A continuous coating apparatus for pellets comprising: an elongated trough (24, 62, 110, 118) having an inlet and an outlet separated from each other by a longitudinal distance along the direction of elongation of the trough (24, 62, 110, 118); a feeder for continuously delivering pellets to be coated into the trough (24, 62, 110, 118) at a location adjacent the inlet and thereby establishing, in the trough (24, 62, 110, 118), a bed of pellets which travels longitudinally along the trough (24, 62, 110, 118) as pellets are delivered by the feeder; a weir disposed in the trough (24, 62, 110, 118) adjacent the outlet, the weir having an edge over which pellets are discharged as pellets to be coated are delivered to the trough (24, 62, 110, 118) by the feeder, and establishing the maximum level of a bed of pellets in the trough (24, 62, 110, 118); at least one spray nozzle (56,58) disposed above the maximum level of bed of pellets in the trough (24, 62, 110, 118), each spray nozzle (56,58) being arranged to direct a spray of liquefied coating material toward pellets in the trough (24, 62, 110, 118) at an intermediate location between the inlet and outlet of the trough (24, 62, 110, 118); a mechanical energy-imparting source, connected to the trough (24, 62, 110, 118), for vibrating the trough (24, 62, 110, 118) and thereby maintaining a bed of pellets therein in a substantially fluidized state, while rotating the bed so that substantially all of the pellets become exposed to the spray of liquefied coating material as they travel along the trough (24, 62, 110, 118), characterized in that the elongation of the trough (24, 62, 110, 118) is linear, the trough (24, 62, 110, 118) is pivoted on an axis substantially parallel to its direction of elongation, and the mechanical energy-imparting source is connected to the trough (24, 62, 110, 118) at a location spaced laterally from the axis, and arranged to apply impulse components to the trough (24, 62, 110, 118) as moments about the axis. an elongated trough (24, 62, 110, 118) having an inlet and an outlet separated from each other by a longitudinal distance along the direction of elongation of the trough (24, 62, 110, 118); a feeder for continuously delivering pellets to be coated into the trough (24, 62, 110, 118) at a location adjacent the inlet and thereby establishing, in the trough (24, 62, 110, 118), a bed of pellets which travels longitudinally along the trough (24, 62, 110, 118) as pellets are delivered by the feeder; a weir disposed in the trough (24, 62, 110, 118) adjacent the outlet, the weir having an edge over which pellets are discharged as pellets to be coated are delivered to the trough (24, 62, 110, 118) by the feeder, and establishing the maximum level of a bed of pellets in the trough (24, 62, 110, 118); at least one spray nozzle (56,58) disposed above the maximum level of bed of pellets in the trough (24, 62, 110, 118), each spray nozzle (56,58) being arranged to direct a spray of liquefied coating material toward pellets in the trough (24, 62, 110, 118) at an intermediate location between the inlet and outlet of the trough (24, 62, 110, 118); a mechanical energy-imparting source, connected to the trough (24, 62, 110, 118), for vibrating the trough (24, 62, 110, 118) and thereby maintaining a bed of pellets therein in a substantially fluidized state, while rotating the bed so that substantially all of the pellets become exposed to the spray of liquefied coating material as they travel along the trough (24, 62, 110, 118), characterized in that the elongation of the trough (24, 62, 110, 118) is linear, the trough (24, 62, 110, 118) is pivoted on an axis substantially parallel to its direction of elongation, and the mechanical energy-imparting source is connected to the trough (24, 62, 110, 118) at a location spaced laterally from the axis, and arranged to apply impulse components to the trough (24, 62, 110, 118) as moments about the axis.