We are often asked about how is the caffeine removed from coffee, here is a simplified step by step process of the method that we use. It is a much more environmentally friendly method than some of the other methods that are used.
1.The green beans are soaked / cleaned in water, this allows the pores to open up as the beans expand and the caffeine to become mobile.
2.Pressured Carbon Dioxide is introduced, this combined with the present water creates sparkling water. The CO2 acts like a magnet to the caffeine molecules, extracting it from the beans.
3.The water is then drained into an evaporator which precipitates the caffeine rich carbon dioxide out of the water
4.This cycle is repeated until the caffeine level is low enough to be classified as decaf
5.The decaffeinated coffee is then gently dried until it reaches its original moisture content and is then ready for roasting.
You can read a bit more in detail about the process here.
