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US 4,324,840 AGranted
Adsorption decaffeination
AssigneeGeneral Foods Corporation
InventorSaul N. Katz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The process disclosed herein decaffeinates an aqueous caffeine solution by contacting it with a solid caffeine adsorbent which is made more selective to caffeine by a thin layer of a water-immiscible, caffeine-specific solvent. The caffeine is selectively extracted from the aqueous solution, leaving the solubles necessary for a good tasting beverage, by the solid adsorbent. Because the solvent is selective, the coated adsorbent likewise shows selectivity.
Claims10
An improved method for decaffeinating an aqueous caffeine-containing solution comprising the steps of:
- (a) contacting an aqueous caffeine-containing solution with a solid caffeine adsorbent coated with a thin layer of a liquid, water-immiscible, caffeine-specific solvent;
- (b) maintaining the aqueous caffeine-containing solution in contact with the solid caffeine adsorbent for a time sufficient for at least a portion of the caffeine to be extracted from the aqueous solution and adsorbed by the solid caffeine adsorbent;
- and
- (c) separating the aqueous caffeine-containing solution from the solid caffeine adsorbent.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.