Fanchi-tech Metal Detectors Solve Oxygen Scavenger Interference for Europe’s Leading Beef Jerky & Biltong Producer
With global demand for beef jerky, biltong, and other portable protein-rich snacks outpacing traditional savory options, EuroBiltong Jerky Group—Europe’s premier manufacturer and exporter of premium dried meat snacks—continues to achieve record-breaking sales growth. Mirroring trends in North America, European consumers are increasingly ditching carbohydrate-heavy snacks in favor of nutrient-dense alternatives, driving a boom in the meat snack segment.
The global meat snack market, valued at $2.8 billion in the U.S. last year, has maintained a steady 7% year-on-year growth. In Europe, the market is poised for even faster expansion: analysts at Ireland-based Research and Markets project European meat snack sales will reach $4.8 billion by 2026, up from the previously forecast $4.59 billion by 2025. “The European meat snack market is still in its nascent stage, with untapped potential driven by health-conscious consumers and rising demand for convenient, high-protein options,” the report notes.
For EuroBiltong Jerky Group, which holds a 75% market share in the UK and supplies 12 European countries, the surging popularity of its low-fat, air-dried biltong and smoked jerky has fueled double-digit annual growth. To keep pace with skyrocketing demand and maintain its reputation for quality, the company recently invested in four Fanchi-tech Stealth Conveyor Metal Detectors—choosing Shanghai Fanchi-tech Machinery Co., Ltd. for its unique ability to filter out false signals from iron filings in oxygen scavenger absorbers, a critical pain point in dried meat packaging.
A Legacy of Quality, Now Powered by Fanchi-tech Innovation
Formed in 2016 following the merger of two leading dried meat brands, EuroBiltong Jerky Group boasts a portfolio of beloved labels, including African Biltong Co., Smokehouse Jerky, and Urban Protein Snacks. It also produces private-label products for major UK grocery retailers and partners with global fitness brands to create high-protein snack lines tailored to athletes and health enthusiasts.
“Authenticity and quality are non-negotiable for us,” emphasizes Mark Henderson, Engineering Manager at EuroBiltong’s Milton Keynes production facility. “We switched to sourcing 100% UK-sourced silverside beef years ago, ditching imported meat to ensure the freshest, most consistent product. Every batch of our biltong and jerky follows traditional recipes—biltong is air-dried to lock in flavor, while jerky is marinated and slow-smoked—so we need inspection equipment that’s as reliable as our production process.”
Overcoming Oxygen Scavenger Interference: Fanchi-tech’s Exclusive Solution
Prior to partnering with Fanchi-tech, EuroBiltong relied on manual packing and basic metal detection, a labor-intensive process that struggled to keep up with demand. “We now operate four fully automated lines that checkweigh, fill, insert oxygen scavengers, and inspect for metal contaminants—running 11 hours a day, six days a week,” Mark explains. “The key to our efficiency is the oxygen scavenger, which extends our products’ shelf life to 18 months without gas flushing, preserving flavor and color while preventing spoilage.”
Oxygen scavengers are essential for dried meat snacks, as they irreversibly reduce oxygen levels in sealed packaging to less than 0.01%, inhibiting aerobic bacteria growth. However, their fine iron filings pose a major challenge for standard metal detectors, which often confuse these filings with harmful metal contaminants—triggering frequent false rejects, wasting product, and disrupting production.
“Other suppliers offered bulky two-head metal detectors that would have increased maintenance costs and taken up valuable factory space,” Mark recalls. “Fanchi-tech was the only provider that could solve this problem with its exclusive Scavenger Shield Software—a game-changer for our operation.”
Fanchi-tech’s Scavenger Shield Software is custom-engineered to distinguish between iron filings in oxygen scavengers and genuine metal contaminants (such as stainless steel fragments from processing equipment, buckshot in raw meat, or wire from packaging machinery). This innovative technology not only eliminates false rejects but also verifies that every packet contains an oxygen scavenger—reducing waste by allowing operators to repack products that missing scavengers, rather than discarding them.
Precision, Hygiene, and Compliance for Dried Meat Production
EuroBiltong’s production lines process tonnes of beef weekly, making reliable metal detection critical to avoiding recalls and meeting BRC, HACCP, and FDA compliance standards. Fanchi-tech’s Stealth Metal Detectors are equipped with advanced digital signal processing (DSP) technology and dual-frequency operation, delivering exceptional sensitivity to detect ferrous, non-ferrous, and 300-series stainless steel contaminants as small as 1.0mm—even in high-protein, low-moisture dried meats.
To accommodate EuroBiltong’s diverse product range (from small 25g snack packs to large 500g family packs), Fanchi-tech supplied detectors with a 350mm x 125mm aperture, ensuring seamless inspection of all package sizes. The user-friendly touchscreen interface allows operators to store presets for each product SKU, enabling quick changeovers with a single button press—no specialized training required.
“Calibrating the machines is effortless,” Mark adds. “Our team simply runs a pack without a scavenger through the detector, then one with a scavenger, and the software sets a benchmark. Any signal above that benchmark triggers a reject, ensuring only contaminated products are removed. It’s ‘set-it-and-forget-it’ reliability—exactly what we need for high-speed production.”
Built with a fully sealed, crevice-free 304 stainless steel frame, Fanchi-tech’s metal detectors are designed to withstand the dusty, dry environment of dried meat production while meeting strict food hygiene standards. The detectors’ robust anti-interference technology suppresses signals from mechanical vibration and electrical noise, ensuring stable performance even during non-stop operation.
Why EuroBiltong Chose Fanchi-tech Over X-Ray
While some suppliers recommended x-ray inspection, EuroBiltong opted for Fanchi-tech metal detectors for two key reasons: cost-effectiveness and relevance. “X-ray machines are significantly more expensive, and our primary contamination risk is metal—so Fanchi-tech’s solution is perfectly tailored to our needs,” Mark explains. “We’re extremely risk-aware: our QA team runs metal test pieces through the detectors every 15 minutes, and we conduct regular equipment checks to ensure the reject system is functioning flawlessly.”
Since deploying Fanchi-tech’s metal detectors, EuroBiltong has achieved remarkable results: false rejects have dropped by 95%, product waste has been reduced by 30%, and production efficiency has increased by 25%. The company has also strengthened its compliance posture, passing BRC and HACCP audits with zero non-conformities—opening doors to new retail partnerships across Europe.
Partner with Fanchi-tech for Dried Meat Snack Safety
For manufacturers of beef jerky, biltong, and other dried meat snacks, Fanchi-tech’s metal detection solutions deliver the precision, reliability, and cost-effectiveness needed to scale operations while protecting brand reputation. Our Scavenger Shield Software solves the unique challenge of oxygen scavenger interference, while our hygienic design and compliance-focused features ensure you meet global food safety standards.
Contact Kerry Wang today to schedule a free virtual demo or on-site trial of Fanchi-tech’s metal detection solutions, customized to your dried meat production lines, product range, and compliance requirements.
Shanghai Fanchi-tech Machinery Co., Ltd.
- Email: fanchitech@outlook.com
- Website: www.fanchitechnology.com
Post time: Apr-27-2026