How are M&Ms Made?

Red M&Ms were once discontinued because of red dye related health issues.

Old fashioned M&Ms have been around since the early 1940s and were even given to WWII soldiers as part of their rations. Peanut M&Ms followed in 1954. In present times, M&Ms are offered in a variety of flavors, from peanut butter to pretzel to dark chocolate.

Molding and Shaping

First, the centers of the M&Ms are made as small molds get filled with a melted chocolate mixture. The candies are flipped around a bit in order to achieve the desired shape and smooth texture. Then the candies sit until they are hard.

Candy Coating

The hardened M&Ms are transported to large bins to receive their candy coating, which is a combination of corn syrup and sugar. As the chocolates rotate, the M&Ms are sprayed with the coating to create multiple hard layers. The final spray layer gives the chocolates one of the many M&Ms colors.

Getting the Logo

All M&Ms receive the well known "M" marking in the final stages of creation. Each candy sits in its own slot on a conveyor belt as a rubber roller etched with the "M" carefully rolls over each candy. This is a very gentle roller. If it were stronger, the candy shell may crack.

References

• M&Ms: About M&Ms History
• Made How: How M&M Candy is Made