Abstract
On Friday, November 9 the Lorillard Tobacco Company issued a press release taking exception to a new American Legacy Foundation advertisement that accused Lorillard of adding urea, a major component of urine, to their cigarettes. The ad further suggested that the company uses dog urine in the manufacturing process. In the press release, Lorillard Vice President of External Affairs Steve Watson said that "urea is a compound that naturally occurs in the tobacco leaf, as well as in mushrooms and many baked goods, Lorillard does not and never has added it to its cigarettes."
Today's document is a 1989 Lorillard Tobacco internal memorandum entitled, Project B-451, "Urea."
The first paragraph of the memo states:
"This memorandum summarizes experiments conducted using Urea as a tobacco additive, for the reduction of benz[a]pyrene and formaldehyde. Three major guidelines were adopted to aid in succesful completion of this project. These guidelines are that the product would be smoke in a conventional manner, burn tobacco, and have an acceptable taste."
The memo states that Lorillard developed an experimental cigarette blend and construction that would "hopefully evolve into a less biologically active cigarette." With regard to the paramenters for this product, the memo further states, "This [experimental] cigarette would have (1) a blend with mostly Urea treated, expanded, flue-cured tobacco."
The author of them memo concludes by saying "Urea is believed to be an important [cigarette] additive for three reasons, it reduces benz[a]pyrene, it greatly reduced formaldehyde, and it improves the taste."
Urea is defined in in part in both Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary (Edition 13) and Dorland Illustrated Medical Dicitonary (25th Edition) as "the chief nitrogenous constituent of urine and the final product of protein metabolism in the body."
Fields
- Notes
A search was performed on the Lorillard document site using terms such as "urea & additive" and "urea & confidential." The search turned up this document, and also one from a file at Lorillard called "Additives." It was dated October 15, 1986 and marked "Privileged and Confidential Attorney Work Product," entitled, Summary of Data on Urea. The first sentence of that paper states, "Urea is a natural component of tobacco, and it is also added to tobacco as a flavor." http://www.lorillarddocs.com/getallimg.asp?if=avlidx&DOCID=80424112/4122
Another document on the Lorillard site, similarly marked and titled, was dated April 17, 1986. It was a product of the tobacco industry law firm of Covington and Burling. On page 2 of the document has a section entitled "Tobacco Use."
It states, "Urea is used by the tobacco industry as a flavorant, and is applied to the tobacco with casing materials. Approximately 1.3 million pounds of urea was used by the industry in 1985, and the current usage level of urea in the cigarette is between 2.25 mg and 5.4 mg."
http://www.lorillarddocs.com/getallimg.asp?if=avlidx&DOCID=87714745/4756
- Quotes
LORILLARD
Memorandum
December 18, 1989
TO: J.H. Bell
FROM: J.C. Douglas
SUBJECT: Project B-451, "Urea"
The goal of the Cigarette Modification Project is to develop a cigarette having significantly reduced biological activity. This memorandum summarizes experiments conducted using Urea as a tobacco additive, for the reduction of benz[a]pyrene and formaldehyde. Three major guidelines were adopted to aid in succesful completion of this project. These guidelines are that the product would be smoke in a conventional manner, burn tobacco, and have an acceptable taste...
[The basic product design] would have:
(1) A blend with mostly Urea treated, expanded, flue-cured tobacco...
...The Ames biological assay showed the products with Urea to have [biological] activities near that of the control 1580-87 (an unflavored Kent 100). However, samples tested without Urea were found to be low on activity...
...Urea is believed to be an important additive for three reasons, it reduces benz[a]pyrene, it greatly reduces formaldehyde, and it improves tase. Due to the advantages of using Urea, it was determined that samples with reduced levels of Urea were needed for biological testing. Fortunately, Urea levels of 0.5 to 1% were found to contribute little, if any, biological activity to the tobaccos on which they were applied.
Our best cigarette, having approximately a 40% reduction in biological activity, is sample 1618-89. A greater reduction in biological activity was needed for successful completion of thie project. As a result, materials capable of generating tars, that were nearly inert biologically were investigated. Alpha cellulose, wood pulp, and extensively washed burley stems were found to produce tars low in activity.
Currently, experiments are underway using these inert tar producing materials, in effect, to dilute active tar with inactive tar...
- Company
- Lorillard Inc.
- Author
- Douglas, J.C.
- Recipient
- Bell, J.H.
RegionUnited States
LitigationStmn/Produced
Operation/ProjectProject B-451 "Urea"
TypeChart/Graph/Maps
Memorandum
SubjectAdditives
Document Images
Page 1: fty30e00
MEMORANDUM
TO: J. H., Bell
FROM: J. C. Douglas
SUBJECT: Project B-451, "Urea"
December 18, 1989!
The goal of'the Cigarette Modification Project is to develop a
cigarette havingisignificantly reduced biological activity. This
memorandrnn summarizes experiments conducted using U'rea as a
tobacco additive, for the reduction of benz[ajpyrene and formaTde-
hyde. Three major guidelines were adopted to aid in successful
completion of this project. These gVidelines are that thee
product would be smoked in a conventional manner, burn tobaccol,
and have an acceptable taste.
it was necessary to determine what cigarette blends and'construc-
tions would yield the: lowest biological activities. As: result,
experiments were designed for these determinat'xons. The first
experiments involved blends, then circumferences, then air
dilutions, and finally the location of filter ventilations. AA
brief description of these experiments, including their results,
fol:lows :
Tar generated from the smoking of our four major blendcomponents,
flue-cured, burley, oriental, and reconstituted leaf were chemi-
cally analyzed for oxides of nitrogen,, hydrogen cyanide, and
benz[al]'pyrene,, with, the emphasis on oxides of nitrogen. Flue-cured
tobacco was determined to possess the lowest potential for
biological activity. In addition, expanded leaf was found to
yield reduced levels ofbenz[a]Ipyrene.
Various cigarette circumferences were experimentally investigated.
Cigarettes with circumferences of 21.8 mm's were found to yield!
lower levels of benz[lajpyrene than those with 24.8 mm"s circum-
i'erence..
Experiments were conducted investigating air dilution changes,
rangingifrom 0-75%. It was determined that air dilutions
'exceeding 25% yielded increases in benz[a]'pyrene.
Experiments were also conducted to study various locations for
filter ventilation. The samples tested! all had air dilutions of
501%, with the perforations being either 11 mm's, 15 mmi''s or 19,
mm's fromi their filter ends. Perforations located 11 mmi"s from
the filter end increased filter efficienca:es.
Page 2: fty30e00
iJsing,these experimental results, we were able to generate a
group of cigarette blend and construction parameters, that would
hopefully evolve into: a less biologically active cigarette. Thee
basic list of parameters chosen for this product design, are as
follows:
This cigarette would have;
(1) A blend with mostly Urea treated, expanded!, flue-cured'
tobacco.
(2) A circumference of 21.8' mm"s,, dhle to production limitations.
(3) An air dilution less than or equal to 25$, with these
ventilations being located approximately 11 mm's from the
filter end.
Therefore, a cigarette believed to have a reduced biological
activity, using the practicable knowledge generated by the
previous experiments, was produced. Max 12'0 construction was
chosen for its 21.8 mm circumference, 120' mm length~, and air
dilution around'18%.
A control (;1488'-8'9')1 and sample (1489-8!9') were prepared (see
attached sample sheets). The controls blend contained 100%
expanded flue-cured tobacco, and the samples contained 97%
expanded flue-cured tobacco with,3% Urea.
Sample 1489'-8'9 had'a deep rich flue-cured tobacco taste. In
addition, it was fuller,, and more like a conventional blended
cigarette than sample 1488-89.
These cigarettes had pressure: dropsaround' 10~0 mm"s',which presented a problem. This problem
was~not unexpected, and
believed to be due to the high percentage of puffed'tobacco in
these blends, in conjunction with the low porosity tipping paper
used. The purpose of usingi this tipping paper was to allow us
flexibility in air diluting, these cigarettes.
You will find attached a tabular presentation, Table A, including
analytical and' leaf analysis for samples 1488-891, 1489-8'9', and
1580-87 (an unflavored' Kent 100) . The benz [ia]!pyrene, carbonySs,,
and additional analytical data was generated!by cigarette pyrolysis.
The leaf anaLysis data indicates the analysis of the blends.
(unpyrolyzed)' used in these samples.
Overall, sample 1489-89 yielded reduced benz[la]ipyrene, formal-
dehyde, and potentially a, reduction in biological activity. The
,
pressure drop of these samples was unacceptably high, and the CZ)
cigarette needed taste modifications to more closely resemble a ,~
conventional blended cigarette. O.
In the second generation of cigarette samples with reduced ~'
biological activity, emphasis was placed on the previously stated ~
W
Page 3: fty30e00
I
problem areas. the Max 120 construction was used again for the
same reasons as before.
Three second generated cigarette saanples~were prepared, 1618-8'.9!,.
1619-89, and 162'0-89 (see attached sample sheets). The blend
composition for each of these.samples follows:
Blend
Component % for
1618-8'9' % for
16:19-89 % for
1620-89
Virginia Expanded', 80,
Virginia Expanded! wf 3%
Urea. - 8'0 70
Virginia/Burley Expanded - - 10
37 A Turkish 16 16 16
Sochumi Oriental 4 4 4
Totals 100i$, 100% 1001$
As is!presented above, the second g,eneration of samples included
nonexpanded tobaccos. 37A Turkish tobacco was'.used for its taste
character, that resembles a turkish sheet material we hope to use
in the future:.. Sochumi Greek Oriental tobacco was used primarily
for its strong orientaltaste!character.The nonexpandedtobaccosa~lso helped reduce the pressure drop.
Burley expanded tobacco.w'as
added1primarily for its taste.contribution in the areas of fullness,
depth, and burley character..
T'he Ames biological assay showed the products with Urea to havee
activities near that of'the control 1580-87 (an unflavored Kent
100). However, samples tested without Urea were found to be low'
in activity.,
You will find attached al tabular presentation (Table B)i of' the
available: analytical and leaf'analysis data for samples 1618-89,
1619-891, 1620-89 and 1580-87 (an unflavored Kent 10101)1. The
benz(a]pyrene, carbonyls, and add'itional analytical data was
generated by: cigarelttepyrolysis. The leaf analysis indicates
analysis of'the blends (unpyro.llyzed)i used in these samples'.
Overail, the 1619-89 and 1620-89 samples yielded'improved pressuree
drops; more.of a blended cigarette taste, but had unacceptable
biological activities. However, in this group, sample 1618-89
was found to be low in biological activity. .
Urea is believed to be an important additive for three reasons,
it reduces benz[fa]Ipyrene, it greatly reduces formaldehyde, and it.
improves the taste. Due to the advantages of using Urea, it was
.
determined that samples with reduced levels of,Urea were needed
for biological testing. Fortunately, Urea levels of 01.5 to 1$
Page 4: fty30e00
were found to contribute little, if any, biological activity to
the tobaccos.pn whichthey wereapplied..
Our best cigarette, having approximately a 40% reduction in.
biological activity, is sample 1618-89. A greater redhzction in
biological activity was needed for successful completion of this
proj~ect. As a, result,, materials capable of generating tars, that
were nearly inert biologically were investigated. Alpha
cellulose, wood pulp, and extensively washediburley stems were
found to produce tars low in activity.
Currently, experiments are underway using these inert tar producing
materials, in effect, to dilute active tar witfi inactive tar. If
there are any questions, please advise.
,,U. C. Douglas
/jw:li
Xc: A. B. Hudson
T. D. Jessup
C. W. Lassiter
H. J. Minnemeyer
V. Norman
F. J. Schultz
E. C. Wu
Library
Page 5: fty30e00
TABLE A
Benz[a]pyrene- J.H. Bell Carbonyl-T.M. Larson Leaf Analysis-H.D. Bogue
Sample
Puffs DPM/Cig
(mg) BaP/Cig
(mg) BaP/DPM
(mg) Foxm./Cig
(pg) Acet./Cig
(ug) Acrol./Cig
(Vg) Prop./Cig
(Vg) Nit.
x T.V.B.
% Nic.
% Nitrate
% Ash
z T.R.S.
z
1580 8.3 17.3 10.8 624 52.7 958 78 76.2 NA NA 1.29 NA NA NA
1488 8 12.0 6.8 567 54.5 587 74.5 49.0 2.18 0.33 2.07 0 10.9 13.9
1489 8.1 13.3 5.0 376' 11.5 709 54.5 62.0 3.50 0.45 2.03 0 10.6 13.6
N.A. =. Not Available
99GL9048
Page 6: fty30e00
TABLE B
Benz[a]pyrene-J.H. Bell Carbonyls-T.M. Larson Leaf Analysis-H.D. Bogue Analytical-A. Prakash
Hydro-
quinone/
Catechol/ Phenol/
Sample
Puffs DPM/Cig
(mg) BaP/Cig
(mg) BaP/DPM
(mg) Form./Cig
(Vg) Acet./Cig
(ug) Acrol./C_i_g
Og) Prop./Cig
(Ng) Nit.
z T.V.B.
X Nic.
Z Nitrate
z Ash
x T.R.S.
S Cig.
(jig) Cig.
(Ug) Cig.
Og)
1580 8.3 17.3 10.8 624 52.7 958 78 76.2 N.A. N.A. 1.29 N.A. N.A. N.A. 68.2 67.4 14.17
1618 7 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. 2.22 0.35 2.13 0 12.9 13.4 41.45 43.4 4.8
1619 6.5 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. 3.05 0.40 1.94 0 12.3 12.3 48.5 50.6 6.5
1620 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. 3.07 0.42 2.10 0 12.3 11.6 N.A. N.A. N.A.
N.A. - Not Available
49449046
