Patents
An improved process for the preparation of white pepper from fresh green pepper (Piper nigrum L), which comprises: a) conditioning the selected graded pepper berries by soaking them in an aqueous solution of sodium bicarbonate at pH ranging between 7.5 and 10 for a period in the range of 5-60 minutes, followed by washing with water, b) heating the above said conditioned pepper berries at a temperature ranging between 95 and 105°C in boiling water or by passing steam for a period ranging from 5-20 minutes at a pressure in the range of ambient to 15 psig, c) treating enzymatically the above said heat treated pepper berries by soaking in an aqueous solution of a commercial enzyme mixture containing cellulase, hemicellulase, amylase, pectinase, arabinase, b-glucanase and xylanase in an enzyme ratio ranging from 0.1:100 to 1:100 at a pH ranging between 4.0-7.0 for a period in the range of 2-48 hours to facilitate loosening of the external green skin of the berries, d) removing the enzyme loosened skin from the berries by a known method, e) soaking the de-skinned berries in an acidified water at a pH ranging between 3 and 5 at a temperature ranging between 20 and 30°C for a period in the range of 2-24 hours, f) washing and drying the above said treated berries upto a moisture content in the range of 8-10% and g) subjecting the dried white pepper to density grading to obtain the desired product.