The E.A. Deaf Process:

The Ethyl Acetate (E.A.) decaffeination method is a process used to remove caffeine from coffee beans. In this method, coffee beans are soaked in water to extract caffeine and other soluble compounds. The water-caffeine mixture is then combined with ethyl acetate, a naturally occurring solvent used to dissolve the caffeine. The caffeine is then separated from the coffee solution, leaving decaffeinated coffee beans. The ethyl acetate is then evaporated, leaving decaffeinated coffee free of caffeine. This method is considered less harmful than other decaffeination methods and is often used in “natural” decaffeination processes because ethyl acetate is found in many fruits, including bananas and apples.