Mastic (plant resin)

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/mastic-plant-resin

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the botanical classification?Pistacia lentiscus var. Chia
2. What is the geographic origin of commercial production?Southern region of Chios, Greece
3. What is mastic and where does it come from?Mastic is a chewy resin that comes from the Pistacia lentiscus shrub, especially the Chia variety, which is mainly grown on the Greek island of Chios.
4. Why does mastic turn white when you chew it?When you chew mastic, its triterpene components soften and mix with saliva, forming a white, opaque mass.

Oleoresin: A natural resin containing volatile essential oils.
Triterpenes: A class of organic compounds found in plants, contributing to texture and flavor.
Neolithic Period: The final stage of the Stone Age, characterized by the development of agriculture.