From morning coffee to evening tea, caffeine has become so ingrained in our daily routines that it has become the world’s most widely used psychoactive substance.
The consumption of decaffeinated coffee, which is not preferred by coffee addicts, but is considered healthier when the long-term side effects of caffeine are considered, is increasing day by day. Although the amount of caffeine in the coffee we include in our routines has stimulating components, it has quite a lot of side effects. These side effects are hard to believe, but they reduce our quality of life to a minimum. So, if caffeine is in coffee, how is decaffeinated coffee made?
First, let’s start by knowing what caffeine is. Caffeine, identified with coffee, is actually found in many foods and beverages that we consume.
Caffeine is a chemical compound that stimulates the central nervous system. It achieves this by attaching itself to adenosine receptors in the brain. In doing so, it blocks adenosine molecules, which are responsible for slowing down the central nervous system before sleep. Conclusion?
Adenosine cannot regulate and neurons start firing. This is a reduction in the person’s fatigue; results in increased alertness and cognitive performance.
Caffeine is naturally found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa beans and some trees.
People have been consuming caffeine for centuries. But everyday use exploded everywhere, sporadically and at different times. Unlike coffee, which was popular in the 16th century, cacao was enjoyed by the Mesoamerican Civilizations (Mayas, Aztecs, Olmecs, Incas, and Zapotecs) centuries ago. The most important in Central America were the Mayans around 500 AD and the Aztecs in the 15th and 16th centuries. In the 12th-16th centuries, the Incas were the most important civilization.)
In low doses, caffeine is a stimulant and helps to increase one’s concentration. However, higher doses of caffeine consumption can cause adverse conditions such as insomnia and irritability, among other side effects.
How is the process followed for the separation of caffeine from coffee?
There are different methods used to separate coffee beans from caffeine, and all of these methods are done while the coffee beans are still green. Decaffeinated coffee is also less flavorful because it is very difficult to roast properly while retaining all the flavor compounds while removing the caffeine.
The most common method of separating caffeine is chemical solvents containing ethyl acetate or methylene chloride. In the “direct method,” the coffee beans are steamed and then repeatedly rinsed with chemical solvents to remove the caffeine.
The indirect method, on the other hand, is much different and requires a long time.
In another method known as indirect, no chemicals are contacted with the coffee and the coffee beans are separated from the caffeine by soaking them in water. Then, the caffeine in the water is separated and this time put back into the water to absorb the oil and aroma left by the coffee beans in the water.
Known as the “Swiss water treatment”, the method relies solely on water and carbon filtration. As the name suggests, this method, developed in Switzerland, involves soaking the beans in hot water to extract the caffeine.
In another method called the French water treatment, this process is carried out in a different way.
In fact, although it is similar to the process we just described, the only difference is that in the French process, the beans are kept in hot water for 24 hours. While the coffee beans coming out of the water are dried, the water is passed through the carbon filter. Decaffeinated water is added back to the dried beans, and the beans are then roasted again and dried.
Thanks to these processes, the coffee is filtered without losing its flavor components. Now that we have learned how it is made, we can consume decaffeinated coffee with peace of mind, bon appetit!
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