FA-MD Metal Detectors: Protecting High-Volume Bakery & Snack Production from Microscopic Contamination
For large-scale bakery and snack producers, even a single 0.5mm metal fragment in a 50g pack of cookies or 100g loaf of bread can trigger a retail recall, costing tens of thousands in fines and brand damage. This is why EuroBake GmbH—a leading German bakery with 12 production lines across 3 facilities—partnered with Shanghai Fanchi-tech Machinery Co., Ltd. to deploy our FA-MD Metal Detectors. Over 8 months of operation, the FA-MD systems have become the backbone of EuroBake’s food safety program, catching microscopic metal debris from mixing and cutting equipment before it reaches consumers.
The Challenge: Hidden Risks in High-Speed Bakery Lines
EuroBake produces 120 metric tonnes of baked goods weekly, including pre-packaged cookies, sandwich bread, and artisanal rolls. Its production relies on stainless-steel mixers, dough dividers, and blade cutters—equipment that sheds tiny metal shavings during routine wear. In 2024, a routine audit found a 0.6mm fragment in a batch of chocolate chip cookies, just days before shipment to a major German supermarket chain. The incident exposed critical gaps in their old inspection setup:
- Their previous metal detector could only detect fragments ≥1mm, missing the smaller shavings that posed a hidden risk.
- High-moisture dough and oily cookie coatings distorted the detector’s signal, causing 15% false rejects weekly and wasting 40+ kg of product.
- Manual calibration for 18 SKUs took 10+ minutes per line, creating bottlenecks during peak production shifts.
“Bakery production is fast and unforgiving—we can’t afford to miss contaminants or slow down our lines,” says Markus Hofmann, EuroBake’s Quality Director. “We needed a detector that could keep up with our 80-packs-per-minute speed and catch the tiny metal fragments our old system ignored.”
The Solution: FA-MD Metal Detectors
After evaluating 4 competitors, EuroBake selected Fanchi-tech’s FA-MD Metal Detectors for their precision, speed, and ability to handle bakery-specific product challenges. Here’s how the FA-MD addressed their pain points:
1. Microscopic Detection for Bakery Environments
The FA-MD uses variable frequency technology (50–100kHz) to adapt to the conductivity of high-moisture dough and oily baked goods. For EuroBake’s 50g cookie packs, the detector was calibrated to:
- Detect ferrous fragments as small as 0.5mm (common from dough mixer blades).
- Identify non-ferrous aluminum particles (from conveyor belt wear) at 0.7mm.
- Catch stainless steel shavings (from cutters) at 0.8mm.
During on-site testing, the FA-MD detected a 0.5mm stainless-steel fragment in a test batch of cookies—something EuroBake’s old detector missed entirely.
2. High-Speed Performance & Minimal Downtime
The FA-MD’s 304 stainless-steel frame and streamlined conveyor design integrate seamlessly with EuroBake’s 80-packs-per-minute lines. The system’s touchscreen control panel stores pre-programmed settings for all 18 SKUs, allowing operators to switch between cookie, bread, and roll profiles in 30 seconds—down from 10 minutes with their old system.
3. Hygiene Compliance for Bakery Facilities
Bakery environments require frequent washdowns to prevent cross-contamination. The FA-MD’s IP65-rated, crevice-free stainless-steel build is designed to withstand daily high-pressure cleaning, passing EuroBake’s strict BRC Grade A hygiene audits with zero deductions.
The Outcome: Data-Driven Results for EuroBake
In the 8 months since installing 6 FA-MD units:
- 17 Microscopic Contaminant Catches: The FA-MD detected 0.5–0.8mm metal fragments (11 from mixer blades, 6 from conveyor belts) in production batches, preventing 4 potential recall incidents and an estimated €35,000 in costs.
- 92% Reduction in False Rejects: False rejects dropped from 15% to 1.2% weekly, saving 36+ kg of baked goods monthly and reducing material waste by €500 per month.
- 10% Faster Line Efficiency: The 30-second SKU switchovers added 3 hours of production capacity weekly, helping EuroBake meet peak holiday demand without overtime costs.
“Our operators love how intuitive the FA-MD is—no more guesswork with calibration,” says Hofmann. “And the peace of mind knowing we’re protecting our customers and brand is priceless.”
Why Fanchi-tech’s FA-MD Is the Choice for Bakery & Snack Producers
For brands like EuroBake, the FA-MD delivers more than detection—it offers:
- Product-Specific Calibration: Tuned to the unique conductivity of baked goods, snacks, and dry foods.
- Proven Reliability: Backed by 24/7 global support and a 2-year warranty.
- Scalable Design: Easy to integrate with existing lines or expand as production grows.
Take the Next Step: Secure Your Bakery Lines
If you’re a bakery or snack producer facing similar contamination risks, contact Kerry Wang to arrange a free virtual demo or on-site trial of the FA-MD Metal Detector. We’ll test the unit with your products to prove its performance for your specific line speed and SKU mix.
Shanghai Fanchi-tech Machinery Co., Ltd.
- Email: fanchitech@outlook.com
- Website: www.fanchitechnology.com
Post time: Jan-19-2026