Should the ECU ever see an intake air mass greater than a certain preset level, it will stop fuel delivery and spark to the engine cylinders. This 'critical mass' depends on air volume, temperature and pressure, as measured by the MAS sensors. The act of the ECU cutting off fuel delivery to the engine is known as the infamous 'fuel cut'.

Read the rest here:

http://members.shaw.ca/costall/ECUprimer/ECU_ch7.html