Influence on Protein and Amino Acid Contents of Tobacco Strips by Different Storing Conditions in Guizhou

The dynamic changes of proteins, free amino acids and proline in tobacco strips from six producing areas located in three aging storehouses of Xingyi, Guiyang and Guiding, which belong to China Tobacco Guizhou Industrial Co., Ltd, were analyzed to study the patterns of changes of protein and free amino acid contents of tobacco strips under different storing conditions and from different producing areas. The results showed that:(1) During the aging process, the protein content of tobacco strips in different producing areas of three aging storehouses declined consistently. The content of free amino acids increased in the first 12 months of aging, then went down after 12 months of aging. (2) The free proline content increased consistently, and the changing pattern was different from that of free amino acids, suggesting that little of the free proline in tobacco strips was oxidized during the aging process. (3) During the 6th to 18th month of aging, there was significant change in the protein content of tobacco strips for strong flavor and middle flavor type, but not the tobacco strips of strong flavor type. During the aging process from 12 to 18 months, highly significant change in free amino acid content was observed in strong flavor type of tobacco strips. (4) Being affected by environmental temperature and humidity, the change in protein and free amino acid contents of tobacco strips in Xingyi storehouse was larger than that in Guiyang and Guiding, For tobacco strips stored in the same aging storehouse, significant difference of the extent to which protein and free amino acid decreased was observed between different tobacco producing areas. Thus, storing conditions had great compacts on protein and amino acid contents in tobacco strips during aging, and then affected the aging quality and profits of tobacco strips.