# How do they make decaffinated coffee?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-decaffinated-coffee/1755>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 2, 1999, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-decaffinated-coffee/1755 "1999-07-02T19:07:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 2, 1999, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-decaffinated-coffee/1755/1 "1999-07-02T19:07:00Z")

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I often wondered about this. How do they make decaffinated coffee? or it it just a scam by Juan Valdez and his ass to sucker the rest of the free world? We all know there is a coffee cartel run by Juan’s lesser known brother Peter is he behind this “Decaf” conspiracy??

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 2, 1999, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-decaffinated-coffee/1755/2 "1999-07-02T20:40:00Z")

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Let’s not forget the petroleum cartel run by his brother Exxon.

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 2, 1999, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-decaffinated-coffee/1755/3 "1999-07-02T21:00:00Z")

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A better question would be: _why_ do they make decaf coffee?

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 2, 1999, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-decaffinated-coffee/1755/4 "1999-07-02T22:20:00Z")

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So that people enjoy the taste of coffee without the side effects of caffeine.

_trying not to laugh_

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 2, 1999, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-decaffinated-coffee/1755/5 "1999-07-02T22:36:00Z")

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They make decaffenated coffee to help alleviate the effects of all that non-alcoholic beer you drank the night before.

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 2, 1999, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-decaffinated-coffee/1755/6 "1999-07-02T23:25:00Z")

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They used to extract the caffeine with an organic solvent. Probably they’ve produced low caffeine beans by now, because that would be cheaper.

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 2, 1999, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-decaffinated-coffee/1755/7 "1999-07-02T23:46:00Z")

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## “A better question would be: why do they make decaf coffee?” —Tom Taylor

You took the words right outta my mouth, Tom.  
More whys;  
Non-alchoholic beverages.  
Low-fat anything.  
Salt substitute.  
Artifical sweetener.  
Non-fat milk.  
Sunscreen.  
And on and on.

I suspect it’s so that we can have our cake and eat it, too.  
Peace,  
mangeorge.

* * *

Work like you don’t need the money…  
Love like you’ve never been hurt…  
Dance like nobody’s watching! …Unknown

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 1999, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-decaffinated-coffee/1755/8 "1999-07-03T00:11:00Z")

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Amen, mangeorge, and Taylor.  
Next up on that list is pot with no THC for the people who just smoke for the taste.

As sunbear said, they extract it with an organic solvent.  
The current favorite is, well, read it for yourself.

[http://antoine.fsu.umd.edu/chem/senese/101/matter/faq/decaffeinating-coffee.shtml](http://antoine.fsu.umd.edu/chem/senese/101/matter/faq/decaffeinating-coffee.shtml)

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 1999, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-decaffinated-coffee/1755/9 "1999-07-03T11:57:00Z")

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Interesting link. It explains the latest invention for extracting many things:liquid CO2. The EPA likes this solvent, because the emissions from a plant don’t pollute. And it’s completely safe. Requires special high pressure equipment, so you can’t try this in your undergraduate lab.