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In the East Aegean Sea, somewhere in the crossroad between East and West, in the island of Chios, mastiha, a product – legend, is being planted since antiquity, connected with traditions, historical events and cultural exchanges, arriving untouched till nowadays, sculpted with the culture of the Eastern Mediterranean, more powerful than ever thanks to its scientifically proven beneficial and therapeutic unique properties.

Chios Mastiha is the name of a resinous sap produced from the mastic tree (Pistacia Lentiscus var. Chia). It is a natural, aromatic resin in teardrop shape that falls on the ground in drops from superficial scratches induced by cultivators on the tree’s trunk and main branches with sharp tools.

The know-how of cultivating Mastiha has been included by UNESCO on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Mastiha Trees
Τhe mastic tree or lentisk – scientific name: Pistacia Lentiscus var. Chia (of the Anacardiaceae family), is an evergreen shrub, 2-3 metres high that grows very slowly and becomes ready for cultivation after 40-50 years, reaching up to the height of 5 metres at its mature age. Lentisks and similar varieties of this tree family are an essential part of maqui-type vegetation found in Mediterranean countries, but only in Chios and only in its south part, the special characteristics of the ground, the micro – climate and the traditional cultivation finally create such an impressive result and shape the uniqueness of this special resin.
Any attempt to extend the cultivation beyond this limit has totally failed.

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Mastiha
Chios Mastiha is the name of a resinous sap produced from the mastic tree (Pistacia Lentiscus var. Chia). It is a natural, aromatic resin in teardrop shape that falls on the ground in drops from superficial scratches induced by cultivators on the tree’s trunk and main branches with sharp tools.
In this unique resin we find a great variety of therapeutic and aromatic ingredients. More specifically, it contains natural polymer, volatile and flavour components that are being contained in the mastiha essential oil, terpenic acids, phytosterols, polyphenolic molecules, and a large number of other active ingredients, some of which are occurring in nature for the first time. This unique combination of over 80 ingredients justifies its beneficial properties and its many uses in both food sector and health/personal care, in global scale.

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Protected Designation of Origin
Since 1997, Chios mastiha has been characterized as a Product of Protected DESIGNATION of Origin (PDO), on the basis of Regulation No. 123/1997 (L0224/24-1-97) of the European Union and it has been REGISTERED on the relevant Community List of PDO Products. According to the above regulation, Chios mastiha is protected from the sale of any competitive imitation product that would undermine the reputation of the Designation of Origin.
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Nowadays, it has been gradually revealed by the scientific community, through accurate and scientifically acceptable methods based on laboratory research and clinical studies carried out by independent researchers in Greece and abroad, that natural Chios mastiha is gifted with unique beneficial and therapeutic properties, thus confirming what has been historically recorded over the past.

To be more precise, scientific evidence has confirmed Mastiha’s beneficial action against disorders of the peptic system, its contribution to oral hygiene, its significant antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory action, as well as the fact that it constitutes a natural antioxidant agent. In addition to that, Chios mastiha contributes to wound healing and skin regeneration.