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Most decaffeination methods involve steeping coffee beans, removing 97% of caffeine and flavor molecules. Chemical processes use methylene chloride or ethyl acetate, but residue falls below FDA limits. The German Ludwig Roselius invented the process in 1900, and Sanka was marketed in 1932.
A small amount of caffeine is left in decaffeinated coffee, about 3%.
There are several methods for decaffeinating coffee, but most involve steeping the green coffee beans for a period of several hours. This process removes about 97% of the caffeine, but also removes most of the flavoring molecules. The activated charcoal then filters the caffeine out of the bath and the beans soak to reabsorb the flavor. Alternatively, an initial batch of beans can be used to saturate the bath with flavor molecules so that subsequent batches do not lose these molecules in the process.
Referred to by names like the Swiss Water Process, Pure Water Process, or Mountain Water, these methods use no chemicals to decaffeinate.
The chemical processes are similar and include the indirect method and the direct method.
In the indirect method, hot water circulates through the beans which removes the caffeine and flavor molecules. The bath clears the beans and the water is treated with methylene chloride which binds to the caffeine. Heating the water to 114 degrees Fahrenheit (45.5 degrees Celsius) destroys the methylene chloride compound, which carries the caffeine with it. The beans reabsorb their flavor when reintroduced to the bath. This is called the indirect method, as the coffee beans never come into direct contact with the methylene chloride.
Methylene chloride is a highly toxic carcinogen, but is easily destroyed at 103.55 F (39.75 C). Coffee is brewed at around 200°F (93°C) and roasted near 400°F (204°C). Studies show that any remaining chemical residue falls well below the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) limit set at 10 parts per million.
The direct method is used in products that claim “naturally decaffeinated coffee.” This process uses ethyl acetate, a natural molecule found in some fruits that binds easily to caffeine. The method is similar to the previous one, except that the beans are not removed from the bath and come into direct contact with the ethyl acetate. The ethyl acetate boils at 104 degrees (40°C) and the bath is heated in the process. Ethyl acetate is not carcinogenic.
The caffeine removed with methylene chloride and ethyl acetate is resold to third parties for use in consumer products.
The German, Ludwig Roselius, was the first to invent the decaffeination process in 1900. He referred to his coffee as “sans caffeine” which he later shortened to “Sanka”, a name recognized worldwide after General Foods bought it and began to market it 1932.
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