Ever drink decaf and wonder just how your coffee came to be decaffeinated? Experts say it can be tricky for consumers to find out just what method was used to supply them with a slightly calmer cup of joe. And yet one of the three most common ways to remove caffeine is thought to be harmful to the drinker's health, according to the German News Agency (dpa).
A relatively inexpensive approach is to dissolve the caffeine with chemical solvents such as dichloromethane or ethyl acetate. The method with ethyl acetate is considered to be a natural process, as this substance is also found in some fruit and vegetables.
