an actual weight of a portion alternatively the scale 19 may be integrated in the portion conveyor 15 in another embodiment the portion conveyor 15 is disposed directly behind the conveyor 2 fig1 also shows a camera 20 provided downstream of the cutting device 7 and positioned approximately at the height of the drive 8 of the cutting device 7 the camera 20 focuses a cut surface 21 of the food product 1 from a position that is offset upwardly at an angle relative to the cut surface 21 in another embodiment of the invention the camera 20 is disposed opposite the cut surface 21 so that the focus is directed frontally to the cut surface 21 despite high cutting speeds of the cutting device 7 the camera 20 is configured to completely detect the cut surface 21 during the cutting process a gripping device 22 is shown as well which holds a right end of the food product 1 the gripping device 22 comprises a drive 23 which may be a spindle drive the drive 23 is connected to a gripper 24 and configured to displace the gripper 24 in the direction of the forward feed the gripper 24 holds on to the food product 1 and positions it on the conveyor 2 a forward feed of the gripper 24 is synchronized with the forward feed of the conveyor 2 although the gripper 24 holds on to the food product 1 with gripper tongs type fixing means in fig1 other holding and positioning means not gripping into the.