Chios Mastic Gum: The Secret and Emblematic Product of Chios Island.
Legends, traditions, religions, places, voyages, people and cultures compose the myth of Chios mastiha.
Mastic gum – or mastiha in Greek – is a 100% natural Greek product, offered by the mastic tree, a shrub that grows in the southern part of the Island of Chios. It is a type of resin that is extracted from the incisions made in the trunk of the lentiscus, or mastic tree. Mastic has been and remains the emblem of Chios, contributing significantly to the island’s development. It was designated as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product in 1997.
Chios gum has garnered global fame for its beneficial and wound-healing properties, such as alleviating stomach pain and treating inflammatory bowel disease. Since ancient times, it has been utilized in the preparation of natural remedies and is exported worldwide.
Recognizing its therapeutic value, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has included Chios mastiha in the category of traditional herbal medicines, approving the use of mastiha for mild dyspeptic disorders and for inflammation or minor lesions of the skin.
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