Further detail about decaf processes
Coffein Compagnie - Ethyl acetate (EA) decaffeination
Ethyl acetate is used in decaffeination because it is highly selective with respect to caffeine and can physically extract it from green coffee beans in a gentle, but targeted manner.
First, the green coffee beans are steamed to remove the silverskin and increase their water content, opening up their cell structure. The water-ethyl acetate-solution selectively extracts caffeine from the beans in several stages. Finally, steam is used to remove any remaining ethyl acetate from the beans, which are then dried to their original moisture content.
Ethyl Acetate is a natural component of sugar cane, coffee, and fruits such as musk, strawberries and bananas, but is also produced synthetically.
CR3-Kaffeeveredelung M. Hermsen - CO2 Subcritical Decaffeination
This unique process was developed by CR3 in the late 80s. It uses natural carbon dioxide, under subcritical conditions (i. e. relatively low temperature and pressure), to gently and selectively target caffeine, so as to retain the full taste potential of the green coffee. This process is all organic certified.
Raw, unroasted coffee is moistened and placed in a vessel with pressurized liquid carbon dioxide, which circulates through the coffee to extract caffeine. Once the desired caffeine level is achieved, the CO2 circulation stops, and the coffee is gently dried to its original moisture content. The caffeine is extracted from the liquid carbon dioxide, allowing both components to be reused.
Swiss Water® Process
The Swiss Water® Process uses water, temperature, and time to gently remove caffeine, while preserving all the coffee’s original characteristics.
The green coffee, rehydrated to the target moisture level for decaffeination, is put into contact with a Green Coffee Extract (GCE). GCE is made out of fresh water and all of the soluble solids within coffee (minus the caffeine). The GCE is continuously circulated around the green coffee, triggering the diffusion process, which removes only the caffeine (the only element of imbalance) and none of the flavor components of the coffee. The process takes place over 8-10 hours until there’s no more than 0.1% of caffeine remaining. Caffeine is then removed from the GCE using a proprietary carbon filtration system, so that the GCE can be reused.
