With the emerging development and commercialization of Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) in the worldwide marketplace, CORESTA has recognised an urgent need for standardization of terminology, recommendations for aerosol generation and collection methods, identification of priority constituents, and standardization of appropriate analytical methodologies for this product category. In March of 2019, CORESTA held a Workshop in Paris, France, where CORESTA member stakeholders confirmed the need for a HTP Task Force (TF) and developed its initial objectives as follows:

1. To establish standardised terminology and definitions that encompass all categories of Heated Tobacco Products (HTP).
2. To define one or more specific approaches and regimes for the generation and collection of emissions for Heated Tobacco Products (HTP).
3. To define and agree on priority compounds to be analysed (or not); review current CRM suitability, edit, or develop methods for Heated Tobacco Products (HTP).

In 2023, the HTP TF was changed to a Sub-Group as the work and the activities of the group were viewed as being long-term. The objectives of the group were consequently amended to fit this new vision.  The current objectives are shown in the section above highlighted in blue.

Helena Digard is the group Coordinator and Jason Flora is the group Secretary. The inaugural HTP group meeting was held in London, England, in June of 2019. There has been significant participation from CORESTA members since this first meeting with typically more than 60 attendees per semi-annual meeting representing approximately 40 member companies and 15 different countries.

In the HTP SG, we rely heavily on our dedicated SG members to volunteer and lead the various workstreams (WS Leads) that drive towards the accomplishment of our objectives. To date, and thanks to these expert WS Leads, we have made meaningful progress towards the accomplishment of the HTP SG objectives.

Accomplishments

These accomplishments include:

• Heated Tobacco Products (HTP) Standardised Terminology and Recommendations for the Generation and Collection of Emissions – Technical Report published July 2020 – WS Lead: Jason Flora
• Review of WHO Report 1029: Section 2.2 and alignment with HTP SG plan – WS Lead: Helena Digard
• Proficiency Study for PG, VG, Nicotine, CO, NO, NOx, ACM and DML in HTP Aerosol - Technical Report published September 2022 – WS Leads: Taryn Winner and Takatsugu Hyodo
• Generation and Collection of Aerosol from aerosol Heated Tobacco Products (aHTPs) – CRM No. 99 published February 2023 – WS Lead: Colin Sinclair
• Generation and Collection of Aerosol from carbon Heated Tobacco Products (cHTPs) – CRM No. 100 published February 2023 – WS Lead: Colin Sinclair
• Generation and Collection of Aerosol from aerosol Heated Tobacco Products (eHTPs) – CRM No. 101 published February 2023 – WS Lead: Colin Sinclair
• Determination of Glycerol, Propylene Glycol and Nicotine in the Aerosol of Heated Tobacco Products by Gas Chromatographic Analysis – CRM No. 107 published March 2024 – WS Lead: Takatsugu Hyodo

In-Progress

We continue to make progress towards our objectives with technical reports and CRMs in-progress. Technical Reports in-progress include:

• Determination of the Analysis of Selected Carbonyls in the Aerosol of HTP Products by LC-UV – WS Lead: Cyril Jeannet
• Collaborative study for Water Activity test for HTP product consumables – WS Leads: Hannah Grisevich and Irfan Gunduz

CRMs in-progress include:

• Determination of Carbon Monoxide in the Aerosol from HTP with a Non-Dispersive Near Infrared Analyser – WS Lead: Taryn Winner
• Determination of NO and NOx in Aerosols of HTPs by Chemiluminescence Method – WS Lead: Thomas Schmidt

Further Projects

Further projects towards our long-term goals include:

• Determination of TSNAs in the aerosol of HTPs – WS Lead: Karl Wagner
• Determination of selected Volatiles in the aerosol of HTPs – WS Lead: Cyril Jeannet
• Determination of selected PAHs (including B[a]P) in the aerosol of HTPs – WS Lead: Tony Brown
• Additional analytes in HTP emissions – WS Lead: Pete Joza
• Non-Targeted Analysis – Best Practices (Collaboration with E-VAP SG) – WS Leads: HTP-Malcolm Saxton and EVAP-Owen Bussey
• Potential for HTP reference products – WS Leads: Taryn Winner and Ian Tindall
• Update to Heated Tobacco Products (HTP) Standardised Terminology – WS Lead: Yezdi Pithawalla
• Development of Guidance on Intense Puffing Regime for HTPs – WS Lead: Yezdi Pithawalla

Updated March 2024