Pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae that is native to Southeast Asia, cultivated for its fruit, which is generally dried and utilized as a spice for seasoning. Whole black pepper which is cultivated in tropical areas such as Sri Lanka has also been used as a customary medicine and is believed to be a treatment for hernia, gangrene and diarrhea to name a few. Black pepper was initially found in usage in countries like Egypt, Greece, Rome, China and Middle-east. Pepper gets its spicy heat from piperine derived from the outer fruit as well as the seed. As one of the highly traded spice worldwide, Ceylon black pepper comprises a unique pungent flavor and aroma that enhances savory dishes. Grade Description Form Grade 1 (Black) Dried whole corns or berries of P. nigrum L. generally picked before they are ripened. They are brown to black in color with deep set wrinkles on the dried berry. Dried Berries, pieces, powder Grade 2 (Black) Dried Berries, pieces, powder White Pepper Whole black pepper after ripening and which the outer coating or the pericarp has been removed and dried afterwards Dried Berries, pieces, powder
