System for picking up, conveying, and delivering a product, and method of controlling such system

A method of controlling a system for picking up, conveying, and delivering a strand-like foodstuff product to a foodstuff portioning machine which has at least one magazine tube, said method including the steps of:

• detecting a presence of the foodstuff product to be picked up on a foodstuff product support of a transporting apparatus;
• positioning gripper members of a gripping device in a first position in which the gripper members are positioned on opposite sides of the foodstuff product to be picked up;
• seizing the foodstuff product to be picked up in that at least one of the gripper members reversibly moves in a direction towards the foodstuff product until a second position is reached;
• compressing the foodstuff product,
• wherein the foodstuff product is pressure-compacted into a predefined shape by means of the gripper members and an abutment plate and, optionally, the foodstuff product support;
• moving the gripping device together with the foodstuff product to a predefined position;
• and
• delivering the foodstuff product to the magazine tube of the foodstuff portioning machine.