The 0.5% Transparency Report: The Science Behind the First Batch
Update — June 2026 When we published this report in January, we made a promise: D'CAF would earn the 0.1% mark. We've delivered. D'CAF is now 99.9% caffeine-free — Indian-origin coffee, decaffeinated in India, meeting the FSSAI standard for Decaffeinated Coffee.
Introduction: The Caffeine Spectrum
In the specialty coffee industry, we meticulously measure variables: elevation, moisture content, roast curve, and extraction time. Yet, one variable is often treated as a binary switch: caffeine content.
The industry generally divides coffee into two buckets: "Regular" and "Decaf." However, scientifically, caffeine removal is not binary. It is a spectrum.
This post illustrates the chemistry behind the cup. We outline the mechanics of the Supercritical CO2 process, the resource implications of extraction cycles, and the regulatory nuances that distinguish "Decaffeinated" coffee from "Low Caffeine" coffee.
1. The Process: Supercritical CO2
To remove caffeine without destroying the volatile compounds that create flavor, we utilize the Supercritical CO2 process.
Unlike solvent-based methods, this technique uses naturally occurring Carbon Dioxide. When CO2 is subjected to specific pressure and temperature conditions (above 31.1°C and 73.8 bar), it reaches a "supercritical" state—becoming a fluid that acts as a highly selective solvent that dissolves only caffeine.
We circulate this supercritical CO2 through the green coffee beans. It binds specifically to the caffeine molecules and extracts them, leaving the carbohydrates and proteins—which create the coffee's flavor and body—largely intact. It is a clean, chemical-free process that relies on thermodynamics.
2. The Energy Cost of Extraction
Decaffeination isn't a single "wash." It happens in cycles, and every cycle has an energy cost.
The process works in a loop:
- Pressurisation: CO2 gas is compressed into a liquid state (requiring massive energy).
- Extraction: This liquid is passed through the coffee beans to absorb caffeine.
- De-pressurisation: The CO2 is turned back into a gas to separate the caffeine out (requiring heat).
- Recycling: The clean CO2 is re-compressed to start the loop again.
The bulk of the caffeine is removed in the early cycles. However, removing the final traces to push the caffeine content down from 0.5% to 0.1% requires running this loop many more times. Each additional cycle requires re-pressurising and heating the CO2, consuming significant amounts of electricity and water. (image for illustration only)
How then do global decaffeination plants achieve 0.1%? It comes down to scale and specialised infrastructure.
In mature markets like Germany or Canada, dedicated decaffeination plants operate with massive economies of scale. They utilise advanced heat exchangers and onsite power generation units that recycle the energy from the depressurisation phase back into the pressurisation phase. This makes running those extra cycles sustainable.
In India, this technology is still developing. However, we are betting on the Indian consumer. We believe there is a strong enough demand for high-quality, caffeine-conscious coffee in India to justify upgrading our domestic technology to these global standards in the near future.
3. The Math: What 70% Reduction Means
To understand the impact of these levels on the human body, we must look at the dry weight percentages.
- Regular Arabica Coffee: Average of ~1.5% caffeine by weight.
- Low Caffeine Coffee: ~0.5% caffeine by weight.
This represents a ~70% reduction in total caffeine content.
To put this in perspective:
- A standard 250ml cup of coffee contains approximately 95-100mg of caffeine.
- A cup brewed with D'CAF's 0.5% Low Caffeine beans contains approximately 30mg.
This places it in the same range as a standard cup of Green Tea. For you, this reduction eliminates the heavy stimulant spike associated with regular coffee, making it a viable option for late afternoon or evening consumption.
4. So, is it Decaffeinated or Low Caffeine?
This brings us to the regulatory definitions and D'CAF's transparency philosophy.
According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), for a product to be labeled "Decaffeinated Coffee," the caffeine content must be reduced to 0.1% or less on a dry weight basis.
Our laboratory analysis returned a result of 0.5% caffeine by dry weight.
While this is a drastic reduction from regular coffee, it does not meet the technical definition of "Decaf" in India.
Our goal is utmost transparency; therefore, we are labelling our first release as "Low Caffeine".
5. Update June 2026
In June 2026, D'CAF achieved what we set out to do. Indian Origin Coffee decaffeinated at source - D'CAF now meets the FSSAI standard for Decaffeinated Coffee: 0.1% caffeine or less by dry weight; 99.9% caffeine-free.
This wasn't a switch we flipped. It required building an entirely domestic supply chain — Indian-origin green coffee, sourced and decaffeinated within India. No imports. No duties. No intercontinental freight baked into the price. The price you pay for a bag of D'CAF is purely paid for the quality of the coffee and the precision of decaffeination.