Abstract: A stick of shirred edible tubular food casing having an end closure comprising casing material defining an end of said shirred casing having the opposing internal surfaces thereof joined across the full width thereof obliquely to the longitudinal edges of said tubular casing, the end closure formed thereby being suitable to block the passage of food emulsion from the end of said tubular food casing.Also provided is a method for heat sealing edible, water-insoluble food casing material which comprises moisturizing at least a portion of one opposing surface of superimposed plies of edible, water-insoluble food casing material to be joined and then imposing heat sealing means with sufficient heat and pressure on the superimposed plies of casing material to join the opposing surfaces thereof together.