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Decaffination is the process by which caffeine is extracted from the coffee. Decaf coffee usually has less than 0.1% caffeine by weight, while normal coffee usually has about 1 % caffeine by weight. About 10% of the coffee sold in the USA is decaffinated, but decaffinated coffee is more popular in Europe where up to 20% of the coffee sold may be decaffinated.

There are two common processes by which coffee is decaffinated:
1. Standard chemical process : The green coffee beans are steamed and then a chemical, which is usually ethyl acetate or methylene chloride is used to dissolve the caffeine. The solution is then drained away, and the beans are then heated to remove the remaining solvent. Though this is the least expensive method, some solvents remain, and antioxidants are also washed away.

2. Swiss water process or water processing : The coffee beans are soaked in water to extract both the flavour and the caffeine. The water is then drained away and caffeine extracted from the solution using solvents. The solution contain flavour is then sprayed back onto the coffee beans.