Food article end detection system for a food article slicing machine

A food article slicing machine, comprising:

• a slicing station comprising a knife blade and a knife blade drive driving the blade in a cutting plane;
• a food article feed apparatus supporting a plurality of food articles for movement along a plurality of food article paths intersecting the cutting plane;
• a sensor for determining a location of an end of each food article loaded onto said food article feed apparatus by measuring a distance between the sensor and the end of each food article and providing a value associated with the location;
• a lift tray located adjacent to the food article paths of the food article feed apparatus;
• and,
• a food article transfer mechanism having a sweep supported above the lift tray, the sweep configured to laterally move the plural food articles together from the lift tray to said food article feed apparatus, wherein said sensor is located so that each food article passes a sensing range of the sensor as the plurality of food articles are moved from the lift tray to said food article feed apparatus.