FA-MD BRC-Certified Metal Detector: The Ultimate Safety & Compliance Solution for Packaged Food Manufacturers

For global packaged food producers, complying with BRC Grade A certification has become a mandatory threshold to enter European, British, Australian, and North American retail markets. Among all quality control requirements, metal contamination detection and equipment hygiene standards are the most strictly audited items. A reliable, BRC-compliant metal detector is not only a safety guarantee but also a key asset for winning long-term retail partnerships.

The FA-MD Series Metal Detector developed and manufactured by Shanghai Fanchi-tech Machinery Co., Ltd. is specially designed to meet BRC, HACCP, FDA, and EU food safety standards. With a fully hygienic 304 stainless steel structure, IP65 waterproof protection, intelligent high-sensitivity detection, stable pneumatic rejection, and complete data traceability, it has become the preferred inspection equipment for food manufacturers pursuing BRC certification and high-end market access.

This case introduces Premier Food Ltd., a well-known prepared and packaged food manufacturer based in the United Kingdom, which upgraded its production lines with Fanchi-tech FA-MD metal detectors and successfully passed BRC Grade A certification with zero non-conformities, while completely eliminating metal contamination risks.

The Challenge: BRC Audit Pressure & Outdated Inspection Equipment

Premier Food Ltd. supplies packaged ready meals, baked snacks, wrapped desserts, and pre-cut fruit packs to major UK supermarket chains. To maintain and renew retail supply contracts, the company must maintain continuous BRC Grade A certification. However, its old metal detection equipment had serious defects that repeatedly caused risks during audits and production:

Failure to meet BRC hygiene requirements: The old machine had a welded structure with dead corners, gaps, and non-food-grade materials, which could not withstand high-pressure washing and was prone to residue accumulation—directly leading to deduction points in BRC audits.
Low detection sensitivity with blind spots: The equipment could not stably capture metal fragments smaller than 1.0mm, which could not meet the strict foreign matter control requirements of BRC and retail buyers.
Unstable rejection system with incomplete records: The rejection mechanism was prone to jams, and there was no complete real-time data logging function, which failed BRC’s traceability and defect control requirements.
High false reject rate causing product waste: Frequent false alarms caused by product effect reduced production efficiency and increased unnecessary cost loss.
Non-compliant control and safety design: The electrical system, emergency stop structure, and protection level did not fully meet BRC’s equipment safety specifications, bringing hidden dangers to annual audits.

In the 2025 mid-term BRC audit, Premier Food was at risk of downgrade due to substandard inspection equipment. The management immediately decided to replace all metal detectors on the production lines with BRC fully compliant models and began a strict selection process.

The Solution: FA-MD BRC-Certified Metal Detector from Fanchi-tech

After on-site testing, parameter verification, and compliance review of multiple international and domestic brands, Premier Food finally chose the FA-MD Metal Detector from Shanghai Fanchi-tech Machinery Co., Ltd. This model is designed from the beginning for BRC Grade A compliance, with a structure and configuration completely matching the equipment shown in the factory photos: a fully enclosed 304 stainless steel frame, smooth and gap-free surface, blue food-grade conveyor belt, independent touch-screen control system, side-mounted pneumatic rejection box, adjustable foot cups, casters, and IP65 fully sealed protection.

Every detail of the FA-MD is built around BRC audit standards, making it the ideal choice for food manufacturers pursuing high-level compliance.

1. Full BRC Hygiene & Structural Compliance

The FA-MD adopts a full 304 stainless steel hygienic design with rounded corners, seamless welding, and no dead gaps, completely meeting BRC’s strict requirements for food contact and non-contact surfaces. The whole machine has no hidden areas that can accumulate dust, oil, or food residue, supporting daily high-pressure water washing and disinfection.

With an IP65 waterproof and dustproof rating, the equipment operates stably in humid, high-temperature, and high-washdown production environments, fully complying with BRC’s equipment hygiene and durability clauses.

2. Ultra-High Sensitivity for Strict Contamination Control

To meet BRC’s zero-tolerance policy for metal foreign matter, the FA-MD uses digital dual-frequency intelligent detection technology with adaptive noise reduction, which can stably identify tiny metal signals while suppressing interference from food products.

For Premier Food’s packaged products, the detection accuracy is as follows:

Ferrous metal: ≥ 0.5mm
Non-ferrous metal: ≥ 0.7mm
Stainless steel: ≥ 0.8mm

This ultra-high sensitivity completely covers all possible metal contamination sources in mixing, cutting, forming, and packaging, fully meeting the strictest foreign matter control standards of BRC and major retailers.

3. Stable Pneumatic Rejection System with 100% Accuracy

As shown in the actual machine pictures, the FA-MD is equipped with a special pneumatic rejection system with a closed independent collection box, which can quickly, accurately, and gently remove unqualified products without damaging packaging or causing line jams.

The rejection action is synchronized with the detection signal in real time, with a success rate of 100%. The collection box is easy to open, clean, and manage, fully complying with BRC’s requirements for defect removal and isolation.

4. Complete Data Traceability for BRC Audit

One of the core requirements of BRC certification is full production and inspection traceability. The FA-MD’s intelligent touch-screen system can store more than 50 groups of product parameter presets and automatically record all inspection data, including detection time, product model, alarm type, rejection records, and operator information.

All data can be exported, stored, and printed, providing complete and authentic documents for BRC on-site audits, completely solving the problem of missing inspection records.

5. Easy Operation & Fast SKU Switching

The FA-MD is equipped with a high-definition touch control panel with a friendly English interface. Operators can switch between different product parameters in just 15–20 seconds without repeated calibration. The system supports one-key startup, fault self-diagnosis, and real-time status prompts, reducing operational errors and meeting BRC’s equipment management and personnel operation specifications.

6. Safety Design Fully Compliant with BRC Standards

The machine is equipped with standardized emergency stop buttons, safety interlocks, and a fully protected electrical control box, all in line with EU machinery safety directives and BRC equipment safety requirements. The stable frame, adjustable height feet, and movable casters also make installation, positioning, and maintenance more convenient and compliant.

Actual Results: BRC Grade A Passed & Zero Contamination Risks

Six months after installing five FA-MD BRC-certified metal detectors, Premier Food achieved comprehensive breakthroughs in compliance, safety, efficiency, and cost control:

100% pass of BRC Grade A certification: With zero non-conformity items in the annual audit, the FA-MD’s hygienic design, detection performance, rejection system, and data traceability were highly praised by auditors.
37 tiny metal contaminants intercepted: Including 0.5mm–0.8mm iron scraps, stainless steel slivers, and aluminum particles, completely avoiding contamination risks, recalls, and retail penalties, with an estimated loss avoidance of over €58,000.
95% reduction in false rejects: The false reject rate dropped from 12% to only 0.6%, reducing weekly qualified product waste from 210kg to less than 13kg, saving more than €1,800 in material costs per month.
Smooth and efficient production: The stable conveying and compact structure reduced line downtime by 22%, increasing overall production efficiency and ensuring on-time delivery of retail orders.
Long-term stable retail cooperation: The company successfully renewed multi-year supply contracts with three top UK supermarket chains by virtue of stable BRC compliance and reliable food safety capabilities.

“The Fanchi-tech FA-MD metal detector helped us pass BRC Grade A smoothly and solved our long-standing food safety and compliance problems,” said Sarah Mitchell, Quality Director of Premier Food Ltd. “Every structure and function of this machine is designed for BRC standards. It is not just a piece of inspection equipment—it is our most important compliance guarantee.”

Why Global Food Manufacturers Choose FA-MD for BRC Compliance

For food manufacturers aiming at the European and American high-end markets, the Fanchi-tech FA-MD BRC-certified metal detector provides irreplaceable value:

Full BRC Grade A compliance: Hygiene, structure, safety, and traceability fully meet audit requirements.
Ultra-high detection sensitivity: Effectively intercepts tiny metal foreign matter and meets retail zero-tolerance standards.
Hygienic 304 stainless steel & IP65: Washdown-proof, gap-free, and easy to clean.
Stable pneumatic rejection: Accurate, gentle, and jam-free.
Full data traceability: Automatically records and exports audit-ready documents.
Compact layout: Suitable for all kinds of high-speed packaged food production lines.
Stable quality & global service: Supports long-term continuous operation and provides professional after-sales support.

Partner with Fanchi-tech for Your BRC Compliance Journey

If you are a packaged food manufacturer preparing for BRC certification, facing audit risks, or need to upgrade compliant metal detection equipment, the FA-MD BRC-Certified Metal Detector from Shanghai Fanchi-tech Machinery Co., Ltd. will be your most reliable choice.

We provide on-site product testing, customized parameter configuration, installation, commissioning, and BRC audit guidance. We can verify detection accuracy and compliance performance with your actual products before order confirmation.

Contact Us

Shanghai Fanchi-tech Machinery Co., Ltd.
Contact Person: Kerry Wang
Email: fanchitech@outlook.com
Official Website: www.fanchitechnology.com