What is typically removed during the decaffeination process?

During the decaffeination process, caffeine is specifically targeted for removal from the coffee beans. Caffeine is a natural stimulant found in coffee, and decaffeination allows those who wish to enjoy coffee without its stimulating effects to do so.

The decaffeination process involves soaking or steaming the beans, which may extract caffeine using various methods, such as using solvents or water. While there is some degree of impact on the flavor and other compounds in the beans, the primary purpose and focus of this process is to reduce the caffeine content significantly, generally leaving behind the other desirable flavors and oils.

The other options pertain to aspects of the coffee that are not the main focus of the decaffeination process. While some flavor compounds might be lost during the process, the key characteristic of decaffeination is the reduction of caffeine, making it the correct choice.