Noodles and apparatus for processing the same

Abstract

Noodles with hand-made quality consisting of thick and thin portions are processed by introducing a noodle belt between first and second cutting rolls 5 and 6 having first and second cutting blades 3 and 4 each formed by large and small diameter portions 3 a, 4 a and 3 b and 4 b, and spacers 7. The cutting rolls are relatively shifted in an axial direction such that the thick portion is formed by opposing large diameter portion and spacer and the thin portion is formed by opposing large diameter portion and small diameter portion.

1 . A noodle with a handmade-like quality, wherein the noodle is consisting of a thick portion extending in a longitudinal direction and a thin portion extending in the longitudinal direction, and said thick and thin portions are continuously coupled with each other such that one surface of said thick portion and one surface of said thin portion are aligned to form a substantial flat surface. 
     
     
         2 . The noodle according to  claim 1 , wherein said thick portion and thin portion have substantially uniform thicknesses to form a steep step-like transition between the thick portion and thin portion. 
     
     
         3 . The noodle according to  claim 1 , wherein said thick portion has a substantially uniform thickness and said thin portion has a non-uniform thickness which gradually increases from a minimum value at a free edge of the thin portion to a maximum value at the junction with the thick portion, said maximum value being substantially equal to a thickness of the thick portion to form a smooth transition between the thin portion and thick portion. 
     
     
         4 . The noodle according to  claim 1 , wherein a volume ratio of the thick portion with respect to said thin portion is set to a value within a range from 10:5 to 10:1.