# How are Tic Tacs made? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 9, 2009, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-tic-tacs-made/499172 "2009-06-09T01:09:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BACI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce73a5/32.png) [@BACI](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BACI)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-tic-tacs-made/499172/1 "2009-06-09T01:09:30Z")
Each one perfect (in its own Tic Tacian way) How are they produced without molding marks of any kind? ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-tic-tacs-made/499172/2 "2009-06-09T01:28:51Z")
In a factory uptown. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-tic-tacs-made/499172/3 "2009-06-09T01:42:40Z")
The inside I would guess is pressed powder and then the outside is sprayed or dipped on. They could fall through a spray and be dry before they hit the bottom. Multiple times through a spray and drop would build up a nice shell. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-tic-tacs-made/499172/4 "2009-06-09T01:48:51Z")
Candies with no noticeable line are put in a big [cooling drum](http://www.confectionerymachineryindia.com/cooling_drum.html) and rolled around to perfection. The drum doesn’t make the shape (M&M’s and Tic Tacs aren’t the same shape!) but it helps evenly distribute the outer coating as it dries. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-tic-tacs-made/499172/5 "2009-06-09T01:54:11Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > In a factory uptown. Movin’ to the country, gonna eat a lot of Tic Tacs. Movin’ to the country, gonna eat me a lot of Tic Tacs. Movin’ to the country, gonna eat a lot of Tic Tacs. Movin’ to the country, gonna eat a lot of Tic Tacs. Tic Tacs come in a box, made of plastic not of rocks, From a factory uptown! If I had my little way, I’d eat Tic Tacs every day Rot my teeth with aspertame! Orange, cherry, fresh spearmint, Perfect Tic Tacs watch 'em glint, In the sun, yeah woman… Doper wonders how they’re made, I don’t know, so I’ll just say, They’re the candy in my hand or a box or a…pie? Millions of Tic Tacs, Tic Tacs for free. Millions of Tic Tacs, Tic Tacs for me. Look out! ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-tic-tacs-made/499172/6 "2009-06-09T01:59:31Z")
I’d imagine that the centers are pressed and then they’re panned to put on the coating. The Ferrara Pan website has a lot of info on the panning process. [www.ferrarapan.com](http://www.ferrarapan.com). (Atomic Fireballs! Yum!) ETA: It’s the same way that pills are coated. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-tic-tacs-made/499172/7 "2009-06-09T02:55:21Z")
Thanks for the link, Ms. Bean. That was interesting to see the vids.