General Foods Limited

James F Meinhold

Joseph A Musto

Karl C Kramer

Gary Victor Jones

Martin Gottesman, Deceased

Dennis Ted Siedlecki

A method of decaffeinating aqueous roasted coffee extracts is disclosed. An organic caffeine solvent is first loaded with essentially hydrolyzed coffee solids. The aqueous roasted coffee extract is contacted with the loaded organic caffeine solvent for a sufficient period of time to transfer at least some of the caffeine from the coffee extract to the caffeine solvent, whereupon the extract is separated from the caffeine-containing solvent. The resultant coffee extract has been found to have noticably more body notes than a coffee extract which is decaffeinated with a solvent that has not been loaded with hydrolyzed coffee solids.

Method for the decaffeination of roasted coffee extracts

An improved roast and ground coffee extract decaffeination method which involves partitioning non-caffeine solids from caffeine and returning the non-caffeine solids to a decaffeinated coffee product for improved flavor and economics. Liquid-liquid extraction is used to partition the non-caffeine solids into an aqueous phase from a caffeine-solvent phase. Caffeine is recovered from the caffeine-solvent phase as a valuable byproduct.

Non-caffeine solids recovery process

Coffee grinder gas is fixed in a glyceride at relatively high levels by means of high pressure. Liquid nitrogen condensed grinder gas frost is contacted in a pressure vessel with an oil. Heat is supplied to the vessel to vaporize the frost, and after the contents of the vessel reach room temperature, and the liquid glyceride has absorbed grinder gas aromatics, the vessel is slowly depressurized. The aromatized liquid glyceride is then used for enhancing soluble coffee products.

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Boonton, NJ, United States of America

James F Meinhold