. Restricting the flow of fresh air. The greater the air flow, the more oxygen enters the atmosphere of the storage room, while destructive oxidative processes in the raw materials intensify.
5. Lack of other dried plants nearby. Dust containing particles from other plants can settle on stored leaves, changing their smell and taste. Tobacco itself can also spoil other prepared medicinal plants and seasonings with its dust.
6. No access for pests. Bugs, moths and midge larvae can live and reproduce for a long time, feeding on dry plant materials, so storage containers are selected with airtight closures.
7. Lack of dust and dirt on surfaces in contact with dry leaves. Dust and mud particles are a source of pathogenic microorganisms that can begin to multiply on tobacco raw materials and infect it. Materials in direct contact with the dryer are disinfected.

In addition, whole leaves are stored longer than crushed ones, since the area of ​​contact of cells with atmospheric oxygen is smaller than that of chopped raw materials.

Choosing a place and container for storage

To comply with the requirements for storing tobacco products, choose a room in which there will be only artificial lighting, low humidity and no heating devices. The best choice would be a storage room or attic compartment. The covering of the premises is chosen from varnish, paint or ceramic. Untreated wood is a source of insect pests.

But at home it is difficult to allocate an entire room for storing exclusively tobacco stocks, so they select containers in which tobacco will not spoil for a long time and will not come into contact with the air and surrounding objects.

Containers for storing dry tobacco:

1. Carton boxes. They will prevent light from entering, but will not protect raw materials from humidity, temperature changes, pests, dust and mold.
2. Wooden boxes. Their properties are similar to cardboard boxes.
3. Fabric bags. They create a beautiful ambiance in the interior, but do not protect against environmental factors that negatively affect the safety of raw materials. You can store portions of tobacco in small fabric bags for quick use.
4. Plastic bags. A closed bag creates a “greenhouse effect” for stored raw materials and pathogenic microorganisms; it will create a greenhouse for growing microflora, so sushi in such a container will spoil faster. However, in stores you can find sealed bags with air suction; such vacuum packaging will preserve tobacco for a long time, especially if the vacuum bags with blanks are placed in wooden or cardboard boxes to protect from light.
5. Glass jars. Glass is a reliable protector against moisture, pests, dust and microorganisms, but you should pay attention to the lid of glass containers and jars. A regular rubber or plastic screw cap will not keep out mold and other pathogens. The best choice would be jars with a ground or rubberized glass lid, which can be sterilized before storing raw materials in them. Dark glass jars protect tobacco from light, and transparent glass containers can be placed in cardboard boxes or covered with opaque paper or film on top.
6. Cans. The best choice would be jars with a tight-fitting lid with a rubber gasket. They reliably protect from light, moisture and pests. The only drawback of such containers is the risk of rust formation. Contact with metal oxides in rust will increase oxidation processes in the raw material and reduce the quality of tobacco. Therefore, for storage they choose tin containers without visible signs of metal corrosion, without dents or chips of the protective coating.

Tobacco can be packaged for storage in several types of containers. By combining packaging materials depending on what unfavorable environmental conditions may arise during storage.Rag, plastic and glass containers can be additionally folded into cardboard and wooden containers of larger volume.

Features of storing fermented tobacco

Fermented tobacco is stored in the form of crushed leaves in bulk or pressed into briquettes. The peculiarity, in contrast to unfermented tobacco, is the strict maintenance of a constant level of moisture in the raw materials. Therefore, storage containers are selected with a hermetically sealed lid with a rubber gasket.

If the tobacco is dry, place a sponge moistened with water or aromatic alcohol (cognac, whiskey, tincture of aromatic herbs) into the container. This way you will not only correct storage errors, but also flavor the tobacco leaves. In this case, it is better to change the container, choosing a container with a more airtight lid.

The tightness of the container can be checked by pouring water into the container, closing it, turning it over and leaving it in that position for 24 hours. Then measure how much the amount of liquid in the container has changed. If water leaks out, then the container is not airtight.

Features of storage of unfermented tobacco raw materials

Dry tobacco is stored both in crushed and whole form. If the prepared tobacco is planned to be used in the future not for smoking, but as an insecticide, it can be stored in bundles hanging without containers.

Tobacco for cigarettes is stored at low humidity - the drier the cigarette raw material, the better it will burn in the paper. Pipe tobacco is stored at a humidity of 50%; a sponge with a humidifier is placed in the container, which is periodically renewed to maintain the quality of the raw material.

Cut tobacco does not store as well as whole leaves. due to the oxidation of nicotine by atmospheric oxygen, therefore, with large volumes of reserves, it is crushed only before fermentation and use.

Storing tobacco seeds

The main requirement for seed storage is preservation of germination. If storage recommendations are followed, seeds remain viable for up to 15 years.

Seed storage conditions:

1. Select containers that are sealed and do not allow moisture, pests, or sunlight to pass through. Plastic ziplock bags are suitable and then placed in a light-proof bag or box.
2. Once every six months, the seeds are checked for mold formation or pest infestation. Spoiled seeds are thrown away.
3. The temperature and humidity conditions are similar to the storage of tobacco leaves.
4. Tobacco seeds, like all plants of the Solanaceae family, are poisonous, therefore both tobacco itself and the seeds are stored out of the reach of children and pets.

Tobacco gardeners advise storing seeds in the freezer to preserve germination for a longer period of time, but before germination, the seeds are allowed to rest from freezing for 1.5-3 months so that the embryos awaken.

Damage to tobacco due to improper storage

In spoiled tobacco, not only the taste and aroma qualities of the raw material change, but it is also likely that toxic substances are formed that can cause serious harm to health.

Types of tobacco sushi spoilage:

• mold;
• the appearance of rot;
• diaper rash of raw materials;
• pest infestation;
• overdrying and crumbling of raw materials;
• oxidation of chemicals in tobacco, while outwardly such changes may go unnoticed.

To reduce the risk of damage to raw materials, the sushi must be checked every six months. Infested with pests, rotten, moldy and rotten tobacco is thrown away.Dried tobacco can be moistened by spraying with water or aromatic liquid from a spray bottle. The soaked tobacco, if it has not yet spoiled, is dried in a dryer and stored again.

Signs of tobacco spoilage:

1. Unnatural color: black or light coating, lightened or dark spots.
2. The presence of insects in the raw materials: worms, larvae, bugs, weevils, midges.
3. Unpleasant odor: moldy or putrid.
4. Unnatural taste with cloying bitterness.
5. Loss of leaf elasticity, crumbling into dust with slight pressure.
6. Formation of wet crumbs at the bottom of the container: such crumbs appear if the leaves are damp or in the presence of insect pests.

Chemical changes in raw materials are more difficult to track. Any appearance of an atypical odor or complete loss of tobacco odor during storage indirectly indicates oxidation and deterioration of the raw material.

Shelf life of raw tobacco

If storage conditions are met, whole dried tobacco leaves are stored for five years, crushed - for two years. After fermentation, tobacco can be stored for a year.

Tobacco seeds can be stored for up to 15 years.

Read also:

The most popular variety of tobacco is Virginia.

Fragrant and tasty Havana tobacco for lovers of Cuban cigars.

One of the best aromatic tobacco varieties is Dubek.

Conclusion

Storing tobacco at home requires maintaining temperature conditions and maintaining constant air humidity. To prevent tobacco from molding and rotting, storage containers are disinfected or sterilized.

Several types of containers are often used: the leaves are placed in glass or metal sealed containers, which are then placed in wooden or cardboard boxes.Portions of tobacco for immediate use can be stored in fabric bags. Tobacco seeds are stored in plastic ziplock bags at a low temperature to maintain germination.