Coffee has become an immensely popular beverage, enjoyed by people for various reasons.
Some delve into the intricate world of coffee flavors, others find solace in a cup of coffee, and then there are those who sip it just because they feel like it.
Despite coffee's widespread appeal, there's a segment of the population that shies away from its caffeine content. This has led to the emergence of a market for "low-caffeine coffee," where approximately 90% of the caffeine is meticulously removed through specific processes.
Over the years, three primary methods have been employed for caffeine extraction: organic solvents, water treatment, and carbon dioxide treatment.
1. Organic Solvents
Initially, organic solvents were used to extract caffeine. The process involves steam treating raw coffee beans, followed by utilizing extraction equipment to remove caffeine using organic solvents.
Steam treatment and roasting then eliminate any remaining residues. However, due to concerns about its carcinogenic nature, the organic solvent method was eventually banned.
2. Water Treatment
Water, being a reassuring decaffeinating agent, faces the challenge that caffeine is not water-soluble. To address this, a method involves pre-dissolving substances in raw coffee beans that are easily soluble in water, such as amino acids and sugars.
These substances saturate in water, and when the water interacts with the raw coffee beans, only caffeine remains undissolved. The water is then used to soak the beans, with the process being repeated several times to maximize caffeine dissolution.
The water, now devoid of caffeine, can be reused after filtration through activated charcoal. Among the methods, water treatment is the least harmful to the beans.
3. Carbon Dioxide Treatment
In this method, raw coffee beans are wetted to a humidity below 40%, placed in an extractor, and subjected to pressures of 120-250 atmospheres. Carbon dioxide is adjusted to a "supercritical state," having qualities of both gas and liquid. During this period, caffeine is slowly extracted without any other substances.
Many wonder if these caffeine-removing processes alter the flavor of coffee. The answer is no. Even though the water treatment method may result in a slight loss of substances in the beans, it does not significantly impact the flavor.
So, for those who desire decaffeinated coffee, there's no need to hold back.
It's worth noting that decaffeinated coffee may still contain a trace amount of caffeine. A typical 236 ml (8 oz) cup of decaffeinated coffee might have around 15 mg of caffeine, considerably less than the 80 to 100 milligrams found in regular coffee.
