Recently, the traditional knowledge of Chios mastiha production was recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. The plant has a unique lemony balsam-like smell, which can permeate the air of the ‘Mastichochoria’, the villages on Chios that produce mastic gum. Mastiha is used as a flavoring for many products in Greece ranging from chewing gum to digestifs, found at nearly every neighborhood restaurant and corner store. The use of Chios mastiha as a digestive dates back to Hippocrates in the 5th century BCE, and has carried through the ages.
