APROTIC SOLVENT DECAFFEINATION

APROTIC SOLVENT DECAFFEINATION ABSTRACT The object of the invention is to provide an improved method for removing caffeine from green coffee. Prior art procedures for decaffeinating green coffee beans required the addition of substantial amounts of water before practical rates of extraction could be achieved. The addition and removal of water increases processing time, increases energy consumption, and negatively affects flavor. The process disclosed herein is capable of decaffeinating green coffee beans at a moisture content near that employed for shipping and storage. The green coffee beans are contacted with dimethyl sulfoxide, an aprotic solvent, to remove at least a portion of the caffeine. While the dimethyl sulfoxide is suitably selective toward caffeine versus chlorogenic acid, some sugars are dissolved and the solvent is preferably maintained saturated with the sugars. The caffeine is preferably removed from the solvent by use of a solid adsorbent such as activated carbon.