Caffeine increases the painkilling effect of aspirin and acetaminophen and is often added to medicines.
Caffeine occurs naturally in many plants that we make into beverages. The most common of these plants are the cacao plant, used to make chocolate; the Arabica plant, used to make coffee; the kola nut, used to make many cola drinks; and the Thea sinensis, whose leaves are used for tea. The caffeine that is removed from these plants in making decaffeinated beverages is reused in many energy beverages and medicines or added back to cola drinks to increase the caffeine. Caffeine is not removed completely in any method used today. Caffeine levels must not be above 2.5 percent for a product to be labeled "decaffeinated" under federal regulations in the United States.
Methylene Chloride
Caffeine levels in regular coffee can range from 75 to 150 milligrams per cup, depending on the variety of the bean.
Soak two ounces of caffeinated Arabica coffee beans in four ounces of liquid methylene chloride for 10 minutes. The caffeine will come to the surface of the liquid in white pieces. Using a slotted spoon or utensil large enough for the small caffeine pieces to go through, scoop the coffee beans out of the liquid and place them in a sieve or strainer. Rinse the coffee beans under warm water for two minutes to remove any excess methylene chloride and extracted caffeine. Remove the caffeine from the methylene chloride bath by straining it through a fine sieve to reuse it. Test the results of decaffeination by methylene chloride by grinding the coffee beans and brewing them in 6 ounces of water. Using a D+Caf test strip, dip the test strip into the brewed coffee. If the test strip shows "decaffeinated" the coffee contains less than 20 milligrams of caffeine. This process can also be used for tea, kola nuts and cacao beans.
Ethyl Acetate
Less than five percent of caffeine found in cola drinks is naturally occuring from the kola nut.
Soak 2 oz. of kola nuts in 4 oz. of liquid ethyl acetate for 10 minutes. The caffeine will come to the surface of the liquid in small solid white pieces. Using a slotted spoon or utensil large enough for the small caffeine pieces to go through, scoop the kola nuts out of the liquid and place them in a sieve or strainer. Rinse the kola nuts under warm water for two minutes to remove any excess ethyl acetate and extracted caffeine. Remove the caffeine from the ethyl acetate bath by straining it through a fine sieve to reuse it. Test the results of decaffeination by ethyl acetate by crushing the kola nuts in a mortar and pestle and steeping them in 6 ounces of boiling water for one minute. Using a D+Caf test strip, dip the test strip into the steeped kola nuts. If the test strip shows "decaffeinated," the kola nuts contains less than 20mg of caffeine. Ethyl acetate is a chemical found naturally in many fruits and therefore results in a product that can be referred to as "naturally decaffeinated." This process can also be used for tea or coffee or cacao beans.
Water
Soak 2 oz. of pure tea leaves, not bagged or cut, in 6 oz. of boiling water for 30 seconds. Strain the tea leaves from the water, using a fine sieve. The tea leaves are now decaffeinated. Lay the tea leaves out on a paper towel to dry for later use or allow them to steep in hot water again to test the results. Pour 6 ounces of decaffeinated tea into a container. Using a D+Caf test strip, test to see if caffeine is still in the tea by dipping the test strip into it. If the test strip shows "decaffeinated," the tea contains less than 20mg of caffeine. This process is taken one step further in an industrial setting to add back flavor that might have been removed by water soaking the item. In the "Swiss Water Process," the same method is used, but instead of soaking in water, the beans or tea are soaked in a coffee or tea-flavored solution. This results in the caffeine being extracted without removing the flavors. This process can also be used for kola nuts or coffee or cacao beans.
Tags: test strip, kola nuts, coffee beans, methylene chloride, This process