Don't add black pepper to pet food. It may irritate the nose, throat, and stomach; larger amounts may cause coughing or vomiting. Set aside a plain portion before seasoning family meals.
Black pepper is a pungent seasoning ground from dried unripe berries (peppercorns) of Piper nigrum. Its sharpness comes from piperine. White and green peppercorns come from the same plant with different processing.
Black pepper is used in everything from eggs and soups to meat rubs and marinades. It's sold ground, cracked, or as whole grinder peppercorns and is a standard table seasoning.
Pepper is blended into lemon pepper, steak seasoning, curry powder, and all-purpose spice mixes. Seasoned meat scraps and drippings often carry concentrated pepper residue not suitable for pets.
