Black pepper oil |

Last updated: 24/08/2025
|
 |
(Not known by any other names) |
The following alerts are based on the data in the tables below. An absence of an alert does not imply the substance has no implications for human health, biodiversity or the environment but just that we do not have the data to form a judgement. These hazard alerts do not take account of usage patterns or exposure, thus do not represent risk.
Environmental fate |
Ecotoxicity |
Human health |
  |
|
|
|
An oil extracted from the black pepper plant (Piper nigrum L.) which is mainly used for repelling mammalian pests |
|
Dogs; Cats; Ground hogs; Squirrels; Skunks; Raccoons; Ants |
|
Non-living areas inside (e.g. garages, cellars, basements); Non-food crops (e.g. ornamentals, shrubs) |
|
- |
|
- |
|
Class: Magnoliopsida; Order: Piperales; Family: Piperaceae |
|
Not approved |
|
Not applicable |
|
No UK approval for use as a plant protection agent |
EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414) |
|
Not approved |
|
Not applicable |
|
Not applicable |
|
Not applicable |
|
No |
|
ATAustria |
BEBelgium |
BGBulgaria |
CYCyprus |
CZCzech Republic |
DEGermany |
DKDenmark |
EEEstonia |
ELGreece |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
ESSpain |
FIFinland |
FRFrance |
HRCroatia |
HUHungary |
IEIreland |
ITItaly |
LTLithuania |
LULuxembourg |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
LVLatvia |
MTMalta |
NLNetherlands |
PLPoland |
PTPortugal |
RORomania |
SESweden |
SISlovenia |
SKSlovakia |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
|
|
ISIceland |
NONorway |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
|
|
Black pepper oil itself is not isomeric, but some of the chemical compounds within it can exhibit isomerism. The key bioactive compound in white pepper is piperine. Piperine is an organic molecule that can exist alongside structural isomer or stereoisomer forms such as isopiperine, chavicine, and piperyline. |
|
- |
|
- |
|
- |
|
- |
|
- |
|
No |
|
Insecticide;Semiochemical |
|
Plant-derived substance; Plant oil |
|
- |
|
- |
|
Natural; Complex mixture |
|
Repels animals by irritation upon touching or tasting the product |
|
Sourced from the black pepper plant (Piper nigrum L.) |
|
General pest management |
|
Dogs; Cats; Ground hogs; Squirrels; Skunks; Raccoons; Ants |
|
Non-living areas inside (e.g. garages, cellars, basements); Non-food crops (e.g. ornamentals, shrubs) |
|
- |
|
8006-82-4 |
|
- |
|
- |
|
000669 |
|
- |
|
- |
|
black pepper oil |
|
- |
|
- |
|
- |
|
- |
|
US GRAS, widely used in food stuffs; FEMA=2845; FLAVIS=04.085 |
|
- |
|
Not applicable |
|
Not applicable |
|
UNE |
|
Not applicable |
|
Not applicable |
|
Pale yellow oily liquid with a sharp pepper odour. It is comprised of many different substances at variable concentrations including trans-caryophyllene (~30%), d-limonene (~12%), beta-pinene (~25%), and alpha-pinene (~10%) |
|
|
|
|
|
Current |
|
2004, first registered USA |
|
- Woodstream Corp
- Hill Tech Canada
|
|
- Animal Repellent Granular
|
|
Usually formulated as a granules, powder or emulsifiable concentrate |
|
Commercial production of black pepper oil involves the steam distillation of dried peppercorns from the Piper nigrum plant. The process begins with harvesting and drying the pepper berries, which are then subjected to direct steam in specialised distillation units. The heat causes the volatile compounds, such as pinenes, limonene, and caryophyllene, to evaporate. These vapours are then condensed back into liquid form, separating the essential oil from water. |
|
While specific data for black pepper essential oil is not widely published, data for black pepper powder is and is approximately 9.06 kg CO₂e per kilogram at the factory level. This figure includes emissions from agriculture (about 97%), transport (3%), and minimal contributions from processing, packaging, and storage. As the oil is derived from the same raw material, its footprint would be similar or slightly higher due to the energy-intensive steam distillation process. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
187.8 |
|
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
0.87 |
|
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
|
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
|
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
|
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
|
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
As this parameter is not normally measured directly, a surrogate measure is used: ‘Photochemical oxidative DT₅₀’. Where data is available, this can be found in the Fate Indices section below. |
|
- |
Soil adsorption and mobility |
|
None
Terrestrial ecotoxicology |
|
|
|
|
|
> 5000 |
Rat |
Low |
|
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
> 2250 |
Anas platyrhynchos |
Low |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
|
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
|
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
HUMAN HEALTH AND PROTECTION |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- |
- |
- |
|
> 5000 |
Rat |
Low |
|
5000 |
Rat |
- |
|
> 2.04 |
Rat |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
|
- |
|
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
Carcinogen |
|
Endocrine disruptor |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
A0 A = Chromosome aberration (EFSA database) 0 = No data ; B0 B = DNA damage/repair (EFSA database) 0 = No data ; C0 C = Gene mutation (EFSA database) 0 = No data ; D0 D = Genome mutation (EFSA database) 0 = No data ; E3 E = Unspecified genotoxicity type (miscellaneous data source) 3 = Negative |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
Reproduction / development effects |
Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor |
Neurotoxicant |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
No data found |
No data found |
Respiratory tract irritant |
Skin irritant |
Skin sensitiser |
No data found |
✓Yes, known to cause a problem |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
Eye irritant |
Phototoxicant |
  |
✓Yes, known to cause a problem |
No data found |
  |
|
|
No serious adverse health effects identified |
|
|
|
No information available |
|
- |
|
Not listed (Not listed) |
|
- |
|
- |
|
- |
|
|
|
black pepper oil |
|
- |
|
- |
|
- |
|
- |
|
- |
|
- |
|
- |
|
- |
|
- |
|
- |
|
- |
Record last updated: |
24/08/2025 |
Contact: |
aeru@herts.ac.uk |
Please cite as: |
Lewis, K.A., Tzilivakis, J., Warner, D. and Green, A. (2016) An international database for pesticide risk assessments and management. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, 22(4), 1050-1064. DOI: 10.1080/10807039.2015.1133242 |