Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) samples kept under argon were decontaminated for 30 min at temperature 60, 80 and 100°C and ultra high pressure (UHP) of 1000 MPa at 60, 80, 100 and 140°C. Changes in the essential oil and piperine content as well as changes in volatile constituents by means of GC and GC-MS were studied. The essential oil content decreased significantly in all treated samples, the losses increased with temperature. Samples subjected to combined high-pressure-heat treatment contained slightly less (5.9-8.3%) essential oil than samples treated only with heat at the same temperature. Piperine content decreased significantly (ca. 20%) only in samples pressurised at 100 and 140°C. Volatiles composition changed after all kind of treatment. Decrease of most of the monoterpenes, minor decrease of sesquiterpenes and increase of α- and γ-terpinen and 1-terpinen-4-ol were observed. High pressure intensified changes in the volatiles composition.