Who accidentally discovered decaffeination, and in what year?

The discovery of decaffeination is credited to German importers in 1903. This occurred when these importers sought a way to remove caffeine from coffee beans while maintaining the flavor. The process they developed involved steaming the beans and then using a solvent to extract the caffeine. This method laid the groundwork for future decaffeination techniques, leading to the variety of decaffeinated coffee options available today.

The other choices do not accurately link to the true history of decaffeination. Luigi Bezzera is associated with espresso machine innovations, Dr. Ernesto Illy is well-known for his contributions to coffee science but was not the discoverer of decaffeination, and Kaldi the Monk is a legendary figure related to the discovery of coffee itself, rather than decaffeination.