Abstract: A cutting apparatus for cutting blocks of e.g. cheese into portions for delivery to an automatic packaging machine comprises a platen 15 mounted on a hydraulic ram 16 which can be advanced in steps to force a block of cheese 14 located on the platen upward through fixed cutting wires mounted in a frame 17. After each advance of the platen a cutter 19 severs a layer of portions which are transferred to the packaging machine. Signals from a digital encoder 39 are supplied to a micro-processor which controls the steps in which the platen is advanced so that the block 14 is completely cut into portions none of which in thinner than a predetermined thickness whereby remnant waste is eliminated.