A method for cutting a food strand into portions including the steps: feeding the food strand through a feed device towards a cutting device; continuously measuring a cross section of the food strand during feeding with a measuring device; continuously generating a marking on a surface of the food strand through a marking device; continuously detecting the marking through three first detectors arranged on identical sides of the marking with respect to the feed direction; continuously determining a size of a cross sectional surface of the food strand through a processing device from image data generated by the first detectors and a fourth detector; controlling the cutting device and/or the feed device through a control device using data of the size of the cross sectional surface; and continuously detecting the marking through a fourth detector arranged on another side of the marking than the three first detectors.