ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces researchers have developed a surprising Tootsie Roll candy as a health monitor.

The candy works as an electrode, the sensor that identifies the salt and electrolyte levels in saliva, to monitor the status of ovulation or kidney health.

The researchers first compressed a Tootsie Roll and constrained gaps into its surface in a crosshatched design able to hold the saliva sample.

Although the device still needs to be tested with real human samples, the researchers have stated that using soft candy as electrodes brings the opportunity for low-waste, low-cost electrochemical devices.