Health and Welfare Canada currently permits five agents to be utilized in the decaffeination of coffee. Decaffeination offers those consumers who are caffeine-sensitive an alternative so that they may continue to enjoy coffee, which is free from the affects of caffeine

The principals that are utilized to decaffeinate coffee are similar, with variances occurring between manufacturers, depending on the decaffeination agent and manufacturing process that is employed. The following briefly outlines the process:

- green beans are soaked or steamed in water;
- beans are then exposed to a decaffeination agent which extracts the caffeine from the bean;
- beans are removed from the caffeine-rich solution;
- in some cases, the caffeine is removed from the solution through a filtering system;
- the caffeine-free solution may be reintroduced to the beans to add flavour which has been inadvertently - - extracted; decaffeinated beans are dried and are ready for roasting.

The following agents are utilized in the decaffeination of coffee:

1. Carbon Dioxide
2. Coffee Oil
3. Ethyl Acetate
4. Methylene Chloride
5. Water

The term "naturally decaffeinated" refers to the decaffeination agent that is used.

Currently, water, coffee oil and carbon dioxide are decaffeination agents, which are considered to be part of a natural process and may therefore use this term.

It is impossible to remove all the caffeine from green coffee beans, as it is a natural component. Health and Welfare has established regulations which stipulate maximum amounts of caffeine permitted in decaffeinated instant and decaffeinated roast and ground coffee.

Specifically, decaffeinated roast and ground coffee cannot contain more than 0.1% residual caffeine and decaffeinated instant coffee cannot contain more than 0.3% residual caffeine. The guidelines ensure that consumers of decaffeinated coffee are free from the effects of caffeine.