The present invention relates to technical means for producing a dried buckwheat noodle which is excellent in flavor and texture and can be produced stably. More specifically, the present invention provides: processed buckwheat flour, wherein a degree of pregelatinization of starch is 70% or more, and wherein, in gel filtration chromatography analysis of a water extract of the processed buckwheat flour, a proportion of a peak area (A) for a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of 10 to 5,000 with respect to the total peak area (A/total peak area×100) is 20% or more; a dried buckwheat noodle wherein the processed buckwheat flour is used as a raw material; and a method for producing the same.

The present invention relates to technical means for producing a dried buckwheat noodle which is excellent in flavor and texture and can be produced stably. More specifically, the present invention provides: processed buckwheat flour, wherein a degree of pregelatinization of starch is 70% or more, and wherein, in gel filtration chromatography analysis of a water extract of the processed buckwheat flour, a proportion of a peak area (A) for a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of 10 to 5,000 with respect to the total peak area (A/total peak area×100) is 20% or more; a dried buckwheat noodle wherein the processed buckwheat flour is used as a raw material; and a method for producing the same.

A noodle band cutting apparatus for cutting a noodle band having a predetermined thickness and a predetermined width with cutting devices comprises a moving mechanism and plural cutting devices. One cutting device is selected from the plural cutting devices. The selected one pair of the cutting devices is moved and fixed at a position to cut the noodle band within the moving mechanism.

A noodle band cutting apparatus for cutting a noodle band having a predetermined thickness and a predetermined width with cutting devices comprises a moving mechanism and plural cutting devices. One cutting device is selected from the plural cutting devices. The selected one pair of the cutting devices is moved and fixed at a position to cut the noodle band within the moving mechanism.

Provided is a method for producing noodle strands with which it is possible to reduce or prevent adhesion of wide noodle strands to each other. The method for producing noodle strands with a wavy cross-section comprises the preparation of a noodle strip and the cutting of the noodle strip into noodle strands using a cutting blade device. The cutting blade device has a pair of cutting blade rolls. The cutting blade rolls each have multiple circular grooves and multiple blades disposed alternately along the longitudinal direction of the cutting blade rolls, and are disposed so that the circular grooves of one cutting blade roll engage with the blades of the other cutting blade roll. The circular grooves of the cutting blade rolls each have two first groove sections near blades that are adjacent along the longitudinal direction of the cutting blade rolls and a second groove section between the two first groove sections that is deeper than the two first groove section. When the shortest distance between a first groove section of one cutting blade roll and the blade of the other cutting blade roll that faces said first groove section is D.sub.1, the thickness of the noodle strip is 2.0-2.7 times D.sub.1.

Provided is a method for producing noodle strands with which it is possible to reduce or prevent adhesion of wide noodle strands to each other. The method for producing noodle strands with a wavy cross-section comprises the preparation of a noodle strip and the cutting of the noodle strip into noodle strands using a cutting blade device. The cutting blade device has a pair of cutting blade rolls. The cutting blade rolls each have multiple circular grooves and multiple blades disposed alternately along the longitudinal direction of the cutting blade rolls, and are disposed so that the circular grooves of one cutting blade roll engage with the blades of the other cutting blade roll. The circular grooves of the cutting blade rolls each have two first groove sections near blades that are adjacent along the longitudinal direction of the cutting blade rolls and a second groove section between the two first groove sections that is deeper than the two first groove section. When the shortest distance between a first groove section of one cutting blade roll and the blade of the other cutting blade roll that faces said first groove section is D.sub.1, the thickness of the noodle strip is 2.0-2.7 times D.sub.1.

Described is a unit for forming short pasta comprising at least one pin rotatable in a first direction of rotation about a first axis of rotation and at least one roller rotatable in a second direction of rotation opposite the first direction of rotation about a second axis of rotation parallel to the first axis of rotation; the roller is movable along a first operating direction at right angles to the first and the second axes of rotation between a non-operating position and an operating position alongside the pin; the forming unit comprises a punch movable in another operating direction at right angles to the first operating direction, to the first axis of rotation and to the second axis of rotation between a retracted position and an extracted position for feeding a piece of sheet to the pin and to the roller.

Described is a unit for forming short pasta comprising at least one pin rotatable in a first direction of rotation about a first axis of rotation and at least one roller rotatable in a second direction of rotation opposite the first direction of rotation about a second axis of rotation parallel to the first axis of rotation; the roller is movable along a first operating direction at right angles to the first and the second axes of rotation between a non-operating position and an operating position alongside the pin; the forming unit comprises a punch movable in another operating direction at right angles to the first operating direction, to the first axis of rotation and to the second axis of rotation between a retracted position and an extracted position for feeding a piece of sheet to the pin and to the roller.

A cover device of a noodle-making machine comprises a covering member, a hinge member, and a stopper. The covering member is configured to cover an opening where a cutting blade can be exchanged therethrough. The stopper prevents the closed covering member from opening. The stopper is configured to move between a locked position and an unlocked position. When the stopper is at the unlocked position, the covering member can be opened. The stopper is configured to rotate from the unlocked position to the locked position due to gravity, without user intervention, when the covering member is at the closed position. The stopper is held by the hinge member when the covering member is at the open position.

A cover device of a noodle-making machine comprises a covering member, a hinge member, and a stopper. The covering member is configured to cover an opening where a cutting blade can be exchanged therethrough. The stopper prevents the closed covering member from opening. The stopper is configured to move between a locked position and an unlocked position. When the stopper is at the unlocked position, the covering member can be opened. The stopper is configured to rotate from the unlocked position to the locked position due to gravity, without user intervention, when the covering member is at the closed position. The stopper is held by the hinge member when the covering member is at the open position.