Mastic (plant resin)

Mastic tears

Mastic (Greek: Μαστίχα) is a resin obtained from the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus). In pharmacies and Nature shops it is called "arabic gum" (not to be confused with gum arabic) and "Yemen gum". In Greece it is known as the "tears of Chios," being traditionally produced on that Greek island, and, like other natural resins is produced in "tears" or droplets. Originally liquid, it is sun-dried into drops of hard brittle translucent resin. When chewed, the resin softens and becomes a bright white and opaque gum. The flavor is bitter at first, but after chewing releases a refreshing, slightly piney or cedar flavor.

The word mastic derives from the Greek verb μαστιχειν "to gnash the teeth", which is the source of the English word masticate.^[1] The word mastic is a synonym for gum in many languages.

Commerce

Within the European Union, mastic production in Chios is granted Protected Designation of Origin. The island's mastic production is controlled by a co-operative of medieval villages, collectively known as the 'Mastichochoria' (Μαστιχοχώρια), which are also located in the southern part of Chios. There is even a small Museum of Mastic in the village of Pyrgi. Some attempts to produce mastic on the Çeşme peninsula, on the Turkish coast across the Aegean from Chios, were unsuccessful.^[2]

The harvest takes place from July until the beginning of October. First, the area around the tree is cleared and sprinkled with inert calcium carbonate. Then incisions in the bark are made: 5-10 on each tree, every 4–5 days. The resin flows from the incisions, falling on the ground where it solidifies. The pieces of dry mastic can then be collected for cleaning and eventual sale. In addition to mastic, mastic oil is also produced.

Imitations and substitutes

The rarity of mastic and the difficulty of its production make it expensive. As a result, imitations in the form of other resins appear in the market, sold as "mastic," such as Boswellia or Gum arabic. Other trees such as Pistacia palaestina can also produce a resin similar to mastic. Other substances are sometimes used in place of mastic, such as pine tree resin and almond tree resin.^{[citation needed]}

Medicinal use

Mastic shrub — Pistacia lentiscus

Mastic has been used as a medicine since antiquity and is still used in traditional folk medicine of the Middle East. In Ancient Greece, it was given as a remedy for snakebite, and in India and Persia was used to fill dental cavities. The first century Greek physician Pedanius Dioscorides mentions the healing properties of mastic in his book De Materia Medica. Hippocrates wrote that the mastic is good for prevention of digestive problems and colds and Galenus suggested mastic was useful for bronchitis and improving the condition of the blood. For more everyday applications, mastic was highly valued in medieval times by sultans' harems, as a breath freshener and tooth whitener.

Mastic contains antioxidants, and also has antibacterial and antifungal properties.^[3] A Nottingham University study published in the New England Journal of Medicine claims that mastic can cure peptic ulcers by killing Helicobacter pylori bacteria.^[4] Other studies have indicated mastic has only a modest ability to eliminate H. pylori, but also suggested that refining mastic by removing the polymer poly-β-myrcene may make the active components, in particular isomasticadienolic acid more available and effective.^[5] Mastic may also have some value in preventing tooth decay^[6] and gingevitis^[7] as chewing mastic reduces oral bacteria levels.

Regular consumption of mastic has been proven to absorb cholesterol, thus easing high blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attacks.^[8] Mastic oil is widely used in the preparation of ointments for skin disorders and afflictions.^{[citation needed]} It is also used in the manufacture of adhesive bandages.^{[citation needed]}

Use in food

One of the earliest uses of mastic was as chewing gum, hence the name; mastic-flavoured chewing gum is sold in Lebanon.^[9] Mastic is used in ice cream, sauces and seasoning in Lebanon. In Egypt, mastic is used in the preparation of different vegetable preserves, as well as jams with a gummy consistency, and in meats and soups. In Morocco, mastic is used in the preparation of smoked foods.

In Turkey, mastic is widely used in desserts such as Turkish delight, dondurma, puddings like sütlaç, salep, and tavuk göğsü, mamelika, and soft drinks, also in the preparation of Turkish coffee on the Aegean Coast.

In the Maghreb countries, mastic is used mainly for cakes, sweets, pastries, and as a stabiliser in meringue and nougat.

In Greece, mastic is used to prepare mastic liqueurs like Mastichato, a spoon sweet known as "vaníllia", beverages, chewing gum, cakes, pastries, sweets, desserts, breads, and in cheese production. It is also a binding material or material preparation stabilizer for oriental sweets like Turkish delight or mastic gum ice cream, and is suitable for preparing a pudding. In desserts, as an ingredient of jam or cakes, mastic is used to replace cornstarch and gelatin. It can also be used to stabilize ice creams.

Other uses

Mastic is used as a raw material in the production of some varnishes. Mastic varnish was used to protect and preserve photographic negatives.^[10] Mastic is also used to produce perfumes, in the cosmetics industry, and in the production of soaps, body oils, or body lotion. In Ancient Egypt mastic was used in embalming. Mastic in its hardened form can be used, like frankincense or Boswellia resin, to produce incense.

History

During the Ottoman rule of Chios, mastic was worth its weight in gold. The penalty for stealing mastic was execution by order of the Sultan. In the Chios Massacre of 1822, the people of the "mastic villages", or Mastichochoria region were spared to serve the Sultan by providing him and his harem with mastic. The Turkish name for the island of Chios, Sakız Adası, means "island of gum".

In religion

Some scholars identify the bakha בכא mentioned in the Bible with the mastic plant. The word bakha appears to be derived from the Hebrew word for weeping, and is thought to refer to the "tears" of resin secreted by the mastic plant.

In ancient Jewish halachic sources, it is indicated that chewing mastic was a treatment for bad breath. "Mastic is not chewed on shabbat. When (is it permissible to chew mastic on shabbat nonetheless)? When the intention is medicinal. If it is against a bad odor, it is permissible." Shabbat (Talmud) Chapter 13, Mishnah 7

Mastic is an essential ingredient of chrism, the holy oil used for anointing by the Orthodox Churches.

References

1. ^ http://www.theepicentre.com/Spices/mastic.html
2. ^ http://burcincokuysal.blogspot.com/2010/01/ecologic-evaluation-of-pistacia.html
3. ^ Koutsoudaki C, Krsek M, Rodger A (October 2005). "Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oil and the gum of Pistacia lentiscus Var. chia". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 53 (20): 7681–5. doi:10.1021/jf050639s. PMID 16190616. 
4. ^ Huwez FU, Thirlwell D, Cockayne A, Ala'Aldeen DA (December 1998). "Mastic gum kills Helicobacter pylori". The New England Journal of Medicine 339 (26): 1946. doi:10.1056/NEJM199812243392618. PMID 9874617. 
5. ^ Paraschos S, Magiatis P, Mitakou S, et al. (February 2007). "In vitro and in vivo activities of Chios mastic gum extracts and constituents against Helicobacter pylori". Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 51 (2): 551–9. doi:10.1128/AAC.00642-06. PMC 1797732. PMID 17116667. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=1797732. 
6. ^ Aksoy A, Duran N, Koksal F (June 2006). "In vitro and in vivo antimicrobial effects of mastic chewing gum against Streptococcus mutans and mutans streptococci". Archives of Oral Biology 51 (6): 476–81. doi:10.1016/j.archoralbio.2005.11.003. PMID 16343417. 
7. ^ Takahashi K, Fukazawa M, Motohira H, Ochiai K, Nishikawa H, Miyata T (April 2003). "A pilot study on antiplaque effects of mastic chewing gum in the oral cavity". Journal of Periodontology 74 (4): 501–5. doi:10.1902/jop.2003.74.4.501. PMID 12747455. 
8. ^ Triantafyllou, A.; Chaviaras, N.; Sergentanis, T. N.; Protopapa, E.; Tsaknis, J. (2007). "Chios mastic gum modulates serum biochemical parameters in a human population". Journal of Ethnopharmacology 111 (1): 43–49. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2006.10.031. PMID 17150319.  edit
9. ^ Lebanese Chiclets
10. ^ William Henry Burbank (1888). The Photographic Negative. p. 128. http://books.google.com/?id=MlZwAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA170&lpg=PA170&dq=%22Mastic+varnish%22+photograph+negative&q=mastic. 

External links

• Mastic on chios.gr
• Mastic article from masticulture.com