A food processing apparatus for processing food products, in particular meat products, includes a press for pressing the food products with specific pressing parameters and a control unit which is connected on its output side to the press and sets the pressing parameters. A first analyzing device for analyzing the food products before pressing and for generating corresponding first analysis parameters of the food products is provided. The first analysis parameters represent product properties of the analyzed food product. The control unit is connected to the first analyzing device and sets the pressing parameters depending on the first analysis parameters.