Ketchup, catsup, or how every you say it.

[locopony]

I have been reading about the preparation and curing of tobbacco, as of late. I learned that all tobacco companies use some type of anti-microbial in the preparation process to prevent mold from ruining their product.

That brings me to the ketchup smell in certain brands of toby. Vinegar is the anti-microbial in these blends, or at least that is what my research points to. The particular company is not going to divulge their secrets or methods, but its plain to see, or better yet smell whats up.

Anyway I think, being that they all use an anti-microbial of some kind, vinegar is an easy one to live with. The smell will air out shortly after it is left out to dry enough to smoke, and I never have heard of a person having an adverse reaction to it.
I could be wrong, I have been before, but its my somewhat educated supposition.

 

[lankfordjl]

I really have no idea... but since vinegar is produced by bacteria from the metabolism of plant matter, I would think that bacteria are producing the vinegar scent of a tobacco type. Maybe as a result of the method of fermentation used by the tobacconist. Vinegar is only an anti-microbial to some organisms (due to its low pH) - some bacteria love the acidic conditions.

 

[hobie1dog]

You must be talking about McClelland blends.

 

[cortezattic]

From a Feb., 2012 Ask G L Pease installment.

H.R. writes: Many have commented on the "ketchup" odor of certain Virginia blends, the result of vinegar produced during fermentation. (I always noticed a pronounced "dill pickle" aroma in the old Sullivan Powell’s Gentleman’s Mixture.) Do tobacco processors and blenders use specifically chosen yeast, acetobacter or lactobacillus cultures to engender the results they want, or are they just letting nature take its course, as did the winemakers, brewers and bakers of old? Has anyone ever tried using Dekkera/Brettanomyces to produce a "Belgian" style pressed Virginia flake?
A: Personally, I’ve never quite been able to grok the "ketchup" thing. Certainly, there are some tobaccos that exhibit an acetic aroma, and with some expansion of the imagination, I might be able to find something akin to BBQ sauce on occasion, or perhaps Branston Pickle, but not ketchup. I’ve even gone so far as to open a bottle of ketchup and compare its aroma side-by-side with that of the most infamous of "ketchup" tobaccos, and I still don’t get it. I think people confuse their condiments, sometimes. Next thing you know, it’ll be mustard, and arguments will ensue over whether it’s Dijon or yellow.
More seriously, you’re right in that fermentation is the cause of this notable aroma, whatever someone may choose to call it. To the best of my knowledge, blending houses don’t inoculate their tobaccos with specific microflora in order to get these effects, but rely on the wild yeasts and bacteria that are present in their environment. One one occasion, I managed to recreate a similar effect, albeit accidentally, so I’m quite sure it’s not the result of any sort of additives; just the natural process that tobacco goes through under certain controlled conditions.

The official denials notwithstanding, I'd swear some blenders are "topping" with vinegar.

It's a mold inhibitor, and it mitigates bite by lowering pH.

 

[locopony]

Thats my thinking too cortez.