Request for Proposal
Nicotine Reduction
Status: RFP is Closed
RFP was closed on
Nov 2018
RFP Title
Nicotine Reduction
RFP Description
NineSigma, representing a tobacco products company, invites proposals for technologies to produce very low nicotine tobacco while maintaining its sensorial attributes.
Background
Nicotine is a substance that occurs naturally in tobacco leaves. American Blend cigarettes use three different types of tobacco ranging in nicotine content: (1) Flue-cured tobacco with leaf ranging from 15 to 45 mg/g and stem from 3 to 7 mg/g, (2) Burley tobacco with leaf ranging from 15 to 50 mg/g and stem from 3 to 7 mg/g, and (3) Oriental tobacco with leaf ranging from 5 to 20 mg/g (this type is not stemmed). Given these ranges and common blending approaches, the nicotine content in most American Blend cigarettes ranges from 14 to 27 mg/g.
There exists the possibility that future governmental regulations will require a significant reduction in the concentration of nicotine in tobacco products. Existing extraction technologies can reduce the amount of nicotine by 90% but are very expensive, or they eliminate the sensorial characteristics and flavor compounds of tobacco as well. NineSigma's client desires a cost-effective technology to significantly lower levels of nicotine in tobacco leaves by 50% or more.
Anticipated Project Phases or Project Plan
Phase 1: Identify available technology and verification or development of selected technology – 6 to 12 months
Phase 2: Technology verification in pilot scale or scale up possibility assessment – 6 to 12 months.
Criteria for Moving from Phase 1 to Phase 2
Client will consider for advancement an approach that meets performance criteria with acceptable economics and pathway to commercialization.
Key Success Criteria
The successful technology will:
- Reduce nicotine in tobacco by >50%
- Have minimal impact on the sensorial and flavor characteristics of the tobacco
- Be scalable to an industrial level
- Be cost-effective
Solutions that outperform current technology but do not yet meet the target reduction are also of interest, provided there is potential for future improvement.
Solutions based on genetic manipulation of the tobacco plants, including cross-breeding, will be considered but are of lesser interest.
Possible Approaches
Possible approaches might include, but are not limited to:
- Technologies adapted from other industries, such as:
- Food, including coffee and spices
- Botanicals
- Essential oils
- Nutraceuticals
- Biofuels
- Crops, including hops and hemp
- Next generation supercritical CO2 extraction
- Other chemical means
- Other physical means
Approaches not of Interest
The following approaches are not of interest:
- Approaches that affect the sensorial attributes of the tobacco significantly when smoked
Preferred Collaboration Types
Items to be Submitted
Your response should address the following:
- Non-confidential description of proposed technology and working principle
- Reduction of over >50% of nicotine concentration achieved by the technology
- Effect of the extraction process on sensorial characteristics and flavor compounds of the tobacco
- Technical maturity of the approach (concept, reduced to practice, prototype, ready to commercialize, ready to implement, commercialized)
- Pathway to industrial scale including timing, estimated budget, and capacity for manufacture
- Estimated unit cost of the technology
- Position on intellectual property including whether relevant patent applications have been filed (if so list countries), and copies of all relevant published patent applications and issued patents
- Desired relationship with sponsor
- Team description and related experience
Responses from companies (small to large), academic researchers, other research institutes, consultants, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, or inventors are welcome.
You represent an individual or organization with the necessary expertise to consult on this project.
You represent a company or academic institution that has a demonstrated proof of concept.
You represent a company or academic institution that has reduced method to practice at lab scale.
You represent a company or academic institution that has developed a method for use at pilot scale.
You represent a company or academic institution that has demonstrated a method ready for implementation at industrial scale.
You represent a technology transfer agency that represents an inventor or technology holder who can demonstrate an approach to address this request.
You represent a university research department that has a bench-scale demonstration ready to adapt.
You represent a university research department that has an undeveloped pathway with a high probability of success.
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