Pepper is the fruit of the black pepper plant from the Piperaceae family. It is dried and used since antiquity for both its flavor and as a traditional medicine. Besides, it is one of the most common spices added to European cuisine. The chemical piperine, which is present in black pepper, causes the spiciness. When dried, this plant-derived spice is referred to as a pepper, and is then ground into a powder to be put on food to add flavor and spice.
