Here’s the scoop on decaf coffee

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I wonder if you could help me with some information about decaf coffee. I asked for decaf, and a woman said: “Oh, you’re not going to drink that, are you? It’s filled with chemicals.” Now I wonder how safe it is. Can you enlighten us on the process and its safety? — P.S.

ANSWER: There are three ways of removing caffeine from coffee. One entails the use of what are called organic solvents, and one of those solvents is methylene chloride. Some lab animals that inhaled methylene chloride came down with cancer. No cancer was found in animals that ingested it. In decaf made in the methylene-chloride process, the chemical residue is practically nil. No evidence of danger to humans has been associated with it. It is approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The methylene-chloride process is seldom used anymore. Ethyl acetate, derived from fruits, is another solvent used in decaffeinating coffee. It, too, is safe.

Another decaffeination process entails dripping the coffee along with water through a carbon filter. It carries no risk.

The third method employs carbon dioxide. No demonstrable harm is associated with this method.

You don’t have to fear drinking decaf coffee. On this I put my money where my mouth is. I drink it daily.