ABSTRACT
Pepper is a major spice of commerce widely used both for its flavoring properties and as a traditional medicine in the orient. Pepper berries are commercially available in three main forms, namely, green pepper (dried unripe fruit), black pepper (cooked and dried unripe fruit), and white pepper (derived from ripe fruit seeds). Black pepper is the major spice of commerce and is one of the most common spices used in cuisines all over the world. Quality of pepper berries is decided both by their microbial status and the chemical parameters such as the content of essential oil, oleoresin, and piperine content. Various postharvest processing and preservation methods can have impact on the aforementioned parameters, thereby affecting the final quality of the product.
Chemistry of black pepper has been extensively investigated. The characteristic aroma of the spice is mainly due to the inherent essential oils constituted mainly of terpenes along with other minor volatile constituents. Its spiciness/pungency has been shown to be due to the chemical compound piperine, an alkaloid. Black pepper is also rich in glycosides of phenolic acids and flavonol glycosides. Phenolic compounds, namely, 3,4-dihydroxy-phenyl ethanol glucoside and 3,4-dihydroxy-6-(N-ethyl amino) benzamide, have been identified in unripe green pepper berries and shown to contribute to the color of black pepper berries.
Black pepper has been extensively used in traditional indigenous Asian system of medicine such as Ayurveda. The reported health benefits of black pepper include relieving sinus, asthma, and nasal congestion, reducing the risk of cancer, heart, and liver ailment and aiding in weight loss. It also aids in improving digestion, enhances bioavailability of food nutrients, improves cognitive functions, and reduces gastric mucosal damage and peptic ulcers due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. While extensive studies have demonstrated the medicinal properties of black pepper, there is a need to have more focused studies on other pepper products, particularly green pepper. This is due to the fact that some of the newer phenolic compounds identified in green pepper and absent in black and white pepper may have novel pharmaceutical activities not reported so far. Thus, from a nutraceutical perspective besides black pepper, green pepper can also play a major role in prevention of diseases.
This chapter focuses on the chemistry of black and green pepper with special emphasis on green pepper berries. Various quality parameters that can have an impact on the final acceptability of pepper products of commerce, effect of various postharvest processing methods, and quality control measures adopted will be discussed. The pharmaceutical properties of different pepper products will be discussed with a focus on the biological activities of the newer phenolic compounds identified in green pepper. Finally, the possible development of novel nutraceutical products from different pepper products for health promotion will be deliberated.
