Abstract
This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of forced fermentation on chemical and sensory properties in burley leaf tobacco. Three process steps of burley leaf tobacco(green and redried leaves produced in 2000, and aged leaves in 1998) and four grades(BlT, B2T, C1W and C2W) of leaf for every step were used in this study. The leaves were moistened by 22% moisture content, packed under 200kg/㎥ condition and stored in chamber controlled 6$0^{\circ}C$ and 90% R.H. for 7 days. Nicotine contents in three steps of burley leaf tobacco were significantly decreased by forced fermentation. Except for aged leaf, pH values of green and redried leaves were significantly lowered. Nicotine, tar and CO contents of cigarette smoke showed little difference between cigarettes containing 23%, 26% and 29% of fermented burley leaf and controlled cigarette(containing 19% of aged burley leaf). The cigarette containing 26% of the redried and fermented leaf was significantly better taste and less irritation than controlled cigarette. The results suggest that the forced fermentation may be useful to increase the rate of burley tobacco in leaf blending and to shorten the period of storage for aging.