On this blog, we talk a lot about coffee and decaffeination because at Decafino, decaf coffee is our vibe. Our product, the Decaf Pouch, is a unique and novel method to decaffeinate coffee after you’ve already brewed your regular coffee, rather than just buying decaf coffee beans. We’re pretty sure you are wondering how it works!
Decaffeination in a teabag
The Decaf Pouch looks a bit like a teabag, and it is used in a very similar way. You simply put the pouch in your cup of coffee, after it has been brewed, wait a few minutes, give it a bit of a stir, and there you go: decaf coffee! You can also put it in your coffee pot during brewing. The Decaf Pouch also works with other caffeinated drinks, or specialty coffees such as lattes or mochas, and it will adsorb the caffeine out of your drink. Simple as that.
[Image of the process]
Adsorbing beads
The pouch is full of small beads that adsorb the caffeine. Adsorption is a physical process that involves attracting and binding a specific molecule - in this case caffeine - to a substrate - in this case the bead. The beads consist primarily of food-grade plant extracts and earth minerals.
We use natural earth minerals that, attract specific types of molecules. You can see these types of minerals commonly used in industry to clarify juices, oils, and wines and they’re typically removed before you - the consumer - ever sees it. In the case of the Decaf Pouch, we have tuned it to really like to attract caffeine. The other difference is that, instead of decaffeination being an industrial processing step, you - again, the consumer - is doing the “processing” to make that great cup of decaf.
We also use a natural plant extract that is used in a whole range of food products, including as a thickener for ice cream and yogurt. In the Decaf Pouch, it acts as a binder to hold the earth minerals together in a bead-shape so you can easily remove the beads after use.
Think of it like this: if you put a magnet into a bucket of sand, anything magnetic in the sand (like little pieces of iron) would stick to the magnet. Then when you remove the magnet, you’d be left with iron-free sand. Similarly, the beads in the Decaf Pouch attract and bind the caffeine in the beverage, and removing the pouch leaves you with a cup of decaf!
Next to these two main ingredients, there are a few other things in the product, but they are all food-safe and biodegradable, and are there to make sure that you can quickly get a cup of decaf coffee that tastes great!
The advantages of the Decaf Pouch
Being a decaf drinker can be a struggle for various reasons, including limited choice in tastes and roasts available. The Decaf Pouch can decaffeinate any beverage, including special types of roasts and specialty coffees. In addition, it is made of natural ingredients that can be composted after use, making it a much greener alternative than traditional decaffeination methods. And don’t forget that it is easy to use!
Written by Valerie Bentivegna