Decaffeination
German: Entkoffeinierung Also known as: Koffeinfrei, Entkoffeiniert, Decaf
A process that removes most of the caffeine from green coffee or tea.
For coffee, the still-green raw coffee is usually decaffeinated. The beans are steamed and treated with a solvent, or with water or supercritical carbon dioxide, which draws out the caffeine. They are then dried and roasted as usual.
Some caffeine always remains; in the EU decaffeinated coffee may only have a very small residual content. The process alters flavour compounds, so decaffeinated coffee may taste slightly different. Tea can also be decaffeinated.