Description
Understanding decaffeinated coffee Swiss Water Process
At Swisswater we believe that everyone deserves to enjoy the best selection of coffee. We use a unique process to decaffeinate coffee, which is based solely on water, time and temperature, never resorting to solvents or chemicals.. Through scientific systems and controls, we constantly strive to preserve the original flavors and characteristics of each coffee.
First step: Washing and Pre-soaking
The green coffee beans are washed and pre-soaked using only water, which hydrates them and prepares them for caffeine extraction.
Second step: Extraction
The delicate caffeine removal process begins with the use of a green coffee extract (GCE) and our unique carbon filter system. GCE is water supersaturated with the soluble components of coffee, except for caffeine. The coffee beans are held in extraction tanks where the GCE flows over them. As equilibrium is reached, the caffeine begins to transfer from the coffee beans to the GCE. By meticulously controlling the time, temperature, and flow rate, we are able to optimize the driving force that removes the caffeine from the green coffee and transfers it to the GCE.
The result is a pure extraction process that removes only the caffeine, leaving the coffee's flavor characteristics intact according to its origin. This is achieved by meticulously controlling the time, temperature, and flow rate to optimize the driving force that removes the caffeine and transfers it to the ECV (Extractive Coffee Ventilation). Thus, the caffeine is removed without affecting the coffee's flavor, which remains unchanged according to its origin.
Third step: Carbon filter
The ECV, which is now saturated with caffeine, flows into the carbon filters, which only trap the caffeine. This is a continuous process in which the ECV circulates again from the carbon filters to the extraction columns until the coffee beans are 99.9% caffeine-free. This process takes approximately 8 to 10 hours. Once the coal is fully saturated with caffeine, it is transferred to a coal regeneration furnace where the caffeine is burned off.
Fourth step: Termination
Once the beans are decaffeinated, they are removed from the tanks where they have been kept, dried, packaged and labeled, and are ready to be roasted. After each decaffeination using the Swiss Water® Process, a sample of caffeine-free green coffee is roasted, and a cupping is carried out simultaneously with the original green coffee beans.
