Now, an edible tape to seal wraps, burritos

Imagine eating a wrap full of your favourite fillings. Even as the wrap is being packed, your taste buds are already dancing at the thought of the wonderful toppings creating a riot of flavours in your mouth. But when you bite into that crunchy, juicy wrap, you realise more was spilt than actually eaten because, well, that is the nature of wraps.

"Things fall apart, the wrap cannot hold!"

A team of students from John Hopkins University has a solution.

A of chemical and biomolecular engineering students have created something that will redefine the way wraps and burritos will be eaten with their latest invention—an edible tape called 'Tastee Tape,' which ensures that the ingredients in wraps stay tucked in when you take a bite.

The piece of tape is completely safe to consume. On its official website, the team describes it as "an edible adhesive comprising a food-grade fibrous scaffold and an organic adhesive".

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While developing the tape, the students tested a wide range of ingredients to create a combination that would be edible, safe and yet have adequate adhesive strength.

"First, we learned about the science around the tape and different adhesives, and then we worked to find edible counterparts," said Tyler Guarino, who is part of the team comprising students Marie Eric, Rachel Nie, and Erin Walsh.

While the team did not disclose the ingredients used in the making of the tape, they ensured that the ingredients are "safe to consume, food grade, and common food and dietary additives".

The team further said that it has prototyped strips measuring half-inch by two inches, that come fixed on a sheet of waxed paper. To use the tape, one needs to remove a strip from the sheet, add some water to it, and affix it to the wrap.