Ask A Scientist© Chemistry Archive

  
  >>
 >>    name         Lani
 >>    status       student
 >>    age          10

 >>    Question -   If coffee has caffeine in it naturally,
 >>how do growers get the caffeine out without
 >>ruining the taste of the nummyiscious coffee?

There are several processes for decaffeinated coffee.  They take advantage
of the fact that the caffeine can be extracted fairly easily into some
solvents, while the other components of the coffee bean stay behind.  Then,
the solvents easily evaporate from the coffee bean, leaving behind the
decaffeinated coffee beans.


                Richard Barrans Jr., Ph.D.
                Chemical Separations Group
                Chemistry Division CHM/200
                Argonne National Laboratory
                9700 South Cass Avenue
                Argonne, IL 60439
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