the answer to the M&M question

The making of "M&M's"® Milk Chocolate Candies begins with milk chocolate centers, which are formed in a machine and then "tumbled" in order to obtain a smooth, rounded center. For "M&M's"® Peanut Chocolate Candies and "M&M's"® Almond Chocolate Candies either a whole peanut or a whole almond forms the center, which is first roasted, then surrounded with milk chocolate. For "M&M's"® Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies, a center made with real, creamy peanut butter is first formed and then surrounded with milk chocolate. The process for "M&M's"® Crispy Chocolate Candies begins with a crisp rice center which is then covered with chocolate. What follows is a process known as "panning". Panning involves coating candies by rotating them in a coating material in a revolving pan. Panning can be done using syrups and other materials such as chocolate, fats, etc. The principle, briefly, is to coat the center with a layer of materials, which on evaporation leaves an even layer or shell of dry substance. The chocolate (or chocolate-covered peanut, peanut butter, almond and crispy) centers are color-coated by rotating them in a revolving pan, while a sugar and corn syrup mixture is added. This process is repeated several times until "M&M's"® have a thin, smooth shell with the desired thickness. Then, the machine specially designed for the purpose gently imprints an "m" on the surface of the fragile candy shell without cracking the thin sugar shell.