en

Dewaxed coffee

DEFINITION: Coffee from which have been extracted the waxy elements, classified as –Nβ-Alkanoyl-5-hydroxytryptamine  (C-5-HT) and present in nature on the cortical part of the bean. The waxes, although they represent 0.2% - 0.3% of the lipids on green coffee, are difficult to absorb and barely digestible and, in particularly sensitive subjects, can irritate the gastric mucosa.  The difficulty in digesting them is also due to the fact that these substances become soluble around 65°C and are therefore difficult for the human body to absorb in the digestive phase.  In the roasting phase, they are partially broken down to reach a content ranging from 600 to 1000 mg/kg.
DEWAXING PROCESS: To lower the content of waxes in the coffee to no higher than 250 p.p.m., in accordance with the regulations under Italian Ministerial Decree of 22 June 1983, only dichloromethane can be used.  All Demus decaffeinated coffee is also dewaxed: the solvent used extracts, together with the caffeine, the waxes of the coffee that cover the green bean; in any case, the subsequent compliance is verified with the appropriate analysis, which can be carried out by our Demus Lab laboratory and which enables the product to be labelled as “dewaxed”.   
Demus is also able to provide an independent dewaxing service since the treatment used, while comparable to that of decaffeination, nevertheless maintains a part of the caffeine content in the processed coffee (the content of caffeine is variable depending on coffee but still exceeds 0,10%; below this limit the coffee is considered decaffeinated). Demus is in possession of the proper health authorisation for the production of dewaxed coffee (registration number IT0610100111).
REGULATORY REFERENCES: In accordance with Italian Ministerial Decree of 22 June 1983, governing the production and trade of dewaxed coffee.  As laid down by this regulation, which we now take as reference for the production of dewaxed coffee, the product must have the following prerequisites when put on the market:
  • it must not contain more than 250 p.p.m. of waxy products (expressed as 5-hydroxytryptamine) on roasted coffee;
  • the residue of the dichloromethane used must not exceed 2 p.p.m.on roasted coffee;
  • the humidity value in raw coffee must not exceed 11% of the product;
  • the product must be put on the market with the name: “dewaxed coffee”. In addition, the moisture content must be indicated, as well as the following phrase: “wax content of the product no greater than 30% of the original”.