We visited the company Descafecol, an industry that processes high-quality coffee beans from all regions of Colombia, it is a company located in the coffee region of Colombia, with more than 30 years of history in the industrialization of coffee. 

This company is the only one in Colombia to make this process and the second one dedicated to producing soluble coffee. Its raw material is 100% Colombian Arabica coffee and its recognized worldwide for their quality.

Descafecol is continuously working to provide products and services with a quality that exceeds their expectations.

During our visit we arrived at two large warehouses which are interconnected, the first is the decaffeination plant and the second is the soluble plant: in the first one we find the decaffeination services, decaffeinated green coffee, and the by-product of the previous processes, caffeine, a product used in different industries. In this deposit, where the dry coffee is received, there are large silos to store the product already selected in green beans. 

The decaffeination process is carried out with natural sub-products from sugar cane, in the industry it is known as ethyl acetate EA, this product is a colorless liquid, non-residual, and the smell is related to fruits, in fact, it is found in fruits naturally, so there is no addition of synthetic chemicals of any kind being a standardized process and ensuring that the products in the plant and subsequently received by customers always meet high standards that are demanded.

In this way the process is carried out with natural EA, which is obtained by a process based on sugar cane and, together with mountain spring water, are the only elements with which the coffee comes into contact. This water-EA process allows for the gentle extraction of caffeine from the bean, avoiding excessive heat and pressure, thus maintaining the natural structure and characteristics of the coffee bean.

The plants are equipped with state-of-the-art technology, making the processes automated. The process has ten steps for decaffeination, which are as follows:

1. The coffee is received in the storage warehouse and transported to individual silos.
2. This is the pre-treatment stage where the coffee beans are steamed to remove their cuticle.
3. The coffee is then moistened to open its pores.
4. In the extraction tanks, the beans are immersed in ethyl acetate.
5. The ethyl acetate circulates through the beans, thus extracting the caffeine.
6. Subsequently, the coffee is put throug vapor to remove the ethyl acetate.
7. In the drying process, the grain is returned to its humidity.
8. Afterward, the coffee passes to the cooling silos, bringing the beans to room temperature.
9. The coffee is polished with natural wax to care for its appearance.
10. Finally, the coffee is moved to silos for subsequent packaging.

In the soluble plant, we find coffee extract, instant coffee, and coffee oil. This was our tour through this impressive company of decaffeinated coffees, Descafecol, a 100% Colombian industry.