A UV/vis spectrophotometer method cannot be used
directly for the determination of caffeine in coffee seeds
owing to the matrix effect of UV absorbing substances in
the simple matrix (Ortega-Burrales et al., 2002; Zhang
et al., 2005). This effect is also clearly seen in the spectral
bands of caffeine in coffee seeds (Fig. 5) dissolved in water.
Hence, it is not suitable to determine the percentage of caffeine
in coffee seeds due to overlapping of these interfering
bands. In order to overcome this difficulty coffee was first
dissolved in water and caffeine extracted from solution
using dichloromethane. Dichloromethane is the most commonly
employed method for extraction of caffeine from
green coffee beans (Rofti, 1971). Many commercial products
applied dichloromethane for decaffeinating the coffee
beans for its extraction efficiency 98–99% (Clarke, 1980).
The extraction was made four times until the spectrum of
caffeine becomes flat when seen under UV/vis spectrophotometer.