THE CHEMISTRY OF DECAFFEINATED COFFEE

SOLVENT DECAFFEINATION CO2 DECAFFEINATION WATER DECAFFEINATION

Solvent decaffeination uses solvents Solvent decaffeination removes ‘Swiss water decaffeination’ soaks
to selectively remove caffeine. caffeine but can also remove other beans in hot water to remove
Common solvents are methylene flavour compounds or precursors. caffeine and flavour compounds.
chloride and ethyl acetate. Carbon dioxide is more selective. Caffeine is removed from the water
by filtration but flavour compounds
Cl WATER
remain. The flavour-saturated water
O
removes caffeine from further bean
C WATER
Cl H H3C O CH3 batches without flavour loss.
H

COFFEE & CAFFEINE Methylene chloride (left) and ethyl acetate (right)
WATER CARBON
SOLVENT FILTER
Temp. WATER WATER
A typical cup of coffee contains CO2 CAFFEINE
FLAVOUR FLAVOUR
between 70 to 140 milligrams of
caffeine. Caffeine can influence
the central nervous system, and Flavour-charged water used to remove
In direct solvent extraction (above)
can lead to sleep problems,
beans are steamed, then soaked in 65˚C caffeine from new batch of coffee beans
restlessness and discomfort.
solvent to remove caffeine, before Pressure
being steamed, dried, and roasted. ‘French water decaffeination’ soaks
O beans in hot water for 24 hours.
CH3
The beans are removed and dried,
H3C N WATER WATER
N and the water is filtered to remove
CAFFEINE SOLVENT

O N N WATER 300 atm BEANS WATER

caffeine. The caffeine-free water is
CAFFEINE added to the dried beans so that
CH3 they reabsorb flavour compounds.

In indirect solvent extraction (above) At high pressure carbon dioxide

There are several processes used beans are soaked in hot water. The dissolves caffeine. The caffeine is WATER DRY
to decaffeinate coffee. In the U.S. water is then mixed with a solvent to removed from the carbon dioxide
CARBON
decaffeination must remove 97% remove caffeine, before flavours in with water so it can be recirculated. WATER FILTER WATER
of the original caffeine content. the water are returned to the beans. The process lasts for up to 12 hours. CAFFEINE
FLAVOUR FLAVOUR

© Andy Brunning/Compound Interest 2018 - www.compoundchem.com | Twitter: @compoundchem | FB: www.facebook.com/compoundchem

Ci This graphic is shared under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence. BY NC ND