THE origins of the burrito, a national favorite comfort food, is one of the more speculated in history.

But where did the rolled-up tortilla that's packed with goodness and conveniently eaten by hand come from?

Who invented burritos?

Rumors are the burrito go back as early as 10,000 BC, as using corn tortillas to wrap foods was common among the Mesoamerican cultures in Central America, which could be what led to the use of tortillas in modern dishes.

In 1895, the “Diccionario de Mejicanismos” (Dictionary of Mexican Spanish) listed a dish described as a rolled tortilla filled with meat or other ingredients, by Cuban writer Félix Ramos y Duarte.

However, it is not known exactly when the modern-day burrito was invented.

One theory is that they were invented during the Mexican Revolution in the 1910s, when Juan Méndez, a street vendor in Chihuahua, Mexico, decided to wrap his food in flour tortillas to keep it warm and transport it on his donkey.

Another theory is that it was created by people from Sonora, Mexico, so it would be easier to transport.

Burritos in Mexico at the time were not as stuffed and full as they are today in the United States, making them easy to eat on the go.

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A third theory suggests that they were invented in Ciudad Juárez in the 1940s by a street vendor for school children.

What are the claims Kim Jong Il invented burritos?

Recently, a North Korean government mouthpiece has claimed Kim Jong-il, father of current leader Kim Jong-un, created burritos in 2011.

The Rodong Sinmun newspaper said he invented the 'wheat wrap' claiming their sales are booming and even made an appearance in a recent propaganda broadcast. 

But North Koreans who have fled the secretive state insist these dishes are virtually non-existent in the country, and that the food shortage that has left people at risk of starvation could last until 2025.

Hyun-seung Lee fled the country in 2014 and said most of his countrymen couldn't even dream of eating a burrito. 

He said: "The majority of citizens do not have money to buy the foreign food. Even if they have money, there is no place to eat it.

"In the 1990s, bread and butter lovers were satirized and criticized as socialist traitors."

"I have never seen any burritos or wraps on sale in North Korea."

What does burrito mean in English?

The word burrito translates to “little donkey”, as “burro” means donkey in Spanish, while “-ito” means little.

Burritos do not contain any donkey products and they do not look like donkeys.

The name supposedly comes from the rumors that they were created to be easier to transport on the animals, which were used widely across Mexico.

They were first introduced into the US during the 1900s, with the first known reference to the food being from El Cholo Spanish Café in Los Angeles.

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