Comparative analysis and complex technological evaluation of Burley tobaccos imported and produced in South Bulgaria tobacco region

Nikolay Nikolov, Violeta Nikolova, Venelina Popova and Dimitar Drachev

Abstract: A comparative analysis of different Burley tobaccos has been carried out, with the objective of providing a complex technological evaluation of the status of tobacco quality, in line with the annual changes in the varietal structure in the respective tobacco producing regions and the decisive, longer-term impact of the climatic factors on the general quality of tobacco. Imported and locally produced, in South Bulgaria tobacco producing region, Burley tobaccos were rated according to the basic parameters determining tobacco quality, including the type-characteristic indices of leaf and smoke chemical composition, expert and degustation assessment. The chemical indices of the studied Burley tobaccos revealed a good quality level, high nicotine (from 2.50% to 4.52%) and total nitrogen (from 2.96% to 3.31%) contents, very low sugar amounts (about 1%), and comparatively high ash levels (between 16.32% and 18.69%); thus suggesting no significant differentiation between the compared tobaccos, imported and locally produced. The highest grade from the expert assessment of leaf quality indices was assigned to the introduced Burley N variety (origin: Spain), followed by the local Burley 1317 variety and the imported Burley B and Burley S tobaccos (Poland); the rating being statistically validated. The results from the smoking assessment revealed the advantage of the Bulgarian Burley 1317 variety, followed by the two imported ones, and the introduced Burley N variety in the last place. The final rating of the studied Burley tobaccos from the applied complex evaluation procedure was as follows: the best quality level was registered in the local Burley 1317 variety, followed by Burley B, Burley N and Burley S varieties. The outcomes from the study might be of practical importance for the decision-making parties, in the optimization of Burley tobacco varietal structures and production in the respective regions and crop years.

Keywords: Burley tobacco; degustation; expert assessment; leaf quality

Date published: 2021-12-16