Marcus Trescothick has revealed that he sucked sweets to help keep the shine on the ball when playing for England.
The former England opener was part of the team that won the 2005 Ashes series against Australia when reverse swing was key to their success.
Cricket laws forbid the use of "any artificial substance", specifically to be applied to the surface of the ball.
"According to the laws this is illegal - but we won't outlaw sucking sweets," an ICC spokesman told BBC Sport.
The Somerset man's international career is now over because of stress-related problems, but he was the man England nominated to look after the ball, not only in 2005, but also in the home series against Australia four years earlier.
"I was firmly established as the man in charge of looking after the ball when we were fielding," says the 32-year-old in his new autobiography.
"It was my job to keep the shine on the new ball for as long as possible with a bit of spit and a lot of polish - and through trial and error I finally settled on the best type of spit for the task at hand."
He adds: "I had a go at Murray Mints and found they worked a treat."
606: DEBATE
"If appropriate, it would be looked into," added the ICC spokesman over Trescothick's latest revelations.
"It depends on the evidence and circumstances, so if something is brought to our attention it would be dealt with.
"But where do you stop, for example, if you start to try to stop everyone who is chewing gum?"
In 2004 India vice-captain Rahul Dravid was fined 50% of his match fee for ball-tampering during a one-day game against Zimbabwe in Brisbane in Australia.
Match referee Clive Lloyd charged Dravid under clause 2.10 of the ICC code of conduct.
Third umpire Peter Parker is believed to have stepped in after cameras picked up fielder Dravid rubbing a cough lozenge on to the white ball.
Trescothick, who made 184 for Somerset in a Pro40 game against Gloucestershire on Saturday, announced his retirement from international cricket in March 2008 after playing in 76 Tests and 123 one-day internationals.
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