Abstract: An improvement in the process of decaffeinating green coffee at high pressure with moist carbon dioxide gas in the supercritical state. The decaffeination takes place in a heating profile of at least two distinct heating periods for predetermined times. During the first heating period, the temperature is maintained between 40.degree. C. and 70.degree. C. This first period may be conducted in several steps or in a single rising temperature step. In the second heating period, the temperature is maintained above 70.degree. C. but below 85.degree. C. The second heating period constitutes between one-fifth and one-third of the total heating time resulting in a higher quality product with the same quantity of caffeine removed as prior processes run at a single temperature.