Ethyl acetate (sugarcane) decaffeination
Also EA decaf, sugarcane decaf, natural decaffeination
Ethyl acetate decaffeination is a direct-solvent method in which steamed beans are washed with ethyl acetate, an ester that occurs naturally in fruit and is produced industrially by fermenting sugarcane molasses to ethanol, hence the 'sugarcane decaf' label used for the Colombian plants. The solvent is then steamed off. It is cheaper than CO2 and water methods and retains sweetness well, but it remains a chemical-solvent process subject to residue limits.
- Fermentation
- not applicable
- Drying
- not published
- Water use
- Medium
- Origins listing it
- 0
Step by step
Compare every method- 01Steam green beans to open their structure
- 02Rinse repeatedly with ethyl acetate solution, which binds caffeine
- 03Steam again to drive off residual solvent
- 04Dry to storage moisture
Cup tendencies
retains sweetness; a faint fruity or fermented note is sometimes attributed to residual ester
Risk
Direct-solvent method; residual solvent limits are regulated; health and environmental concerns raised in the literature