Black Pepper also known as a peppercorn, is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. Ground, dried, and cooked peppercorns have been used since antiquity, both for flavor and as traditional medicine. Black pepper is the worldâ??s most traded spice and is one of the most common spices added to cuisines around the world. Its spiciness is due to the chemical compound piperine, which is a different kind of spicy from the capsaicin characteristic of chili peppers. It is ubiquitous in the Western world as a seasoning and is often paired with salt and is available on dining tables in shakers or mills.