Starbucks response to "Decaf" questions

by Brian White (Subscribe to Brian White's posts)
Jan 29th 2007 6:37PM

Categories: Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements

I wrote to the PR folks at Starbucks over the weekend to have a few questions answered on how that company decaffeinates its various coffees.

The reason? Well, there are many ways to get the caffeine out of coffee beans and I was interested in the way Starbuck's does this with all the various 'flavors' of decaf it offers.

Here is the response I received -- enjoy!

Starbucks uses two methods of decaffeination: the direct contact method and the Swiss water process. With direct contact, a solvent (methylene chloride) is introduced to the green coffee beans as they soak. The solvent bonds with the caffeine in the beans and removes it. The solvent is then taken away from the beans and the coffee is roasted at over 400*F. Since the solvent has a much lower boiling point (114*F) the coffee bean that come from this process produce a cup of coffee that has no detectable trace of methylene chloride.

The Swiss water process involves using hot water and steam to remove caffeine from the coffee. Then the solution is run through charcoal filters (similar to a giant water filter) to remove the caffeine. Currently our retail stores offer one coffee that is processed using the Swiss water method. It is called the Decaffeinated Komodo Dragon Blend.

Source

Comments (6)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

LALA 1-25-2008 @ 11:59PM

You are absolutely right. A big corporate company would never intentionally use a product that they know would cause harm to the population at large.

Alvin 1-29-2007 @ 7:37PM

If I had any interest in drinking decaf, this would be very useful information indeed :)

Glad to hear that they're being up front about it.

Tim UF 1-30-2007 @ 12:02AM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylene_chloride

JSim 1-30-2007 @ 5:30AM

following is a link to a Department of Health and Human Services site of toxic substances:

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/MHMI/mmg14.html

Jenny 1-30-2007 @ 4:29PM

Methylene chloride would dissolve the caffeine rather than bond to it, then the coffee grounds would be removed by filtration. Although its really nasty and carcinogenic, it is also incredibly volatile, boiling at 40 degrees C, meaning it would be unlikely to remain in the coffee you were drinking.

Blaine 12-04-2007 @ 1:58PM

As said, the coffee is roasted at 400 degrees F, meaning the decaf agent would be boiled out during the roasting process considering the agent's boiling point is 114 degrees F. On top of this, drip coffee from Starbucks is brewed at 195-200 degrees F. this is, again, above the boiling point of methylene chloride. Short story: if there is any solvent left, it is trace amounts which will do no harm to you. Starbucks wouldn't use the process if they knew it would do harm.