Food material decurling method

A method of reducing curl imparted to successive, individual food material slices severed from a moveable food material supply, comprising the steps of:

• feeding a supply of food material into a moveable food material supply magazine;
• moving the food material supply magazine in a reciprocating movement work path and against a slicing knife interposed along said work path so that a portion of said supply of food material contacts said slicing knife and causes a food material slice to be severed from said supply of food material during movement in a slicing direction along said work path;
• providing a constriction near said slicing knife, the constriction having opposing first and second surfaces, said first surface of said constriction being a stationary surface, said second surface of said constriction being a surface of movable bands;
• depositing said food material slice on said second surface after said moving step causes said food material slice to be severed from said supply of food material;
• providing a guide face along a portion of said work path, the guide face having a profile substantially identical to said work path and forming a part thereof, the moveable bands enveloping a portion of the guide face and being substantially beneath another portion of the guide face, said guide face also including a leading edge that angles downwardly adjacent said second surface and is spaced from said first surface to further define said constriction, wherein said leading edge and said second surface extend beyond said slicing knife;
• moving said food material supply magazine along said work path and said guide face prior to and subsequent to moving said food material supply magazine against said slicing knife;
• moving said severed food material slice through said constriction by moving said second surface in the slicing direction of said food material supply magazine during severing of said food material slice from said food material supply;
• and
• contacting said food material slice with said stationary surface while moving said food material slice through said constriction to remove any curl present in said food material slice.