Home page and access point for the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) website. Home page and access point for the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) website. Skip to main content
Latex is a natural ingredient that comes from rubber trees in the form of a milky liquid. There are thousands of species of plants that produce different types of latex, including the Chicle tree that yields the raw material for producing the rubbery material in chewing gum.
As used in this topic, latex refers to the natural rubber latex manufactured from a milky fluid that is primarily obtained from the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis). Some synthetic rubber materials may be referred to as latex but do not contain the natural rubber proteins responsible for latex allergy symptoms. Latex allergy is addressed in specific standards for the general industry.