Decaffeination – how does it work?

The British are a nation of tea lovers and coffee enthusiasts but an increasing number of us are switching to the decaffeinated version of our daily cuppa.

This article explains how the caffeine is removed from tea leaves and coffee beans, using organic solvents, supercritical carbon dioxide or water and the role played by chemists. Perfect context for showing students how their learning of solutions and separation techniques is relevant to the real world.