Scientists at Purdue University have created a biodegradable, nontoxic adhesive using compounds from foods and plants.

The team discovered that some mixtures of zein protein and tannic acid — found in corn and plants, respectively — had demonstrated similarities chemistry-wise to the adhesives that enable shellfish to cling to rocks.

The nontoxic and biodegradable result of this mixture, according to researchers rivals the petroleum-based, toxic glues used in products like electronics and the carcinogenic formaldehyde found in glues commonly used to hold together furniture and other household goods.

The team of scientists, led by Jonathan Wilker, a Purdue professor of chemistry and materials engineering, envision that the food and plant-based adhesive could also find application in cardboard packaging, construction material and even cosmetics.

Their findings are detailed in the journal Advanced Sustainable Systems.

This is not Purdue's first attempt at developing a nature-inspired adhesive. The Purdue team recently attempted an environmentally friendly adhesive inspired by mussels and they are not alone in this quest.

Researchers earlier this year detailed in the journal Advanced Functional Materials that they used mucus secretions from the Chinese giant salamander to seal and heal wounds. Meanwhile, researchers from Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea created an adhesive patch inspired by the suction cups of an octopus that can work underwater.