Method and apparatus for reducing food products. The apparatus includes a casing, an impeller adapted for rotation within the casing, and a cutting device. The casing has axial and circumferential openings for product entering and exiting, respectively, the casing. The impeller includes a drum, paddles mounted to the drum, and pockets defined by and between adjacent pairs of paddles that are radially aligned with the circumferential opening of the casing as each pocket travels past the circumferential opening. The cutting device includes a knife disposed at the circumferential opening of the casing and oriented perpendicular to the axis of the impeller. The knife lies on a sector of the casing and has a cutting edge located within an interior of the casing so that the knife extends into the path of the paddles and passes through relief slots defined in the paddles as the impeller rotates.
