The Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist 



A NEW CAFFEIN-FREE COFFEE. 



In this Process Germination of the Bean 

 Takes Place and the Caffein is Extracted 

 Without the Use of Chemicals. 



A new caffein-free coffee is being introduced 

 to the trade by the Hubner Health Coffee Com- 

 pany, 65 Front street, New York. This product 

 is covered by a patent, dated January 25, J 910, 

 issued to Robert Hubner, and, according to the 

 manufacturer, is the result of over forty years 

 spent in the study of coffee. 



The natural process of germination is usod in 

 extracting the caftein and no chemicals are ap- 

 plied. It is said between 80 and 9U per cent of 

 the caffein is extracted in this way. The small 

 percentage remaining is not soluble. 



Statement by the Inventos. 



Dr. Robert Hubner has prepared for us the 

 following statement concerning this new caffein- 

 free eoflee : 



"The extraction of the caffein takes place 

 simply by the action of water on the coffee bean, 

 without employing benzol, alcohol, chloroform, 

 carbon disulphid, acetic ether or any other che- 

 mical. 



" By the action of the water on the coffee beans 

 not only the caffein is extracted but also the sur- 

 plus of the acids as well as aldehydes and other 

 substances which form in roasting tho furfur 

 alcohol. 



" A decoction of this coffee can be used by 

 persons who are not able to drink untreated 

 coffee. Such persons have been known to sleep 

 soundly after it. 



"The lowered percentage of furfur alcohol is a 

 further advantage possessed by this coffee. Fur- 

 fur alcohol is just as detrimental to health as 

 caffein, and both in conjunction are even strong- 

 er in action by supporting the effectiveness of 

 each other. The extremely low percentage of 

 caffein as well as the low percentage of furfur 

 alcohol in this coffee precludes the possibility 

 of its use causing any nervous trouble or distur- 

 bance. There are many people who might be 

 able to withstand the action of caffein in coffee, 

 but they cannot drink untreated coffee because, 

 as they say, it causes sour stomach or heartburn. 

 This health coffee, with no surplus of acids, 

 because they are largely removed in the extrac- 

 tion process, will not cause any such disagree- 

 able sensations." 



Thi<, Patent Claims. 



According to the patent papers the method of 

 extracting the caffein in the Hubner process is 

 as follows : 



"The raw coffee beans are distributed over the 

 surface of a shallow dish or pan and covered 

 with water having a temperature of approxi- 

 mately 15 degrees centigrade. There should be 

 sufficient water to cover the beans and maintain 

 them covered during the time they are immersed 

 and absorbing water. The beans should remain 

 immersed until they have doubled in size, or 

 otherwise have absorbed all the water which 

 they wdHake up. The time of immersion will 

 therefore vary between twelve and twenty-four 

 hours, depending upon the quality, condition of 

 ripeness and a^eof the bean. If the beans are old 

 or dirty, or mixed with other substances,it maybe 



necessary to change the water a number of times- 

 After the beans have swollen to double their size 

 and the water or waters used in the preliminary 

 treatment above described removed, they are 

 again immersed in water under the same con- 

 ditions and at the same temperature, and al- 

 lowed to remain immersed until partial ger- 

 minat'on has been accomplished, or, in other 

 words, until, by chemical tests, the presence of 

 maltose can be detected." 



The patent specifications say that the ele- 

 mentary principle evolved in the process con- 

 sists in primarily affecting a limited germina- 

 tion of the coffee bean, which acts to break 

 down the normai union of the combined mate- 

 rials in the beau so that they may be extracted 

 by water. 



As soon as the presence of maltose is detected 

 the beans are washed with water at a tempera- 

 ture of from 50 to 60 degrees centigrade, which 

 stops germination. The washing is continued 

 until the gum-like coating of the beans (caffe- 

 tannic acid) and most of the remaining caffein 

 is washed away. The beans are then dried in 

 thin layers ou pans by passing a current of hot 

 air over them. 



From tho watery solution obtaiued in the 

 treatment of the beans caffetanic acid, caffeic 

 acid, salts, etc., are precipitated by the addi- 

 tion of some basic material, such as sodium, 

 potassium or calcium. "' The watery extract, 

 from which the precipitated matters have been 

 removed, is then concentrated and the caffein 

 separated therefrom by the employment of 

 chloroform or other readily volatizable subs- 

 tance, and subsequently the chloroform or other 

 volatizable substance removed by subjecting 

 it to the action of a jet of steam. The removed 

 precipitated matters, i.e , the caffetannic acid, 

 caffeic acid, organic coloring matter, salts, etc., 

 may be again made into a solution with water 

 and. if desired, re-embodied in the coffee beans 

 by any suitable process, after which the beans 

 are again dried." 



The specifications claim a new process of re- 

 moving caffein from green c ffee beans by 

 osmotic action ; also as a new article of manu- 

 facture, green coffee beans having their cellular 

 structure altered by limited germination (par- 

 tially converted into maltose), and from which 

 the major portion of the normally contained 

 caffein has been removed. — Tea & Coffee Trade 

 Journal, for September, 1911. 



TOMATO-SEED OIL. 



The manufacture of an oil from tomato seed is 

 an industry of quite roctnt date in Italy, where 

 the growirg and preserving of tomatoGS is carried 

 on extensively in many paits of the country. In 

 the province of Parma alone, upwards of 84,000 

 tons of this fruit are packed every season. The 

 utilisation of the seed, which forms so large a 

 percentage of the waste in the process of pack- 

 ing, and which was formerly thrown away, must 

 now add considerablyto the profits of the packer. 

 This oil somewhat resembles that of cotton seed 

 in its properties, and it is beginning to be in 

 steady demand for soap-making. — Royal Society 

 of Arts Journal, August 25. 



