Ground Black Pepper, 50 mesh (steam treated)

What this product is

Ground black pepper, milled to 50 mesh from steam-treated black pepper. Because the pepper is treated before grinding, the powder starts with a lower microbial load. After grinding, it passes through two magnets and a metal detector, and every lot is tested before it is packed.

The specification below covers the tests that matter to food safety auditors: moisture, volatile oil, ash, mycotoxins and nine microbiological tests. Each test has a named international method.

Who buys it

• Food manufacturers who add pepper to sauces, seasonings, snacks, ready meals and processed meat.
• Spice packers who fill retail and catering packs.
• Importers who supply food makers with audited quality systems.

The specification

Parameter	Limit	Test method
Aroma and colour	Same as the approved standard sample	Sensory
Particle size (50 mesh)	5% w/w max retained	ASTA 10.0
Moisture	13.0% w/w max	ISO 939
Volatile oil	0.8% v/w min	ISO 6571
Acid-insoluble ash	0.5% w/w max	ISO 930
Total ash	3.0% w/w max	ISO 928
Ochratoxin A	15 µg/kg max	[CONFIRM METHOD]
Aflatoxin B1	5 µg/kg max	AOAC 991.31
Total aflatoxins	10 µg/kg max	AOAC 991.31
Total plate count	100,000 cfu/g max	ISO 4833
E. coli	10 cfu/g max	ISO 16649-1/-2
Coliforms	100 cfu/g max	ISO 4831/4832
Salmonella	Negative in 25 g	ISO 6579
Yeasts and moulds	1,000 cfu/g max	ISO 21527-2
Staphylococcus aureus	100 cfu/g max	ISO 6888-1
Clostridium perfringens	100 cfu/g max	ISO 7937
Bacillus cereus	100 cfu/g max	ISO 7932
Enterobacteriaceae	1,000 cfu/g max	ISO 21528
Shelf life	12 months from production
Packing	[BAG TYPE AND NET WEIGHT]
Port of loading	Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Each lot ships with a certificate of analysis (COA) that shows the result for every line above against its limit.

What the key numbers tell you

• Volatile oil, 0.8% min. Volatile oil carries the aroma and much of the flavour of pepper. A higher figure means stronger pepper. The minimum protects you from powder made from old or light pepper.
• Acid-insoluble ash, 0.5% max. This is mostly sand and soil. A low figure shows that the pepper was clean before it was ground.
• Aflatoxins and ochratoxin A. These toxins come from moulds. The limits here follow the levels commonly set for spices. If your market sets lower limits, send them with the enquiry.
• Salmonella, negative in 25 g. This is the result most food buyers check first.

How the powder is made

The grinding line is a steam-treated line. The steps are:

1. Steam-treated pepper is fed into a feeding tank.
2. A bucket elevator lifts it to the coarse grinding roller.
3. A magnet (7,000–10,000 gauss) takes out metal and magnetic particles.
4. A sieving machine separates three fractions. Oversize goes back through a fine grinding roller. Undersize is taken out as a by-product in jumbo bags. On-size powder moves on.
5. A second magnet (7,000–10,000 gauss) checks again.
6. A metal detector rejects any particle of iron of 1.0 mm or more, non-ferrous metal of 1.2 mm or more, and stainless steel of 1.5 mm or more.
7. Quality testing: particle size, appearance, moisture, essential oil and microbiology. A lot that fails goes back to the start of the line. It is not packed.
8. Packing, with a check of weight and marking.

The line is run by a processor we have qualified. You receive the processor’s name after your deposit, or when you visit us in Vietnam.

Other mesh sizes and ground white pepper

50 mesh is the standard grind. Tell us if you need a coarser or finer grind. Ground white pepper runs on the same line. Ask for its specification.

How to order

1. Send the mesh size, pack size, volume, destination port and any limits your market sets, by WhatsApp or the enquiry form. We reply within one working day, Vietnam time (UTC+7).
2. Approve a sealed sample, together with its COA. The sample becomes the reference sample in the contract.
3. Sign: 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 tested and packed, and a COA is issued. You receive photos, the container number and the documents.

Questions buyers ask

Can the COA be checked by an outside laboratory?

Yes. SGS laboratory verification can be added to the contract. It is priced separately.

Can you print our brand on the bags?

Tell us your pack size and artwork with the enquiry. We will say plainly what can be done.

Is the pepper irradiated?

The pepper is treated with steam before grinding. If your market needs a written non-irradiation statement, ask for it to be written into the contract.

HS code

Ground pepper is classified under HS 0904.12 (pepper, crushed or ground). Your customs broker confirms the national line.