Black pepper is prepared by drying the mature but still green berries in the sun for 3 to 4 days. Before drying, the green unripe berries are separated from the stalks by hand-operated or motorised threshers. Then the berries are spread out in a thin layer on rattan mats which can be rolled up easily and taken indoors when necessary. After thorough drying, the berries change colour to a deep mahogany brown or black.

Sarawak Black Pepper Spesifications

	Grade
Characteristics	Standard Black Pepper No.1 (Brown Label)	Sarawak Special Black (Yellow Label)	Sarawak FAQ Black (Black Label)	Sarawak Field Black (Purple Label)	Sarawak Coarse Field Black (Grey Label)
1.Moisture, per cent by weight, maximum	% 12.0	% 14.5	% 15.0	% 16.0	% 16.0
2. Light berries, per cent by weight, maximum	2.0	4.0	8.0	10.0	-
3. Extraneous matter, per cent by weight	1.0	1.5	3.0	4.0	8.0

Notes:

1.Standard Malaysian White Pepper and Special White Pepper shall have a generally pale creamy or dull brownish ivory appearance and shall not contain a substantial amount of dark or brown or mainly brown berries, the determination of which shall be based on a standard sample.

2.The mouldy pepper in Standard Malaysia pepper shall not exceed 1% by weight.