Abstract: A method of extracting roasted and ground coffee is disclosed. Exraction water is fed to one end of an extraction vessel containing roasted and ground coffee, and coffee extract is with drawn from the other end. Flow of water to and from the vessel is intermittently halted, and extracted roasted and ground coffee is intermittently discharged from the vessel, while a portion of unextracted coffee is charged to the vessel at the other end. The movement of coffee in the extraction vessel is countercurrent relative to the flow of the extraction water. The method of the present invention is less complex, is more easily controlled, requires a lower capital investment and produces a more aromatic coffee extract of better flavor balance.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Green coffee may be decaffeinated by extracting caffeine from either green coffee or an aqueous extract of green coffee by means of n-butyl acetate. Improved selectivity for caffeine is evidenced by n-butyl acetate, thereby improving the organoleptic quality of the decaffeinated coffee by selectively removing caffeine without extracting a significant amount of non-caffeine solids.

Abstract: A method of simultaneously hydrolyzing spent coffee grounds and extracting the coffee oil therefrom is disclosed. Spent coffee grounds are slurried in water and the pH is adjusted by the addition of an acid to the slurry. A water-immiscible oil solvent is combined with and dispersed as fine droplets in the slurry. The dispersion is then passed through a reactor, preferably a plug flow reactor, so as to hydrolyze the spent coffee grounds and extract the coffee oil into the oil solvent droplets. The then coffee oil-containing oil solvent is separated from the aqueous hydrolysate and the spent grounds are also separated from the hydrolysate. The coffee oil is optionally recovered from the oil solvent and the aqueous hydrolysate is optionally neutralized and combined with a soluble coffee extract.

Abstract: Aqueous extracts of roasted coffee are stripped of aroma, concentrated and thereafter decaffeinated by means of contact with a decaffeinating fluid such as liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide. Aroma loss is minimized by using water to remove caffeine and aroma from the CO.sub.2 stream, recovering aromatics from this caffeine-containing aqueous stream and adding-back these aromatics to the decaffeinated extract. Preferably equipment cost is minimized by use of a single pressure vessel to transfer the caffeine from the extract stream to the CO.sub.2 and from the CO.sub.2 to the water stream.

Abstract: Liquid propane, liquid butane or mixtures thereof at a temperature of from 30.degree. C. to 95.degree. C. is employed to selectively remove caffeine from moistened green coffee. The resulting decaffeinated coffee is then roasted and processed to ground or soluble coffee products which will possess the flavor and aroma of comparable non-decaffeinated coffee products.

Abstract: A lower-grade green coffee bean fraction is moisturized to above 37% by weight and then decaffeinated by extraction with a moist supercritical fluid having a temperature of at least 100.degree. C. This decaffeinated coffee is then combined, either before or after roasting, with a higher-grade coffee fraction. Typically the higher-grade fraction will be coffee which has been decaffeinated by extraction with a moist supercritical fluid at a temperature below about 85.degree. C.

Abstract: Aqueous extracts of roasted coffee are stripped of aroma, concentrated and thereafter decaffeinated by means of contact with a decaffeinating fluid such as liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide. Aroma loss is minimized by using water to remove caffeine and aroma from the CO.sub.2 stream, recovering aromatics from this caffeine-containing aqueous stream and adding-back these aromatics to the decaffeinated extract. Preferably equipment cost is minimized by use of a single pressure vessel to transfer the caffeine from the extract stream to the CO.sub.2 and from the CO.sub.2 to the water stream.

Abstract: A high quality coffee extract is prepared using a commercial percolation system utilizing a superficial velocity of aqueous extraction liquid past the roasted and ground coffee of at least about 0.50 ft/min in the fresh stage extraction column of a percolator set.