WHITE pepper is thought by many to be produced by a separate plant, but it is the fruit of the black pepper vine, the change in appearance being brought about by artificial preparation. The poor natives are said to collect for market some white berries, which have been left on the vines until fully ripe and then have fallen to the ground and, by their exposure to the sun, have lost the outer black coating. That which remains is called the “genuine” white pepper. This collection of the white pepper corns by the natives has given rise to the story that a small bird called ballaree, feeding on the black pepper, digests nothing but the outer husks and, the balance, having passed whole through the organs of the bird, becomes white.

The pepper vines are injured by allowing the berry to ripen before gathering to make white pepper. For this reason the unripe fruit is often used, and some manufacturers make it a business to prepare or make the white pepper. The unripe black pepper is robbed of its outer coat, to make white pepper, in several ways, according to the extent to which the decorticating process is carried. Thus, we may have decorticated pepper from which all three coats are removed, or only one or two of them. All of these kinds are called factitious white pepper. Thus we have Tellicherry, which is particularly fine, and, second, the “coriander white,” so called from its close resemblance to the seed of that name. This is also a fine grade. It is made in imitation of the coriander seed by cutting off from the end of each corn a piece of the outer hull, so that the dark-colored inner portion shows. The ordinary white follows next, which is made from the Singapore, Penang, etc. This is often bleached to imitate the first two, but it makes a sad imitation.

The Tellicherry and coriander are packed in cases of about 200 pounds, each with marked tare on every case. The ordinary white is packed in bags of about 150 pounds, with 2 per cent. tare, with an allowance of one pound to each package.

The process is as follows: The black pepper may be kept in the house for several days and then bruised or washed in a basket to remove the stalk and pulpy matter, after which it is dried in the sunshine before shipping. It is also prepared by steeping in water in which it has been allowed fully to ripen and then removing the outer coat by friction. The natives also remove the outer layer by placing the ripest red grains in running water or in pits made near the river bank or in stagnant pools. Sometimes it is only buried in the ground, and when it has been under this treatment for about one week it will swell and burst the outer husk, which is then easily removed by rubbing with the hands while it is drying in the sunshine. After being winnowed it is ready for export. Another way of preparing white pepper, often used, is to place the black pepper in a solution of chloride of lime water to remove the dark coating, after which it is rubbed and dried as in the other preparation.

Although the white pepper has the name of being a superior article, it is not. It is very true that only the marrow of the black pepper berries can be used to make white pepper, and the product does have an exquisite flavor; but since the greater strength lies in the outer cover, there is some doubt as to the quality of the white pepper. Moreover, the real goodness of the pepper is, in fact, not improved by this process, as the water injures its strength, the outer husk contains more of the aroma, and the quality of the pepper removed is almost proportionate to the weight of the pepper corn. The only gain obtained is in the appearance, and this process is but another way of meeting the public demand for something to please the eye, instead of the palate.

White pepper brings a higher price to the grower, but when the waste and extra labor are considered it is seen that the grower’s profits are largely reduced.

White pepper corns allowed to ripen fully are larger than black and can be reduced to a powder more readily, and will present a more uniform appearance.

China and the Straits Settlement export much of the cheaper white pepper found in our market and much of it comes from the island of Rhio, and it is imported in the whole.

Chemical composition of white pepper:

By mixing one part ground white pepper with two parts of slacked lime and a sufficient quantity of water, and evaporating the solution to dryness in a water bath, the powder being exhausted with commercial ether, piperine can be obtained nearly pure in large crystals of a faint straw color.

To obtain it perfectly pure, it must be dissolved in alcohol and recrystallized.