The Tootsie Pop Mystery: How Many Licks Does it Take?

As a kid, most of us have experienced munching on some delicious Tootsie Pop. Who doesn’t enjoy eating these sweet treats? Yet, one can’t help but wonder about one thing: does anyone actually know how many licks one needs to do in order to enjoy the candy’s sweet center, the Tootsie Roll? Some might say it’s an odd question to ask, but ever since that Tootsie Pop campaign was released in 1970, folks have been curious about it.

Fortunately for us, there are scientists who are more than willing to get to the bottom of this mystery. The only problem is that the results are conflicting, with some arguing that it’s nearly impossible to have a correct outcome. In any case, let’s dive deep and see what these experts have to say.

Get to Know the Star of the Show

The Tootsie company, which had previously made Tootsie Rolls, created Tootsie Pops in 1931. Tootsie Pops come in a variety of different flavors, including cherry, grape, orange, and chocolate to name a few. Likewise, the Tootsie Pop packaging features a wide range of designs and graphics. Wrappers featuring Native Americans firing a star stand out among others featuring children engaged in various sports, such as tennis or baseball.

This information might sound like a bore, but it’s critical to know the particulars if there’s a quirky experiment about licking. Who knew that learning about the complexities of its flavors or textures would surely come in handy at some point?

The Numbers Are In

Researchers at New York University determined the number in 2015 and came up with 1000. It sounds like a lot of licks, but their process is as extensive as it gets. In January 2015, they released research in the Journal of Fluid Mechanics that examined the dissolution of various materials in fluid flow, from rocks in geological settings to tablets for therapeutic uses, and the most awaited portion, saliva’s effects on candied confections.

According to Leif Ristroph, the mathematics professor involved in the study, the model basically applies the concept of counting how fast a machine can lick and dissolve the candy, regardless of its size, as long as a flow speed is set. Due to difficulties in experiment control, the researchers refrained from counting individual licks. Well, the best part of this experiment is that the folks from Tootsie Roll eagerly supported them by sending in tons of products their way.

The Licking Journey Begins

Believe it or not, there have already been previous attempts to solve the mystery before Ristroph, and his colleagues conducted their experiment. Apparently, engineering students from Purdue University designed a makeshift licking machine and used the tool to compute the number of licks, which in their case was 341.

Meanwhile, the guys from Bellarmine University took things to the next level by actually asking for human volunteers who were up for the licking task. They also factored in other variables like the gender of whoever was doing the experiment as well as the candy flavor. For those curious, a grape-flavored pop reportedly takes 198 licks compared to the orange one at 148.

Yet, there is no way to know for sure how many licks it takes to reach the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop because each candy is produced individually. As a result, it's possible no one will ever know the truth, and even if that’s the case, we’re certain that perhaps someone in the future could put this question to rest once and for all.