Irradiated samples of several ground spices, i.e. white pepper, black pepper, nutmeg. and ginger showed considerable loss of viscosity of their heat gelatinized suspensions as compared to that of unirradiated controls. Viscosimetric studies were also performed with a number of untreated pepper samples of various origin to estimate the “natural” variation of rheological properties. Following such preliminary experiments, storage studies were performed with ground black pepper samples of various water activity levels, either untreated or treated with gamma radiation doses of 4, 8, 16, and 32 kGy, respectively. Subsequent to irradiation, the samples were stored for 100 days at room temperature and under relative humidities in equilibrium with their respective moisture content (25 %, 50 %, and 75 % R.H., resp.). Statistically significant differences of the apparent viscosity of heat gelatinized suspensions remained detectable between untreated samples and those irradiated with 8 kGy or higher doses during the entire storage period. However, the apparent viscosity of high-moisture (75 % E.R.H.) untreated samples was decreasing during long-term storage. Differences between viscosities of untreated and irradiated samples were enlarged when measured at elevated temperatures such as 50 °C in the rotational viscosimeter, or in the boiling-water bath of a Falling Number apparatus.