Researchers reach a step closer to naturally growing decaffeinated coffee beans

A coffee research institute in Brazil, has begun a decisive stage in its two-decade-long project which is aimed at developing varieties of arabica coffee that are naturally decaffeinated. As per the researchers, this development can actually have significant commercial potential.

If the project ends successfully, the varieties achieved in the result can find a market niche in large consuming regions like the United States and Europe, where people are likely to prefer them over the current decaffeinated brands that provide coffee which is produced by chemical or industrial processes.

Researchers start regional field trials

The Instituto Agronomico de Campinas (IAC) is developing the programme. Till now, this leading coffee research centre has provided markets with many of the high-yield coffee plants which have made Brazil a powerhouse in the global market of coffee, as today it supplies more than a third of coffee to the world.

The researchers, working at the IAC, stated that regional field trials are being started by them of some of the varieties which they have developed for several years by crossing different coffee plants which naturally have very low caffeine content. In the process, the researchers used the germplasm bank at their facilities.

This is also likely to benefit the companies that will sell decaffeinated coffee as it will reduce costs since the process of removing caffeine from regular coffee varieties can be skipped by them.

“The results we had so far look promising, we are upbeat,” stated Julio Cesar Mistro, a researcher who is overseeing the project at IAC.

WATCH |Digital exhibit immerses Brazilians, conservationists in wonders of nature

Planting clones in different regions

The researchers are planting some of the clones, which they have developed in the centre, in different regions in Brazil. Usually, it takes two to three years for coffee trees to produce their first fruits, so there are still some years left until the researchers can harvest that coffee and test it.

As per the data collected by the National Coffee Association (NCA), 10 per cent of the market in the United States is estimated to consume decaffeinated coffee.

A lot of people drink coffee specifically with the aim to boost energy provided by caffeine, however, some people are intolerant to it, or like to have decaf later in the day to escape potential sleeping disruptions.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE