Does white pepper go bad?

In this brief guide, we are going to answer the question “does white pepper go bad” with an in-depth analysis of the shelf life of white pepper. Moreover, we are going to discuss the tips to properly store white pepper and the ways to tell if your white pepper has gone bad.

India is the world’s largest producer and consumer of spices and is one of the leading spices exporting countries. While India contributes 70% of the global spice production, the share of its followers is way behind, Bangladesh  (6.77%),  Turkey  (5.5%),  China  (4.6%),  Pakistan  (2.5%)  and  the  combined  contribution of countries such as Iran, Nepal, Colombia, Ethiopia and Sri Lanka share is less than 2% (1).

So without much ado, let’s dive in and figure out more about it.

Does white pepper go bad?

Spices should be stored in airtight containers to protect against moisture and preserve oils that give spices rich flavor and aroma. Spices are also stored in a cool, dry place, away from exposure to bright light, heat or moisture. Spices are susceptible to microbial and fungal contamination, thus they are exposed to contaminants from the soil and air, before being sufficiently dry to prevent microbial growth, as well as during harvesting, handling and packing (2).

White pepper doesn’t actually go bad if stored away from moisture in an airtight container. The same goes for ground white pepper. Typically, white pepper will retain optimum quality for a good 2 years before it starts to lose its flavor (3).

When we say that white pepper or any other spice has gone bad or has expired, what we are referring to is that it has lost its peak flavor, aroma, color, and overall quality. 

Thus white pepper tends to lose its flavor over time and you will not get the same great flavor and aroma from old white pepper as the one you get from the fresh one.

How long does ground white pepper last?

The ground white pepper lasts for about 1-2 years easily when it is kept in a cool, dry, and dark place in an air-tight container. You can easily store your ground white pepper in an air-tight bottle or container in a cool and dry corner of your pantry away from direct sunlight and humidity.

How long do peppercorns last?

Most spices are marketed in the dried form, since a high concentration of water will cause product deterioration over time. The changes in the volatiles depend on factors such as the drying method, the biological characteristics of the plants and their volatile composition. The exposure to light, oxygen, moisture and heat increases the loss of volatiles and decreases their shelf life. Microbial contamination can also lead to deterioration. Therefore, choosing an ideal packaging material can fully determine the quality of the stored spice (2).

Peppercorns last for about 2 years easily when they are kept in an air-tight container or bottle in a cool, dry, and dark place. Thus you can easily store your peppercorns in an air-tight bottle or container in a cool and dry corner of your pantry. They have a longer shelf life than ground pepper as the ground pepper has a larger surface area therefore it loses its aroma and flavor fast as compared to a peppercorn.

How to properly store white pepper?

1. Moisture is an enemy of the freshness and flavor of the white pepper therefore white pepper should be kept in air-tight containers or air-tight jars to reduce its exposure to air.
2. You should never use wet spoons to take the white pepper out of its container or jar.
3. It is best practice to store white pepper at room temperature as the fluctuations in temperature can affect the rich flavors of white pepper negatively. Moreover, do not store them near a stove or air conditioner. 
4. It is not advised to store the ground white pepper in the refrigerator as the moisture content of the refrigerator is quite high and it can reduce the quality of the white pepper. If you still want to store it in the refrigerator then it is recommended to keep it in vacuum-sealed containers.
5. White pepper should be kept in a cool, dry, and dark place. A cool and dry corner of your pantry can serve this purpose nicely.
6. Do not unnecessarily open the lid of the white pepper jar or bottle and seal it again as soon as possible after scooping out the white pepper that you need.
7. In order to reduce the oxidation reactions it is important to avoid high-temperature storage, utilize packaging with low oxygen permeability and gas flush with controlled atmosphere or modified atmosphere conditions.

Other FAQs about Pepper which you may be interested in.

How long to cook chili?

What to do if you get hot pepper in your eye?

How to identify Pepper Plants?

How to tell if your white pepper has gone bad?

You can tell whether or not the white pepper has gone bad by considering its color, texture, and smell.

Smell

The absence of the characteristic aroma or the weak aroma of the white pepper is the indication that it is past its prime time.

Volatile oils are lost or oxidized during drying, curing, crushing, grinding or other processing methods. Dried spices become more concentrated in their non-volatiles, which can result in bitterness, increased pungency and unbalanced flavors (2).

Texture

If you see some clumps formed in your ground white pepper, this can be the indication that your white pepper has gone bad and it won’t have the same flavor or aroma anymore. The reason behind the formation of these clumps in ground white pepper is that the moisture found its way inside your ground pepper container. This can happen if you have not stored the white pepper properly or have used a wet spoon to scoop the white pepper out of its container. Dry spices must be maintained in packaging that maintains low water vapor transmission (2). 

Taste

If the flavor of the white pepper is too weak, then it is an indication that the white pepper is past its prime age and it is better to replace it.

What happens if you use white pepper that has gone bad?

If the white pepper has gone bad, it is better to toss it out but if you still insist on using it, then surely it won’t cause health problems if consumed. But the white pepper that has gone bad won’t impart the same great taste or aroma to your food so if you are okay with using flavorless or odorless white pepper that’s completely up to you. 

However, spices are susceptible to microbial contaminations. The key microorganisms responsible for these are Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli, Salmonella and toxigenic molds. The number of microbes on spices varies considerably according to the particular spice. Black pepper, capsicum spices, turmeric and allspice usually contain the highest microbial levels. To avoid microbial growth, spices must be kept away from moisture (2).

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the question “does white pepper go bad” with an in-depth analysis of the shelf life of white pepper. Moreover, we discussed the tips to properly store white pepper and the ways to tell if your white pepper has gone bad.

Citations

1. Nadig, Asha, and T. Viswanathan. Price discovery and volatility transmission in the spot and futures market of pepper: an empirical analysis. Int J Intell Enterprise, 2022, 9, 78-99.
2. Peter, Kuruppacharil V., ed. Handbook of herbs and spices: volume 3. Woodhead publishing, 2006.
3. FoodKeeper. United States Department of Agriculture.