A Preliminary Study on the Fermentation Anomalies of Dark-Fired Tobacco Previously Stored in a Modified Atmosphere at High Absolute Humidity

In the course of industrial fermentation of dark-fired cigar filler leaf tobacco which was previously stored in a modified atmosphere (air and carbon dioxide), some anomalies, such as a slow temperature increase, mould development, unpleasant odours, little or no ammonia production, were observed. For the investigation of these phenomena a laboratory fermentation system was developed. This model system made it possible to change the values of the main parameters influencing the course of fermentation, to take samples for microbiological and chemical analyses, and to carry out some qualitative evaluations. Fermentations of tobacco stored in modified atmosphere and artificially inoculated with bacteria (Gen. Bacillus) were carried out.