• The study quantitatively delineates the divergent regulatory hierarchies of stem-to-leaf ratio, external fiber content, and grammage on the physical, chemical, and sensory properties of paper-process reconstituted tobacco (RT) sheet base, providing a mechanistic understanding for process optimization. • Stem-to-leaf ratio is identified as the primary determinant for bulk, total nitrogen, nitrate, chlorine, and sensory quality, linking raw material composition to sheet base performance and flavor characteristics. • Grammage exerts a dominant and highly significant control over thickness and longitudinal softness, while external fiber content selectively and significantly influences only the longitudinal tensile index, clarifying their distinct functional roles. • The research establishes a strategic framework for differentiated product development: lower grammage (30-45 g/m²) with increased leaf proportion enhances fresh/sweet aroma characteristics, whereas higher grammage is suggested for developing full-bodied, robust-style RT products. To clarify the regulatory effects of stem-to-leaf ratio, external fiber content, and grammage on the quality of paper-process reconstituted tobacco sheet base, this study employed a three-factor, four-level orthogonal experimental design combined with analysis of variance (ANOVA) to systematically investigate the influence of these key process parameters on the physicochemical properties and sensory quality of the sheet base. The results showed that, in terms of physical properties, grammage had a highly significant effect on thickness and longitudinal softness, and a nearly significant effect on the longitudinal tensile index; stalk-to-leaf ratio significantly influenced bulk and the longitudinal tensile index; while external fiber content only exhibited a significant effect on the longitudinal tensile index. Regarding chemical composition, stalk-to-leaf ratio significantly affected total nitrogen, nitrate, and chlorine contents, grammage had a significant impact on nitrate content, whereas external fiber content showed no significant regulatory effect on any of the detected chemical components. In terms of sensory quality, stalk-to-leaf ratio had a highly significant effect on sensory scores, and grammage also showed a significant influence. Increasing the proportion of leaf group and adopting an appropriate low grammage (30-45 g/m²) were more conducive to highlighting the style characteristics of reconstituted tobacco with a fresh (sweet) aroma type. By clarifying the significance weights of each factor, this study provides data support for process optimization and differentiated product development of reconstituted tobacco.
Shijie et al. (Fri,) studied this question.