Activated Carbon for Decaffeination

1. Why remove caffeine from coffee?

（1）The decaffeination process is designed for the people who are sensitive to caffeine or wish to avoid its side effects to enjoy the flavor of coffee.

（2）Caffeine can cause discomfort such as headaches, tension, anxiety, insomnia, or increased heart rate. The decaffeination process helps reduce these negative effects while preserving the flavor and aroma of the coffee.

2. What are the methods for decaffeinating coffee? 

（1）Carbon Dioxide Method:

Process:

High-pressure carbon dioxide → Moistened coffee beans → Caffeine molecules dissolve in the carbon dioxide → Separation of the caffeine-laden carbon dioxide (B) and the coffee beans (A).

A → Dry the coffee beans with heat to remove residual carbon dioxide → Obtain coffee beans with 96%–98% of the caffeine removed.

B → Place the caffeine-laden carbon dioxide mixture into an activated carbon tank → The activated carbon adsorbs the caffeine and other compounds → The carbon dioxide is purified and can be reused.

（2）Swiss Water Method:

Process:

Green coffee beans → Soak in hot water → Hot water (B) extracts the caffeine → After removing the beans, soak them in fresh water → Repeat the process ≤ 10 times → Coffee beans (A) will be nearly free of caffeine.

The caffeine-laden water (B) → Pass through an activated carbon filter → The activated carbon removes caffeine and polyamine compounds, while retaining other flavor components → The treated water is used to soak the processed coffee beans (A) → Flavor compounds re-enter the beans without caffeine → The result is coffee beans with 94%–96% of the caffeine removed, but still rich in flavor compounds.

（3）Solvent Method:

A. Direct Method:

· Moistened beans → Soak in a solvent or a solvent-water solution → Caffeine and similarly soluble compounds are extracted → After about 10 hours → Remove the beans and dry them → Obtain coffee beans with 96%–97% of the caffeine removed.

B. Indirect Method:

· Soak coffee beans in hot water → Use a solvent to remove caffeine from the water → Soak the processed beans in the treated water → Flavor compounds re-enter the beans without caffeine → Steam and dry the beans → Obtain coffee beans with 96%–97% of the caffeine removed, still rich in flavor compounds.

Solvent Method Notes:

1. Common organic solvents include ethyl acetate and dichloromethane.

2. Ethyl acetate naturally occurs in many foods and beverages, and the FDA considers it a safe decaffeination chemical.

3. Dichloromethane is the most commonly used solvent. It is insoluble in water, and caffeine has better solubility in dichloromethane than in water. Therefore, manufacturers can use dichloromethane to separate caffeine from water.

4. The FDA and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) consider dichloromethane unsafe at concentrations exceeding 10 mg per kilogram of body weight. However, the residual dichloromethane in roasted coffee beans is very small—around 2 to 3 mg per kilogram, well below the FDA limit.

5. OSHA and its European counterparts have strict workplace regulations regarding worker exposure to dichloromethane during decaffeination processes.

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