A how to for Coffee??

Question

How to extract the caffeine from coffee?

Answer 1

Thats a tough one.  Let me know if you find out.  I'd love to know.

Answer 2

After some research, I found the following process analysis; however, be sure to read all the way through, as there are some dangers in doing this.

Here's how the direct method works: you soak the beans in water, and,

while they are soaking, you flush the bean bath with methylene

chloride, which bonds with the caffeine and is then removed from the

water. The beans are left in the water to reabsorb any lost flavor

elements.

Now, there are those who say that the meth remaining in the beans is

carcinogenic, etc. The meth, being volatile, is present in small

quantities as the beans reach the roaster; once there, the intense

heat of roasting burns off virtually all traces of the chemical. Fact:

beans are roasted at temperatures in excess of 400 degrees F.

Methylene chloride evaporates at 102 degrees. You be the judge. For

those people who aren't sure, I'd be more concerned about the lead and

heavy metals in my drinking water before I'd worry about meth in my

coffee. Really.

Where taste is concerned, I have had decaf by both processes, and I

find that the Swiss Water Method removes some flavor from the beans.

Water processed beans Many coffee lovers claim that decaf is

unquestionably inferior to regular with regard to flavor, but, in

reality, few can tell the difference when the playing field is

otherwise level. I'll take my favorite coffee company's Sumatran

Mandheling decaf and zing the tastebuds of anyone who says otherwise.

>Have you heard of any places that sell their leftover caffeine for

>peanuts? Is there any way for John Doe to get 10 grams of caffeine for

>himself?

Technical caffeine (not for human consumption) is available from any

chemical supplier. Food grade caffeine is available from some chemical

companies, but they're not likely to sell to individuals. I understand

that GF makes food-grade caffeine.

>Also, is this decaffeinating process hard? Can some home chemist do it

>or does it requie a lot of time and effert and it would be cheaper to buy

>vivarin?

It's actually easy, but *not* safe. Commercial caffeine is typically

extracted using supercritical carbon dioxide, which is CO2 under high

pressure such that it can become a liquid (regular CO2 only comes as a

solid, very cold, or as a gas). Caffeine can be extracted using any of

the solvents which dissolve caffeine well, such as ethyl acetate,

chloroform, methylene chloride, carbon tet, etc. But do you really

want such carcinogens in your body or air?

Yep- it looks like vivarin is cheapest.