Mastic products

Mastic is an important product for Chios both for export and use on the island, today I want to tell you specifically about the use in products.

Mastic collection starts usually mid August, with the work starting again very early in the morning.

The larger pieces are collected (along with dust, tree leaves and small stones) from the ground. They are spread in large wooden pans and taken in to the growers house to be stored in a dry and cool place.

The small pieces of mastic are collected Mid September from the tree trunk and from the ground.

The cleaning of mastic is a laborious task which starts November. Usually all the family

From there the Mastic is send to the factorys to be used in the production of various things.

The locals swear on the heailng properties of mastic so its no surprise that they offer a variety products from beauty products to coffee with mastic added to them.

The most obvious use is of course the chewing gum because of its sticky consistency.

Since the trees only seem to produce mastic in the south of Chios Mastic can be quite expensive but nevertheless trying mastic is definitely worth it.

If you are interested in this product you can combine the shopping with visiting one of the villages in the south famous for their mastic. The most popular destination for this is Mesta, a village near the Mastic trees. Here you can wander thrue the old streets and dicover little shops which offer local mastic specialties.