Steam Sterilised (HTST) Black Pepper

What steam sterilised black pepper is

Pepper is a farm product. It is dried in the open air, so it naturally carries bacteria, yeasts and moulds. For many uses that does not matter. For ready-to-eat food, it does. Steam sterilisation lowers that microbial load. The pepper is exposed to steam at a high temperature for a short time, which is why the process is called HTST (high temperature, short time). It is then dried back to a safe moisture level.

The treatment uses steam, not a chemical fumigant. The berries stay whole, and the short exposure is designed to protect the pepper’s flavour and aroma.

Our steam sterilised black pepper is cleaned first, then treated. Moisture is 12.5% at most, foreign matter is 0.2% at most, bulk density is 500–600 g/l, and the berry size is 5 mm.

Who needs it

• Food manufacturers who add pepper to products that are not cooked again: sauces, dressings, cheese, cured meat, snack seasoning.
• Retail packers who sell into markets with microbiological limits for spices.
• Grinders who want a lower microbial load before milling.

If you only need clean pepper and you will sterilise it yourself, ASTA cleaned black pepper costs less.

The specification

Product	Whole black pepper, cleaned and steam sterilised (HTST)
Origin	Dak Lak and Dak Nong, Vietnam
Moisture	12.5% max
Foreign matter	0.2% max
Bulk density	500–600 g/l
Berry size	5 mm
Microbiology	[LIMITS — TOTAL PLATE COUNT, E. COLI, SALMONELLA, YEASTS & MOULDS]
Packing	PP or kraft bags, 25–50 kg net
Container load	14–17 MT per 20ft · 28 MT per 40ft
Port of loading	Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Microbiological limits are set per contract. Different markets and food uses need different limits. Send yours with the enquiry, for example total plate count, E. coli, Salmonella, and yeasts and moulds. We will confirm in writing whether they can be met, and which laboratory will test them.

Why the order of steps matters

Cleaning comes before steaming. If dirty pepper is steamed, the dirt is sterilised too, and it still has to be removed later. A clean lot that is steamed and then packed straight away gives the lowest risk of contamination after treatment. Ask us about the packing that follows treatment. It is part of your specification.

How the lot is checked

Before loading, samples from your lot are checked for moisture, foreign matter and density. Microbiology is tested by a laboratory against the limits in your contract. If your contract names SGS, Control Union or Vinacontrol, they inspect the lot as well. You receive photos of your cargo and the container number before documents are released.

For extra assurance, you can add SGS laboratory verification or pesticide residue testing. Both are priced separately.

Packing and loading

New PP or kraft bags with 25–50 kg net each. If you want an inner liner to protect the treated pepper, ask for it in the enquiry. A 20ft container takes 14–17 MT, and a 40ft container takes about 28 MT.

Documents

The contract set: certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate, certificate of quality and quantity, the laboratory report for microbiology, packing list, commercial invoice and bill of lading. A fumigation certificate is added where your country requires one.

How to order

1. Send your microbiological limits, density, volume, destination port and Incoterm, by WhatsApp or the enquiry form. We reply within one working day, Vietnam time (UTC+7).
2. Approve a sealed sample. It becomes the reference sample in the contract.
3. Sign the contract: CIF or CFR (CNF), FOB on request. L/C at sight, or a T/T deposit with the balance against documents.
4. The lot is treated, tested, inspected and loaded. You receive the laboratory report, the loading photos and the documents.

Questions buyers ask

Is steam sterilised pepper the same as irradiated pepper?

No. Steam sterilisation and irradiation are different treatments. If your market needs a written non-irradiation statement, ask for it to be written into the contract.

Does steaming change the taste?

The short treatment is designed to keep the flavour. The best test is your own: ask for a sealed sample and compare it with your current supply.

Can you steam sterilise ground pepper?

Our ground black pepper is milled from steam-treated pepper and tested for microbiology after grinding.

HS code

Whole black pepper, including steam-treated pepper, is classified under HS 0904.11. Your customs broker confirms the national line.