# What stinks? White Pepper...



## JillBurgh

I picked up white pepper this week at Penzey's. 
It just always seemed like something any good kitchen should have. 

I used it for the first time today in my Haluski and it made everything stink!!
I mean STINK stink.
Stunk so bad that the braising cabbage smell was overpowered.

So what's the deal with that stink? It ruined my dinner!


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## black chef

JillBurgh said:


> I picked up white pepper this week at Penzey's.
> It just always seemed like something any good kitchen should have.
> 
> I used it for the first time today in my Haluski and it made everything stink!!
> I mean STINK stink.
> Stunk so bad that the braising cabbage smell was overpowered.
> 
> So what's the deal with that stink? It ruined my dinner!



wow.  when you can overpower the smell of cabbage, that's strong.


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## Maverick2272

Way out of my league on that one! I have white pepper here and have never had it overwhelm anything. Maybe it was a reaction between it and the cabbage or some other ingredient?


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## Dave Hutchins

I have cooked for years and never had that happen when I used white pepper.  I would send it back and ask for quality control to look at it and send you a replacement.  some thing is not right with it.


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## LadyCook61

That is unusual, I have used white pepper , I find it quite mild .


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## stinemates

I really hate the taste of white pepper.


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## larry_stewart

Yeah, m white pepper  is similar to the black pepper, just not as potent


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## VeraBlue

I rarely use white pepper for that very reason.  I'm of the opinion that it smells like feet just released from sweaty sneakers.


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## bethzaring

maybe it is a personal/individual reaction to white pepper?

I have always bought herbs and spices in bulk and early on I needed a white pepper for a recipe, so I for decades I bought white peppercorns by the pound and froze them. I had no need for pounds of both white and black pepper, so I only bought white.  I have not noticed anything like you experienced.  And I use a heavy hand with pepper.


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## YT2095

maybe it`s Pyridine, created by the oxidation of Piperidine/Piperine?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyridine
Piperidine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Piperine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## kitchenelf

VeraBlue said:


> I rarely use white pepper for that very reason.  I'm of the opinion that it smells like feet just released from sweaty sneakers.



I always associated that smell with cumin.


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## QSis

Hmmmph, I just stuck my nose in my white pepper and didn't smell much of anything except a faint smell like black pepper.  Maybe it's old. 'Course I'm sneezing like a banshee, now.

Vera and ke, my Aunt Alice says that brussels sprouts "taste like dirty feet smell".  Guess I love dirty feet - I like all 3 things.  

Lee


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## marigeorge

The white pepper shouldn't stink, it is should smell less pungent than the black variety. It is just black pepper with the skin removed. I would take it back for a replacement or just stick with the black pepper.

Try some Balinese long pepper if you want to smell something stinky! It isn't quite so bad once it has been ground and put on the food, though.


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## Andy M.

I'd have to say I agree that the pepper shouldn't smell any worse that the black variety.  Perhaps it was another ingredient that is the bad guy.


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## quicksilver

VeraBlue said:


> I rarely use white pepper for that very reason. I'm of the opinion that it smells like feet just released from sweaty sneakers.


 


QSis said:


> Hmmmph, I just stuck my nose in my white pepper and didn't smell much of anything except a faint smell like black pepper. Maybe it's old. 'Course I'm sneezing like a banshee, now.
> 
> Vera and ke, my Aunt Alice says that brussels sprouts "taste like dirty feet smell". Guess I love dirty feet - I like all 3 things.
> 
> Lee


 
I'm laughing my head off at you two. So funny!

I use white pepper because it is milder and when I don't want black speckles on my food - like fish.
But I don't cook or eat brussel sprouts not because they smell like feet, but they just plain STINK! Which is why I don't cook or eat califlower, cooked cabbage, or rutabega, either. Just can't get past the smell.  

Send that pepper back. Maybe it wasn't dried enough, and it picked up a bacterial or a smell from something it was near, when drying. Don't chance it.


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## mcnerd

Ditto for me.  No potent bad experience for me with White Pepper.  I use a grinder for both on a regular basis.


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## JillBurgh

Wow lot's of opinions here! I'm wondering if it is like cyanide... not poisonous (I hope), but that only certain people can smell it?

The overwhelming number of commenters that say they don't notice any stink vs the ones that say it DOES stink makes me think that some people got it and some people don't. I'm with Vera on the feet smell. I actually told SO that it smelled like... um.. kaka, I believe... Not sure how one goes about spelling that, but I think we all understand here.

I had coarse white pepper, so I tilted the cooking liquid to the bottom of the pan and used paper towels to sop up as many grounds as I could. The faint aroma is still obvious to me, but at least I cut back on anyone gettting it caught in their teeth! Talk about bad breath!

SO also said that in the past he always disliked white pepper because it tasted/smelled funny and he's corny for peppercorns. (That's like kooky for Coco Puffs)


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## JillBurgh

YT2095 said:


> maybe it`s Pyridine, created by the oxidation of Piperidine/Piperine?
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyridine
> Piperidine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> Piperine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


 THis makes perfect sense with my cyanide idea!!

I wonder if they are closely chemically related? Any chemists here? This is so interesting. Thanks for the research.


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## JillBurgh

Ok it looks like Pyridine is C(5)H(5)N and Hydrogen Cyanide is HCN

are we on to something?

And *YT2095 -* I'm sorry I should have asked if YOU ARE a chemist! Are you?
[edit]Ok I checked your profile and now I know all about you. 
You are definitely the authority. 
I bow to your chemical wisdom (humbly).[/edit]


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## JillBurgh

Sorry to monopolize the thread, but here is a medical publication that refers to the "fecal off-odor frequently detected in white pepper powders." That's kaka, right?

Role of the fermentation process in off-odorant formation in white pepper

Can you tell I'm now obsessed?

All of the answers:
News For Curious Cooks: Strange flavors in white pepper
_"The Australian scientists may also have discovered how these highly spiced potatoes were allowed to leave the kitchen: they tested 49 people and found that about 20 percent of them could not detect rotundone at all, even at concentrations far above what’s found in white pepper. The scientists say this shows the different experiences two people can have of the same wine, or of the same pepper-seasoned food."_ 
Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company "What's the Pepper Note in Those Shirazes?"


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## VeraBlue

kitchenelf said:


> I always associated that smell with cumin.


 No, that's sweaty underarms


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## kitchenelf

VeraBlue said:


> No, that's sweaty underarms



You been hangin' around with people who hang upside down?


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## VeraBlue

kitchenelf said:


> You been hangin' around with people who hang upside down?


 just overactive olfactory sense!


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## BreezyCooking

It must be an individual thing.  I've been grinding/using white peppercorns for years & have never had a problem with it's scent or taste being at all offensive.


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## waaza

YT2095 said:


> maybe it`s Pyridine, created by the oxidation of Piperidine/Piperine?
> 
> Pyridine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> Piperidine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> Piperine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia




pyridine would not be formed from the oxidation of the other chemicals you mention; it is very volatile, so would not hang around. It has a vile smell, which when smelt, makes one want to chuck!

I have had black pepper which had a medicinal smell of mold, white pepper is just black pepper with the black husk removed.

I would either return the pepper, or chuck it. I would not use it again!!


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