A device 1 for the longitudinal cutting of a wide food band 4 of a soft food mass, in particular a cheese mass, which is moved in a conveyance direction F on a conveyor belt 3, into a number of narrow strips,wherein a cutting cylinder rotating in the conveyance direction is provided, on which cutting cylinder a number of cutting disks 2 corresponding to the number of strips to be produced is mounted for the longitudinal cutting, wherein the cutting disks 2 are disposed coaxially to the rotational axis A and cut into the food band 4 with the edge thereof,wherein a comb 5 having a plurality of comb tines 6 is provided, which comb tines, in an operating position, engage into the intermediate spaces 7 between the cutting disks 2 during the longitudinal cutting in order to hold down the cut strips on the conveyor belt,wherein the comb 5 is held on a comb holder 8, which is held so as to be pivotable about the rotational axis A, wherein the comb holder 8 can be transferred from the operating position and a maintenance position by pivoting about the rotational axis A.