Black pepper is produced from the still-green unripe drupes of the pepper plant. Peppercorns (dried black pepper) are, by monetary value, the most widely traded spice in the world. Pepper gets its spicy heat mostly from piperine derived both from the outer fruit and the seed. Pepper loses flavour and aroma through evaporation, so airtight storage helps preserve its spiciness longer. Pepper can also lose flavour when exposed to light.