UK food processing equipment manufacturer Flo-Mech has introduced its Flo-Flavour On-Demand Slurry System, designed to improve seasoning accuracy, reduce ingredient waste and simplify flavour changes on industrial snack production lines.
The company announced the development in October 2026, confirming that the system had been commissioned and was available for customer trials. This allows snack manufacturers to assess its performance using their own products and production requirements.
Developed for savoury snacks and other coated food products, the system combines controlled ingredient dosing, continuous mixing and automated delivery to manage the preparation and application of oil-based seasoning mixtures.
Continuous mixing improves seasoning control
Unlike conventional batch-mixing arrangements, the Flo-Flavour system continuously introduces seasoning powder and oil into a mixing tank according to the selected recipe.
Operators load dry seasoning into a hopper, after which the equipment regulates the delivery of powder and liquid ingredients. The mixing tank maintains a consistent working level by replenishing ingredients in proportion to the slurry being applied.
The Flo-Flavour MkIV operates alongside an infeed weighing vibrator that measures the quantity of product entering the seasoning drum. This information determines the required slurry application rate, with a peristaltic pump transferring the prepared mixture through Flo-Mech’s application lance.
By linking seasoning delivery to product throughput, the equipment is designed to maintain consistent coating levels when production conditions change.
The manufacturer also highlights the system’s compact construction, which requires less floor space than a conventional two-tank arrangement. Floor-level access to the assembly is intended to simplify routine operation, inspection and cleaning.
Reducing waste and production downtime
For snack manufacturers, seasoning consistency directly affects finished product quality, ingredient consumption and operating costs.
Over-application can increase expenditure on flavouring powders and oils, while insufficient coating risks producing snacks that do not meet the intended flavour specification.
Flo-Mech says its continuous mixing process is designed to minimise excess ingredient use while reducing the amount of prepared slurry retained within the system.
The company also identifies faster flavour changeovers, reduced cleaning requirements and lower water consumption as potential operational benefits.
These considerations are particularly relevant to manufacturers producing multiple snack varieties on shared production lines, where frequent recipe changes can interrupt production schedules.
The availability of customer trials provides processors with an opportunity to evaluate the technology before committing to installation.
Manufacturers can assess coating consistency, ingredient consumption and cleaning requirements under their own operating conditions, helping determine whether continuous slurry preparation offers advantages over existing batch-based seasoning systems.
The development reflects the increasing importance of controlled ingredient application, production flexibility and resource efficiency within the savoury snacks sector.
