Measuring the caffeine in coffee and decaffeinated coffee

Measuring Caffeine in Coffee and Decaf with Food Sensitation 4

Good morning, everyone! Welcome to this blog post where we’ll explore how to measure caffeine levels in coffee and decaffeinated coffee using the Food Sensitation 4 system.

What We’re Testing Today

In this demonstration, we’ll analyze:

Regular instant coffee

Decaffeinated instant coffee

We’ll skip Red Bull for now (though we have other tests for energy drinks) and focus on coffee, a beloved beverage worldwide.

How the Food Sensitation 4 Works

The Food Sensitation 4 is a portable sensor system that uses electrochemical detection to measure caffeine (and other analytes like chili, ginger, lead, and copper).

Key Features:

✅ Quick & easy testing – Results in minutes

✅ Bluetooth connectivity – Syncs with a mobile app

✅ Cloud data storage – Track and export results

✅ Minimal sample prep – Just a small amount needed

Step-by-Step Testing Process

1. Preparing the Coffee Samples

Regular coffee: 0.21g instant coffee + 25mL buffer

Decaf coffee: Same preparation as above

2. Loading the Samples

50µL of coffee sample + 50µL of proprietary buffer are mixed and loaded onto the sensor.

The sensor connects to the app via Bluetooth.

3. Running the Test

The system analyzes the sample and sends data to the cloud.

Results appear on the app in real time.

Results: Caffeine Content Comparison

Sample Caffeine Content (mg/g)

Regular Coffee 0.208

Decaf Coffee 0.0121

Key Takeaways:

✔ Decaf coffee isn’t 100% caffeine-free – It still contains trace amounts (~5% of regular coffee).

✔ The sensor clearly differentiates between caffeinated and decaf based on signal strength.

Visualizing the Data

When we overlay the signals from both tests:

Regular coffee shows a strong caffeine peak.

Decaf coffee has a much smoother, weaker response.

This difference is how the system accurately quantifies caffeine levels.

Why This Matters

Quality control – Coffee producers can verify caffeine content.

Consumer transparency – Decaf drinkers can check how much caffeine remains.

Research & development – Food scientists can optimize formulations.

Final Thoughts

The Food Sensitation 4 makes caffeine testing fast, accurate, and accessible. Whether you're a coffee enthusiast, a manufacturer, or a researcher, this tool provides valuable insights.

Got questions? Feel free to reach out—we’d love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading, and happy brewing! ☕