Chios mastiha gum is the air-dried resin of the mastic tree grown on the Greek island of Chios, and mastiha is simply the Greek word for what English sellers call mastic. It is one product with two names, which is why labels, listings and search results look so inconsistent.
At Titans Jaw we sell small tears, medium tears and a melted form of it, and the same few questions come up every week: which word is correct, what the sizes mean, and how to keep it fresh. Here are the answers, with the sources behind them.
By Carl J., Owner · Last updated October 5, 2026
Where Does the Word Mastiha Come From?
What does mastiha mean? It means mastic, in Greek. According to Etymonline, English mastic arrived from Old French and Late Latin, from the Latin mastiche, from the Greek mastikhe, a word of uncertain origin that is probably related to masasthai, “to chew.”
So why is it called mastiha in Greek? Because that is the Greek word, and the word itself most likely points to chewing. English reshaped it over centuries and kept the same root as “masticate.” The Greek letter χ is the reason spellings differ: some sellers write it “ch” and others “h,” which gives you masticha, mastiha, mastika and mastix on different packages.
How Does Mastiha Versus Mastic Terminology Work on a Label?
Both words are correct, and mastiha versus mastic terminology mostly depends on where each one is used. English dictionaries list mastic, and Dictionary.com also applies the word to related trees and their resins, so mastic alone can be ambiguous. Mastiha reads as the Greek word, which suits products that lean on Chios heritage.
So which is correct mastic or mastiha? Treat them as interchangeable and look for a different word. The EU’s 1997 register of protected names lists the product in Greek and in transliteration, and the transliterated entry is “Masticha Chiou,” which you can see in Commission Regulation (EC) No 123/97. The word that identifies the product is Chios, and the one that follows it is a spelling choice. If you want the legal side of that, our guide to Greek versus Chios mastic covers what a label can and can’t promise.
What Makes Traditional Chios Mastiha Different From Other Resins?
Traditional Chios mastiha is the natural resin sold in its original form, as whole teardrop pieces, with nothing added. The Chios Gum Mastic Growers Association’s product specification describes it as the air-dried resinous exudation of Pistacia lentiscus var. Chia, in transparent to opaque crystalline granules shaped like teardrops, off-white to yellowish, with a green, balsamic odor.
That sheet is useful beyond the poetry. It gives a softening point of 45 to 55°C, which is why a tear starts brittle and turns pliable as it warms. It also lists a maximum moisture of 2 percent and calls the product a natural resin and elastic gum. Authenticity checks are a separate topic, and our guide to authentic Chios mastic gum walks through them.
How Are Chios Mastiha Resin Grades and Tear Sizes Labeled?
Chios mastiha resin grades are really size classes, and each seller sorts them a little differently. One Chios seller, ANEMOS, publishes a size guide that numbers them: No.1 for large tears, No.3 for medium and No.5 for small, with extra small tears and powder listed alongside.
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| Size label | What it is | Uses that seller names | Behavior in warm weather |
| Powder | Ground resin | Cooking, grinding | Clumps above about 17°C |
| Extra small | Fine grade | Grinding for personal use | Does not stick easily |
| Small (No.5) | The seller’s most popular size | Grinding, spice, harder chewing | Does not stick easily |
| Medium (No.3) | Mid-sized whole tears | Chewing | May clump in warm conditions |
| Large (No.1) | Largest whole tears | Chewing | May clump in warm conditions |
So what grades of chios mastiha are available? Powder, extra small, small, medium and large, at least under that seller’s scheme. We found no single universal grading standard, so a “No.3” from one seller may not match another’s medium. That seller also states that every size comes from the same Chios resin, and the difference lies in size and use.
Titans Jaw’s tins follow the simple names. Our Small Tears and Medium Tears are separate products, and the melted 1 lb form is the same resin fused together. Our side-by-side comparison of small and medium tears covers how they chew.
What Does the Producer Specification Say About Heat and Handling?
It says to keep the resin cool and dry in closed containers, and the numbers explain why. With a softening point of 45 to 55°C, a hot delivery truck can start tears fusing together. ANEMOS notes that its powder is highly sensitive to temperatures above 17°C and may clump into a single mass, and that medium and large tears can do the same in warm conditions.
That seller’s position is that clumping is a natural reaction of mastic and does not affect its properties or quality. It adds that extra small and small tears don’t stick easily, which makes them suitable for summer shipping. We cover the practical side in how small tears hold up in summer heat.
What Should a Mastiha Label Tell You?
Four things, and none of them is which spelling it uses. Look for the word Chios, a single ingredient, a plain size name, and ideally the botanical name Pistacia lentiscus var. Chia, which is how the producers’ own specification identifies the product.
A vague label is a reason to ask questions, and a seller that can’t say which size it is selling is telling you something. We are happy to answer them at our contact page or at support@titansjaw.us.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the difference between mastic and mastiha?
There is no difference in the resin, only in the language. Mastiha is the Greek word, written Μαστίχα, and mastic is the English form of the same word. The name that carries legal weight is the EU-registered one, Μαστίχα Χίου (Masticha Chiou), which is tied to Chios. So “mastic” or “mastiha” alone names a resin, while “Chios” names where it grew.
2. Why do some sellers say mastiha and others say mastic?
Mostly habit and audience. Sellers writing for English-speaking shoppers tend to use mastic, because that is the dictionary word, and sellers leaning on Greek heritage tend to use mastiha. The transliterated spelling also varies, which is why you will see masticha, mastika and mastix on labels. Neither word is a quality claim, so don’t pick a product by which one it prints.
3. What do the different grades and tear sizes mean?
They describe piece size, not purity. The numbers and names are a seller’s sorting scheme, and we found no single industry standard, so check what a seller means before comparing two tins. Where we could confirm it, the same Chios resin comes in every size. Bigger tears are harder to soften and more likely to fuse in warm weather, which is why many people start with small tears and move up.
4. How should mastiha be stored to keep it fresh?
Keep it in a closed tin in a cool, dry place, away from sunlight and any heat source. Don’t leave a package in a parked car, a mailbox or a sunny windowsill. If the tears fuse together in warm weather, that is the resin softening, not spoiling. Chill the closed tin briefly until it firms up, then break the pieces apart and carry on.
5. How long does mastiha keep once opened?
We haven’t found a published opened-container deadline from Chios producers, so we won’t invent one. The resin is a dry solid, and producers ask only that it stay closed, cool and dry. In practice, judge it by eye and nose: clean, dry tears with a fresh, balsamic aroma are fine, and anything damp, dusty or off-smelling should be replaced. For a specific tin, email support@titansjaw.us.
Ready to Choose Your Chios Mastiha Gum?
Now you know what the words and size labels mean, so choosing is simple. Start with small tears if you are new to mastiha, step up to medium tears when you want a harder chew, and keep the tin closed and cool either way. Titans Jaw ships Chios mastiha gum across the United States, with free standard shipping on orders over $50 and a 30-day money-back guarantee, and you can shop all three forms today.
