497 



D. Flavor Center 



The Philip Morris Flavor Center produces over 100 flavors for use in cigarette manufacturing. 

 All raw materials received and flavors produced in the Flavor Center are tracked by a 

 comprehensive quality assurance system which includes a computerized management system. 

 The facility mixes the solutions during the day, and performs full analytical testing in the 

 evening. Laboratories, equipment, and a sample of records were reviewed. Personnel at the 

 Flavor Center indicated that 95 to 98 percent of all of the flavor ingredients used are food- 

 grade. 



None of the materials used in the production of the flavorings contains nicotine except 

 denatured alcohol and the flavor packages containing tobacco extract. Flavor packages 

 containing tobacco extract have not been used in domestic product since 1993. Prior to 1993, 

 flavor packages containing tobacco extract contributed negligible quantities of nicotine to the 

 total nicotine content per cigarette. 



E. Cigarette Manufacturing Center 



The components produced in the Blended Leaf Facility. Reconstittited Leaf Facility, Flavor 

 Center, and Threshing Facility come together in the Cigarette Manufacturing Center. Before 

 the Burley leaf tobacco is mixed with the other tobacco components, it is sprayed with a 

 mixture of flavors and humectants. The treated Burley is then blended with a mixture of 

 cased Oriental and Bright leaf tobacco. To this blend is added the reconstituted leaf tobacco 

 and blended leaf tobacco. This blend of tobaccos is cut, dried, and mixed with tobacco that 

 has been expanded. Bright lamina and stem are expanded after impregnation. Improved and 

 Expanded stem are also added. This expanded tobacco is added to the mixture to increase the 

 bulk. The complete blend is sprayed with an alcohol mist containing final flavors. The 

 tobacco is dried to a final moisttire specification, formed into cigarettes, and packaged for 

 retail sale. 



There is no indication that nicotine is added in any of these processes. The denatured alcohol 

 used in the final spray is the only ingredient currently used with a measurable nicotine 

 content. The alcohol is denatured with nicotine sulfate as required by the Bureau of Alcohol, 

 Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF). There is no analysis for nicotine in the various tobaccos 

 used in production. Nicotine and tar yields are tested in the smoke of cigarettes pursuant to 

 Federal Trade Commission regulations. 



II. NICOTINE CONTENT 



The nicotine content of tobacco varies and is affected by several environmental factors 

 including rain fall, growing location, and length of growing season. Also, there is significant 



