Tanzania black pepper (Piper nigrum) is the produce of peppercorn pods. These fruit-like chillies have very spicy seeds and are popular seasoning. They are ready to harvest when still immature. The pods either undergo drying to use as processed pepper or are retained in raw, green, undried form to spice meals. Each plant carries around 30 spikes which bear seed. The seeds unlike the name of the plant are white. The name ‘black-pepper’ comes from the pods which turn from green to dark red color which looks like black from far.

The first time black pepper reached areas outside its native Asia dominion was in the Middle Ages when Romans brought it to Europe. It had existed in Asia for centuries past. The African varieties derive from Egypt where mummification with pepper was a common practice around 1200 B.C. The other varieties available in East Africa came courtesy of Vasco da Gama on his route to and fro India.

One of the most popular uses of Tanzania black pepper has been in folk medicine. Many communities around Africa use it to cure bone conditions including arthritis. Related to these is the treatment of joint issues and fever. Nausea relief, migraine eradication, sore throat cure and indigestion treatment are other benefits of peppercorn.