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Mastic (Greek:Μαστίχα) is aresin obtained from the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus).[1] It is also known astears of Chios,[2] being traditionally produced on the island ofChios, and, like other naturalresins, is produced in "tears" or droplets.
Mastic is excreted by the resin glands of the evergreen shrubPistacia lentiscus[3] and dries into pieces of brittle, translucent resin. When chewed, the resin softens and becomes bright white and opaque. The flavor is bitter at first, but after some chewing, it releases a refreshing flavor similar topine andcedar.
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Chios mastic has been used as atraditional medicine over the last 2,500 years.[4][better source needed] The wordmastic is derived indirectly fromAncient Greek:μαστίχη,lit. 'mastic', which may be related to Ancient Greek:μασᾶσθαι,lit. 'chew'.[5] The first mention of actual mastic 'tears' was byHippocrates. Hippocrates used mastic for the prevention of digestive problems, colds and as a breath freshener.[citation needed] Romans used mastic along with honey, pepper, and egg in the spiced wineconditum paradoxum.[citation needed] Under the Byzantine Empire, the mastic trade became the Emperor's monopoly. In the Ottoman Empire, the Sultan gathered the finest mastic crop.[citation needed]
During theOttoman rule of Chios, mastic was worth its weight in gold.Sakız Adası, the Turkish name for the island of Chios, means 'gum island'. The mastic villages are fortress-like, out of sight from the sea, surrounded by high walls and with no doors at street level (meaning that the villages were entered only by ladders), in order to protect the sap.[clarification needed][citation needed]
Although the liqueur is much younger, it is still tied up with Greek history.[how?] Digestive liqueurs, similar to Mastichato (Mastika), but made with grapes, were known as Greek elixirs before the French Revolution.[clarification needed][citation needed]
The production of mastic was threatened by theChios forest fire that destroyed some mastic groves in August 2012.
Producing the mastic resin is a whole-year process for the local growers. The harvest is known askentos and takes place from the beginning of July to the beginning of October. First, the area around the trees is cleared and sprinkled with inertcalcium carbonate. Then, every 4–5 days, 5–10 incisions are made in the bark of each tree to release the resin. As these clear drops hang from the tree, and sparkle in the sunlight, they are said to resemble crystalline teardrops; for this reason, the mastic resin is known as the "tears of Chios". It takes about 15–20 days for the first resin crystals to harden and fall to the ground. The farmers then collect the pieces of dry mastic and wash them in natural spring water, and spend most of the winter cleaning and separating the tears from the sand. This cleaning process is performed by hand and is regulated by the legislative framework of the Mastic Growers' Association. In addition to mastic, mastic oil is also produced.
As of 2024[update] there are twenty-four[6] mastichochoria, or mastic villages, on the island of Chios dedicated to the cultivation and production of mastic.[7] The designation "Masticha Chiou" ("Khios mastic") is protected by aEuropean Unionprotected designation of origin (PDO).[8]
The island's mastic production is controlled by a co-operative. Founded in 1938, the Chios Gum Mastic Growers Association (Greek:Ένωση Μαστιχοπαραγωγών Χίου), abbreviatedCGMGA, is a secondary cooperative organisation and acts as the collective representative organ of twenty primary cooperatives founded in the twenty-four mastic villages.[9] it has the exclusive management of natural Chios Mastiha in Greece and abroad.[6][non-primary source needed] The Chios Mastic Museum offers a permanent exhibition about mastic production on the island, explaining its history and cultivation techniques as well as demonstrating its different uses today.[10]
Traditionally there has also been limited production of mastic on theÇeşme peninsula, on the Turkish coast eight nautical miles from Chios, with similar ecological conditions suitable for mastic production.[11] TheTurkish Foundation for Combating Soil Erosion, Reforestation and the Protection of Natural Habitats (TEMA) has led an effort to protect the native Turkish mastic trees and to plant new ones in the Çeşme peninsula to revive viable commercial production of the product. As part of this project, which was expected to last through 2016, over 3,000 mastic tree saplings were planted between 2008 and October 2011 to over 368 acres (149 hectares) of dedicated farm land provided by theIzmir Institute of Technology.[12]
In theEastern Mediterranean, mastic is commonly used inbrioches, ice cream, and other desserts.[13] InSyria andPalestine, mastic is added tobooza (Levantine ice cream), and in Turkey, mastic is widely used in desserts such asTurkish delight anddondurma, in puddings such assütlaç,salep,tavuk göğsü,mamelika, and in soft drinks. Mastic syrup is added toTurkish coffee on the Aegean coast. In Greece, mastic is used in liqueurs such as Mastika (or Mastichato), in aspoon sweet known as a "submarine" (Greek:υποβρύχιο,romanized: ypovríchio), in beverages, chewing gum, sweets, desserts, breads and cheese. It is also used to stabiliseloukoumi and ice cream.
In theMaghreb, mastic is used mainly in cakes, sweets, and pastries and as a stabilizer inmeringue andnougat. In Morocco, mastic is used in the preparation of smoked foods.[citation needed]
One of the earliest uses of mastic was aschewing gum. Mastic (מסטיק) is the colloquialHebrew word for chewing gum[14].
Some scholars identify thebakha mentioned in theBible with the mastic plant.[citation needed]Bakha appears to be derived fromHebrew:בכא, weeping, and is thought to refer to the "tears" of resin secreted by the mastic plant.
AncientJewishhalachic sources indicate mastic as a treatment for bad breath: "Mastic is not chewed onShabbat. When [is it forbidden to chew mastic on Shabbat]? When the intention is medicinal. If it is used for bad breath, it is permissible."[15]
Mastic is an essential ingredient ofchrism, the holy oil used foranointing by theEastern Orthodox Churches.
Ancient Greek physicians such asHippocrates,Dioscorides,Galenus, andTheophrastus recommended it for a range ofgastrointestinal disorders.[4]
During 15th century,Andrés Laguna, a prominent Spanish physician and botanist, utilized mastic to treatpyorrhea and advocated its use in dental care formulations, including infusions andconcoctions[disambiguation needed] fortoothpaste andbreath fresheners. He also recommended the use of the tree'stwigs astoothpicks.
Beyond its oral health applications, mastic was applied as a beauty enhancer for the skin and used to alleviatemenstrual discomfort. It was also utilized to mask the unpleasant odors associated with chronicmercury exposure.[16]
In February 2016, theEuropean Medicines Agency (EMA) published the final assessment ofPistacia lentiscus L. resin. The EMA concluded that the available clinical studies, though numerous, were too small and methodologically weak to support a "well-established use" designation for mastic resin. These studies primarily investigated its oral (as a sole agent) and cutaneous applications (in combination with other products). Despite these shortcomings, the EMA found that these studies did not raise any significant safety concerns, thus supporting the traditional use of mastic. The assessment highlighted that mastic has been part of traditional and folk medicine for more than 30 years in several countries such asIraq,Turkey,Japan,South Korea, theUnited States, and particularly, within the European Union, in Greece. Considering this long-standing use, the EMA deemed the requirements for traditional medicinal products according to Directive 2001/83/EC to be fulfilled for the medicinal use of powdered mastic. The EMA reports also note theantimicrobial activity of mastic in non-clinical in vitro studies and its particular effectiveness againstHelicobacter pylori.Based on these findings, the EMA approved the use of powdered mastic as a traditional herbal medicinal product for two indications:
The agency stipulated that due to the lack of sufficient data, the use of mastic inchildren, duringpregnancy, andlactation is not recommended.[17]
Mastic is used in somevarnishes. Mastic varnish was used to protect and preserve photographic negatives.[18] Mastic is also used in perfumes, cosmetics, soap, body oils, and body lotion. Inancient Egypt, mastic was used in embalming. In its hardened form, mastic can be used, likefrankincense orBoswellia resin, to produce incense.
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