Formula Maintenance of Single Material Tobacco Compatibility Based on Co-formulation Analysis Method

To explore the relationship between the compatibility of different grades of single-material tobacco from different producing areas and the formula of the cigarette leaf group, a maintenance method for flue-cured tobacco formula based on co-formulation analysis was proposed. First, historical formula data provided by a redrying plant were used to select high-frequency single-material tobaccos. Then, the two groups of high-frequency single-material cigarettes were organized into a co-formulation matrix. The correlation matrix was constructed based on the correlation between the two groups of high-frequency single-material cigarettes, and the compatibility score matrix of single-material cigarettes was established based on the similarity between the two groups. Eventually, cluster analysis was conducted on the compatibility score matrix to explore the compatibility between single-material tobaccos. The results revealed the existence of 25 high-frequency single-material cigarettes. The clustering analysis categorized these cigarettes into two groups. One group showed closer relationships, indicating a higher probability of these cigarettes appearing together in the same formula. The other group showed a lower probability of co-occurring in the same formula. Importantly, these clustering results accurately reflected actual production scenarios. This method effectively captures the compatibility between single cigarettes in the cigarette leaf group formula, offering valuable support for formula maintenance and enhancing the utilization rate of single cigarettes.