| People sometimes wonder how coffee beans
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| | whether it is naturally derived or not.
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| are decaffeinated - is there a naturally
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| | For these folks, there is the Swiss water
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| caffeine-less variety of bean grown, or
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| | method of decaffeination, in which the
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| is decaffeinated coffee somehow
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| | beans are soaked in hot water, and then
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| chemically stripped of its caffeine? In
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| | the water is run through filters (such as
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| some cases, the answer is "neither."
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| | activated carbon or charcoal) to strip
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| There have been a variety of
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| | away the caffeine. The water is then
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| decaffeination techniques used over the
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| | returned to the beans before the beans
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| years, some of which made use of natural
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| | are dried, returning some but not all of
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| or chemical solvents which left very few
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| | the flavor and aroma to the beans. This
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| or no residues in the beans themselves.
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| | method is considered more environmentally
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| Since some of these chemical solvents
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| | friendly, and many decaf drinkers refuse
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| were later determined to be carcinogenic,
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| | to purchase beans processed any other
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| there are only a handful of
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| | way. However, given the flavor reduction,
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| decaffeination methods in use today.
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| | it isn't ideal for many coffee lovers.
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| The most obvious option is water
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| | The last, and some would argue the best,
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| decaffeination - however, water alone
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| | of these three choices involves the use
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| cannot be used because it absorbs too
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| | of compressed liquid carbon dioxide
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| many of the substances in coffee which
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| | instead of water as a solvent - the
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| provide its rich flavor and aroma.
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| | liquid CO2 is pumped into the beans after
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| Because of this, in most cases a chemical
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| | a light water soak, and then it is
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| solvent such as ethyl acetate (found in
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| | drained off of the beans. Because of its
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| small quantities in fruit) or methylene
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| | molecular characteristics, CO2 is able to
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| chloride is used to strip the caffeine
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| | absorb the caffeine while leaving behind
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| out of the water, and the water is then
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| | the flavor components in the coffee. This
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| brought back to the beans and dried,
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| | method is generally considered the most
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| returning the flavor-enhancing compounds
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| | environmentally friendly, and provides
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| to the 96-98% decaffeinated beans. These
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| | the most flavorful decaffeinated coffee
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| processes are guaranteed to leave no more
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| | with absolutely zero residual chemicals
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| than the legal limit of solvent
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| | remaining in the final product.
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| (typically under 10 parts per million)
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| | So whether you are interested in lowering
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| and are certified by the US Food and Drug
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| | your caffeine intake or you just want a
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| Administration to be safe for human
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| | late-night cup of coffee without the
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| consumption.
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| | caffeine rush, now you can make a
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| Some health-conscious coffee drinkers
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| | decision as to which type of bean
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| cringe at the idea of any chemical
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| | processing you'd prefer as an informed
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| solvent being used in their coffee,
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| | consumer and coffee connoisseur!
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