Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) is the most widely used spice in the world. This crop has great economic importance in Brazil, especially in the North and Southeast regions. However, the variability in quality between cultivars is high. The objective of this study was to characterize black pepper from northeastern Pará available on the market and obtain an overview of its quality parameters. A total of 23 samples from black pepper cultivars/clones were evaluated for impurities and foreign matter, empty grains, density, moisture and ether extract, as established by Brazilian legislation. Additionally, the contents of total ash, protein, crude fiber and piperine were determined. Among the samples, one was outside the standard for density. The moisture... |