A method for automatic food recognition by using portable devices equipped with digital cameras. With this system, it is possible to identify a previously established food menu. To this purpose, a semi-automated method of segmentation is applied to delineate the regions in which each type of food in an image of a plate of food, captured by a user. Pattern recognition techniques are used in images, integrated into a system whose goal is to label each type of food contained in the photo of a plate of food. No type of preprocessing is performed to correct deficiencies in capturing the image, just using the auto-focus component present in the portable device to capture a clear image.