Caffeine is a component
naturally present in coffee.
Caffeine stimulate the
nervous central system, that appears
by: a reduction of the somnolence,
a least fatigue sensation
and a better concentration.
Warning : caffeine is
also present in others
product. Let's mention for example:
Content in caffeine
of some drinks
Ice Tea
34 mg/litre
Café
50 mg/litre
Coca-Cola
120 mg/litre
Dr Pepper
123 mg/litre
Lipton Ice Tea
129 mg/litre
Cola Light
147 mg/litre
Virus
283 mg/litre
Red Bull
286 mg/litre
XTC
300 mg/litre
Smart
338 mg/litre
Red Devil
365 mg/litre
Warp 4
506 mg/litre
Flugel Energy Wodka
788 mg/litre
Turbo
1.218 mg/litre
You will have noticed that the content in caffeine of some energetic drinks is raised dangerously (Turbo for exemple)!
The caffeine extraction
There is (sometimes) people who don't appreciate caffeine. For these people, the caffeine-free coffee exists. To get a caffeine-free coffee, it is necessary to extract the caffeine. The extraction of caffeine takes place to the level of the coffee beans vintage, before the process of torrefaction. its importants to extract caffeine only at the time of this process , while preserving all substances contributing to the formation of the coffee aroma.
Different processes exist in order to extract the caffeine of the coffee bean. In any case, a substance binding caffeine is used. Before this treatment, coffee contains between 1 and 2,5% of caffeine. After the extraction it will only subsists maximum 0,1% . It means that a cup of normal coffee contains 75 milligrams of caffeine, while a cup of caffeine-free coffee doesn't contain some more of 3 milligrams. Otherwise, It is technically very difficult to extract the totality of caffeine contained in coffee.
Two manners exist to extract the caffeine of coffee.
The H2OC method
This process implies the use of water (H2O) for the extraction. The green grains are rinsed for a long time with water. The caffeine being dissolved thus in water. The water, containing the dissolved caffeine, pass then by an active carbon bed. The active carbon absorbs the caffeine dissolved in water. The caffeine-free grains are dried in a hot air, cooled under a cold draft, and are torrefied, ground and wrapped according to an usual method. The same water is constantly reused for the process of extraction.
The DCM method
This process is based on the use of dichloromethane (DCM) in order to extract the caffeine, assuring a level of quality especially adapted to the requirements of the food industry. The vintage grains are humidified with water and are soaked then during half-hour in the extractionproduct . This treatment is repeated many time. After caffeine will be dissolved, the DCM is eliminated. The grains are then washed under vapor for a long time, in order to eliminate possible rests of the solvent. The grains are dried under hot air and are cooled under cold air. To finish, coffee is torrefied, ground and wrapped according to the usual method. The DCM is constantly reused.
The naturally caffeine-free coffee
Three varieties of coffee tree whose bays are decaffeinated naturally have been discovered. It will permit to get a coffee decaffeinated of better quality, whose aroma won't be altered by the solvents used to extract caffeine. The varieties were isolated by the Paulo Mazzafera team. They studied 3000 plantations of 300 different varieties of Ethiopian coffee. Three varieties of coffee trees seem to be incapable to produce the enzyme that permits to transform the theobromin in caffeine. They contain 15 times less caffeine than the normal plantations.
