A Zyn pouch contains nicotine derived from tobacco leaf, mixed with plant-based filler, pH adjusters, sweeteners, flavorings, and a small amount of water, all wrapped in a biodegradable fiber casing. There is no actual tobacco leaf inside the pouch. Each pouch delivers either 3 mg or 6 mg of nicotine, and every other ingredient serves one of four jobs: giving the pouch its structure, helping your body absorb the nicotine, making it taste good, or keeping it shelf-stable.
The Nicotine Source
The active ingredient is nicotine bitartrate dihydrate, a pharmaceutical-grade nicotine salt extracted from tobacco plants. It’s the same nicotine molecule found in cigarettes and traditional chewing tobacco, but isolated and bound to a salt form so it can be dosed precisely. In the U.S. market, the FDA has authorized Zyn in two strengths: 3 mg and 6 mg per pouch, across ten flavors including Cool Mint, Wintergreen, Citrus, Cinnamon, and Coffee.
A 2025 meta-analysis found that a 4 mg nicotine pouch (common in some markets) delivers roughly the same total nicotine exposure as a cigarette, though the nicotine enters your bloodstream more slowly and never hits quite as high a peak concentration. That slower ramp-up is a direct result of how the pouch works: nicotine absorbs through the lining of your gum and cheek rather than through your lungs.
The Filler That Makes Up Most of the Pouch
The bulk of what you feel between your lip and gum is microcrystalline cellulose, a fine powder made from plant fiber. It’s the same material used as a filler in vitamin tablets and countless processed foods. It gives the pouch its soft, slightly grainy texture and acts as a carrier for the nicotine and flavorings. A smaller amount of maltodextrin, a common starch-derived powder, adds volume.
Hydroxypropyl cellulose, another plant-derived compound, serves as a binding agent that helps hold everything together and controls how quickly moisture moves through the pouch. Together, these fillers are what make a Zyn pouch feel different from traditional snus or dip: lighter, drier, and less messy.
pH Adjusters That Control Nicotine Absorption
Two sodium compounds, sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate (ordinary baking soda), are included in small amounts. They aren’t there for flavor. Their job is to raise the pH inside the pouch slightly, making the environment more alkaline. This matters because nicotine absorbs through your oral tissue much more efficiently in an alkaline environment. At a higher pH, more of the nicotine shifts into its “freebase” form, which crosses cell membranes more readily. Without these pH adjusters, a significant portion of the nicotine in the pouch would simply sit there unabsorbed.
Sweeteners and Flavorings
Zyn uses two zero-calorie artificial sweeteners: acesulfame potassium (ace-K) and sucralose. Both are 200 to 700 times sweeter than table sugar, so only trace amounts are needed. Research from Duke University School of Medicine found ace-K present in Zyn pouches at levels of 0.3 to 0.9 mg per pouch, even in varieties labeled “unflavored.” The sweeteners serve a practical purpose beyond taste: nicotine is naturally bitter and irritating, and the sweeteners help mask that harshness.
Natural and artificial flavorings vary by variety. Gum arabic, a plant-derived gum widely used in the food industry, acts as a stabilizer that keeps the flavor compounds evenly distributed throughout the pouch rather than settling or separating over time.
Preservative and Moisture
Potassium sorbate, one of the most common food preservatives, is included in trace amounts to prevent mold and bacterial growth. Water is added in controlled amounts to regulate how quickly the pouch releases its contents once it’s in your mouth. A pouch that’s too dry won’t release nicotine effectively; one that’s too wet would feel unpleasant and break down too fast.
The Pouch Itself
The outer casing is made from plant-based fibers that are biodegradable and designed for extended oral contact. Despite a persistent rumor, nicotine pouches do not contain fiberglass. That myth likely traces back to old claims about certain smokeless tobacco products using glass fibers to create tiny cuts in the gums for faster nicotine absorption. Zyn’s pouch material is soft, food-safe fiber, and adding fiberglass would be both counterproductive (it would cause gum damage and pain) and illegal for a product regulated by the FDA.
What’s Not Inside
Zyn contains no tobacco leaf, no tar, and none of the combustion byproducts associated with cigarettes. That said, “tobacco-free” doesn’t mean “contaminant-free.” A 2023 analysis published in Tobacco Control detected trace levels of tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs), which are carcinogenic compounds, in multiple nicotine pouch brands. The highest level found was 13 nanograms per pouch, which is dramatically lower than traditional snus (up to 1,190 nanograms per pouch) and far below levels found in cigarettes. These traces likely originate during the nicotine extraction process, since the nicotine itself comes from tobacco plants. Heavy metal levels in nicotine pouches have not yet been thoroughly studied.
Zyn pouches carry the same FDA-mandated warning labels as other smokeless tobacco products, including statements about addiction, gum disease, tooth loss, and mouth cancer risk. In 2025, the FDA authorized marketing of 20 Zyn products after what the agency described as an extensive scientific review, making Zyn the first nicotine pouch brand to receive this authorization across its full U.S. product line.