Since caffeine suppresses purine alkaloid (caffeine and theobromine) production by Coffea arabica cells, the effect of removing caffeine from the medium was investigated using the hydrophobic resin Amberlite XAD-4. An in situ removal method did not result in increased production because the adsorbent removed not only the products, but also essential components (hormones). Therefore, the use of an adsorption column employing the hydrophobic resin was investigated with a 35-d semicontinuous culture under light irradiation. Caffeine was removed within 30 min by the adsorption column on day 23 of the cultivation. In this system, the negative effects of hormone removal by the adsorbent were canceled out by the addition of fresh medium. This method increased alkaloid production 1.4-fold compared to the culture with no removal treatment.