Decaffeinated coffee is that coffee from where caffeine has been removed.
Has decaffeinated coffee caffeine or not?
None of the used methods to decaffeinate coffee beans has achieved to remove 100% of caffeine.
But if you are drinking a decaffeinated coffee, are you taking caffeine?
This elimination ten semper place before or great roasted coffee was to be roasted.
Furthermore, other question arises:
Is there a single method or are there various methods that may be used to remove caffeine from coffee beans?
First way: Using Methylene Chloride
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Coffee beans are immersed into water to become its external layer porous.
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Once this step is done coffee beans are introduced in Methylene Chloride until caffeine is dissolved.
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After this process you need to wait until that chemical product is evaporated. Then, beans need to be cleaned and dried.
Second way: Water in Osmosis
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Previously, coffee beans have been moistened and mixed with a green coffee extract which, previously, has been caffeine reduced.
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Otherwise it may be cleaned using just water.
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A natural phenomenon is working here; by osmosis caffeine is attracted from coffee beans high concentration to the solvent low concentration.
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Once caffeine is extracted coffee beans are dried with hot air.
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Regarding to the water which contains dissolved caffeine is pumped using an active coal filter which absorb caffeine but it leaves other additional compounds which add taste to coffee.
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Hence the cycle is completed because this is the water mixed with the green coffee bean extract.
Third way: Carbon dioxide and water, CO2.
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Coffee beans are sprinkled with carbon dioxide using a high pressure which is about 275 atmospheres.
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Using this pressure, CO2 acquires unique properties which gives a thickness similar than the produced by a liquid and a gas diffusion capacity which allows to get beans penetrated and caffeine dissolved.
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That C02 which is rich in caffeine is canalized and absorbed by a vegetal coal filter allowing that this will be not returned to the circuit and to the drums. Beans which are already decaffeinated are dried with hot air.
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Finally, an excellent result is obtained because coffee beans are not very affected by the process and an authentic decaffeinated coffee is obtained.
Decaffeinated coffee consumption is about 10% of the worldwide consumption and it is expected that this percentage will be increased. Form worldwide sales point of view our coffee is about 15-20% of the total coffee consumption.
Nowadays, it is possible to enjoy coffee taste and aromas drinking decaffeinated coffee even in a organic decaffeinated coffee.