Flavor Composition of Maryland Tobacco

This study was undertaken to determine if Maryland tobacco contains any unique flavour components and to compare its composition to that of flue-cured and Burley tobaccos. Methylene chloride extracts prepared from these tobaccos were fractionated by liquid-liquid partitions and by preparative liquid chromatography. The resulting fractions were analysed by glass capillary gas chromatography and by glass capillary gas chromatography / mass spectroscopy. The essential oils of these tobaccos were also examined. Only one minor component was found in Maryland tobacco that was not found in the other tobaccos. If the minor and trace components were further studied, other differences might be found. Based on this study, however, the uniqueness of Maryland tobacco is primarily, if not entirely, due to quantitative differences. Also, Maryland tobacco is no more similar to Burley (middle-stalk or low-stalk leaves) than it is to flue-cured tobacco.