From chocolate products to wine gums and liquorice, liquid additives play a decisive role in product quality. Measuring and controlling these flows directly offers a more reliable approach to dosing, explains low-flow specialist Bronkhorst.
In confectionery production, small quantities can have a large impact. Colourings, flavourings, acids and other liquid additives may represent only a minor part of the recipe, but they strongly influence taste, appearance and batch-to-batch consistency. In products such as chocolate articles, wine gums, liquorice and other sweets, inaccurate dosing can lead to visible deviations, flavour imbalance or rejected end product. When additives are expensive or highly concentrated, even small overdoses also have a direct cost impact.
Many production lines still rely on dosing pumps that are set and validated on the assumption that their repeatability will remain stable under changing process conditions. In practice, viscosity, temperature, pressure, tubing condition and wear can all influence the actual amount being added. A pump may continue to run at the same setting, while the delivered dose gradually changes. Without direct flow measurement, such deviations are often detected only after quality checks on the finished product.
A more controlled approach is to measure the additive flow continuously and use that signal to regulate a pump or valve. This creates a closed control loop: the desired dosing rate is defined, the actual flow is measured, and the system corrects the actuator when the process drifts. For confectionery manufacturers, this improves recipe control and reduces dependence on manual adjustments, operator experience or periodic calibration checks.
Low-flow measurement technologies are particularly relevant here because additives are often dosed in very small volumes. Coriolis mass flow meters, such as Bronkhorst mini CORI-FLOW instruments, measure mass flow directly and are suitable when high accuracy is required or when fluid properties may vary. Ultrasonic flow meters, such as Bronkhorst ES-FLOW instruments, measure volume flow through a straight sensor tube and are well suited for many hygienic liquid applications, including the dosing of colourants, flavourings and acids.
The choice between technologies depends on the process, the medium and the required measuring principle. In both cases, the key improvement is the same: dosing is based on measured flow rather than pump behaviour alone. For batch dosing, dedicated instrument firmware such as FLUIFILL can further support the process by allowing the flow meter to handle dosing control, adapt to changing conditions and validate the delivered quantity. Configuration and monitoring can be carried out with FlowSuite, a free Bronkhorst software tool. This supports more consistent product quality, helps reduce additive waste and provides process data that can be used for traceability, troubleshooting and continuous improvement.
For manufacturers facing frequent recipe changes, strict quality requirements or rising ingredient costs, controlled additive dosing is therefore a practical way to keep flavour, colour and texture within specification while reducing the risk of costly batch rejection.
