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A chemist explains the chemistry behind decaf coffee
news.movim.eu / ArsTechnica · 2 days ago - 11:07
![Close-up of coffee beans with roasted beans on table](https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-1383993931-800x533.jpg)
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For many people, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee is the start of a great day. But caffeine can cause headaches and jitters in others. That’s why many people reach for a decaffeinated cup instead.
I’m a chemistry professor who has taught lectures on why chemicals dissolve in some liquids but not in others. The processes of decaffeination offer great real-life examples of these chemistry concepts. Even the best decaffeination method, however, does not remove all of the caffeine —about 7 milligrams of caffeine usually remain in an 8-ounce cup.
Producers decaffeinating their coffee want to remove the caffeine while retaining all—or at least most—of the other chemical aroma and flavor compounds. Decaffeination has a rich history , and now almost all coffee producers use one of three common methods .