Rice ball

Abstract

To provide rice balls that are excellent, for instance, as infant food.SOLUTION: Rice balls (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) include a pair of main surfaces (11, 21, 31, 41) composed of first main surfaces (111, 211, 311, 411) and second main surfaces (112, 212, 312, 412). Grooves (12, 22, 32, 42, 521, 522) not reaching the second main surfaces (112, 212, 312, 412) are formed toward the second main surfaces (112, 212, 312, 412) from the first main surfaces (111, 211, 311, 411).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to rice balls. [Background technology]

[0002] Onigiri (also known as "omusubi" or "nigirimeshi") is a traditional food made by molding cooked rice into various shapes, making it highly portable and widely enjoyed as a daily meal. Onigiri are useful as a food for young children because they can be easily eaten without chopsticks or cutlery, even by young children whose finger movements are not yet fully developed, and rice grains are less likely to scatter on clothing, hair, dishes, desks, chairs, floors, etc. Furthermore, by wrapping various ingredients in the rice or mixing them into the rice, it is easy to create a nutritionally balanced onigiri.

[0003] On the other hand, when considering onigiri as a food for young children, typical onigiri are too large for the small mouths of young children. Patent Documents 1 and 2 propose presses or molding machines for making small onigiri and other balls for young children at home. However, no method has been proposed for industrially stably producing onigiri of a size suitable for young children's mouths. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-092926 [Patent Document 2] Utility Model Registration No. 3150212 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present disclosure relates to rice balls and the like that are excellent as food for young children, for example. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The rice ball according to the present disclosure has, for example, a pair of main surfaces consisting of a first main surface and a second main surface, and a groove is formed from the first main surface toward the second main surface, but does not reach the second main surface. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a rice ball according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 1 is a plan view of a rice ball according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the rice ball according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a rice ball according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] 3 is a photograph showing an example of rice ball production according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a rice ball according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a rice ball according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a rice ball according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a rice ball according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a rice ball according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a rice ball according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a rice ball according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a rice ball according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a rice ball according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a rice ball according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 16]FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a rice ball according to a modified example of the present disclosure. [Figure 17A] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a rice ball according to a modified example of the present disclosure. [Figure 17B] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a rice ball according to a modified example of the present disclosure. [Figure 18A] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a rice ball according to a modified example of the present disclosure. [Figure 18B] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a rice ball according to a modified example of the present disclosure. [Figure 19A] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a rice ball according to a modified example of the present disclosure. [Figure 19B] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a rice ball according to a modified example of the present disclosure. [Figure 20A] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a rice ball according to a modified example of the present disclosure. [Figure 20B] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a rice ball according to a modified example of the present disclosure. [Figure 21A] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a rice ball according to a modified example of the present disclosure. [Figure 21B] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a rice ball according to a modified example of the present disclosure. [Figure 22] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a rice ball according to a modified example of the present disclosure. [Figure 23] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a rice ball according to a modified example of the present disclosure. [Figure 24] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a rice ball according to a modified example of the present disclosure. [Figure 25] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a rice ball according to a modified example of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] In describing the embodiments of the present disclosure, for convenience of explanation, the vertical dimension of a rice ball when placed on a horizontal surface with one main surface facing vertically downward is referred to as the "thickness" of the rice ball. Furthermore, the direction from one main surface to the other main surface of the rice ball (the direction of arrow ab in the drawings) is referred to as the "thickness direction." In the thickness direction, the direction of arrow a is referred to as the "upper side," and the direction of arrow b is referred to as the "lower side."

[0009] In this disclosure, "onigiri" generally refers to a food product made by pressing cooked rice and forming it into a predetermined shape. Onigiri may contain ingredients and / or seasonings in addition to cooked rice. The ingredients and / or seasonings may be wrapped around the cooked rice, wrapped around the cooked rice, sprinkled on the cooked rice, placed on the cooked rice, or mixed into the cooked rice. Onigiri may contain any ingredients or seasonings, such as roasted seaweed, seasoned seaweed, salt, sugar, soy sauce, mirin, oils and fats, spices, sesame, grilled fish, boiled fish, fish flakes, fish roe, pickled plums, seaweed, pickles, chicken, pork, beef, chicken eggs, vegetables, grains, beans, and cheese. Onigiri may be grilled, cooked rice, or mixed rice. Furthermore, onigiri may be frozen.

[0010] [First embodiment] A first embodiment, which is an example of the present disclosure, will be described below with reference to the drawings (FIGS. 1 to 4). FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a rice ball 1 according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the rice ball 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic bottom view of the rice ball 1. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the rice ball 1 (a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2).

[0011] The rice ball 1 has a pair of main surfaces 11 consisting of a first main surface 111 and a second main surface 112, and a groove 12 is formed from the first main surface 111 toward the second main surface 112, but does not reach the second main surface 112. The rice ball 1 has an overall trefoil shape when viewed from above and below. Here, "trefoil shape" refers to a shape obtained by recessing each side of a rounded triangle toward a geometric center P1. As shown in FIG. 2, the rice ball 1 has a shape that nearly overlaps when rotated 120° around an axis that passes through the geometric center P1 and extends in the thickness direction, i.e., a shape that is nearly three-fold symmetric. Here, the geometric center P1 is the geometric center of the projection of the rice ball 1 when viewed from above.

[0012] As shown in Fig. 2, the first main surface 111 is the end surface on the upper side (direction of arrow a) of the rice ball 1. In each figure, the first main surface 111 is illustrated as a schematic plane, but in reality, it has irregularities formed thereon due to the presence of numerous rice grains and the like. The outer shape (outer contour shape) of the first main surface 111 is trefoil-shaped. A Y-shaped opening of the groove 12 is formed in the first main surface 111.

[0013] As shown in Fig. 3, the second main surface 112 is the end surface on the lower side (in the direction of arrow b) of the rice ball 1. In each figure, the second main surface 112 is illustrated as a schematic flat surface, but in reality, it has irregularities formed thereon due to the presence of numerous rice grains and the like. The outer shape of the second main surface 112 is a trefoil shape.

[0014] The first main surface 111 and the second main surface 112 extend parallel or approximately parallel. As shown in Fig. 1, the first main surface 111 and the second main surface 112 are connected by an outer peripheral surface 13 extending in the thickness direction. In each drawing, the outer peripheral surface 13 is schematically shown as a smooth surface, but in reality, it has irregularities formed thereon due to numerous grains of rice and the like.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 2, groove 12 is formed as a Y-shaped recess when viewed from above. Groove 12 is formed so as to extend from first main surface 111 toward second main surface 112, i.e., downward (in the direction of arrow b), to partway in the thickness direction. As shown in FIG. 4, groove 12 does not reach second main surface 112. The depth of groove 12, i.e., the dimension in the thickness direction, is approximately 2 / 3 of the thickness of rice ball 1. However, the depth of groove 12 is arbitrary, and may be, for example, within a range of 1 / 4 to 3 / 4 of the thickness of rice ball 1, or within a range of 1 / 2 to 3 / 4 of the thickness of rice ball 1. Typically, the deeper groove 12 is, the easier it is for a child to divide rice ball 1, and the shallower groove 12 is, the more stable the shape of rice ball 1 becomes.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 2 , the groove 12 has three extensions (a first extension 121, a second extension 122, and a third extension 123) that extend radially from the geometric center P1 of the rice ball 1 when viewed from above toward the outer circumferential surface 13. The first extension 121, the second extension 122, and the third extension 123 are narrower than other portions of the groove 12. The three extensions are arranged so that they overlap when rotated 120° around an axis that passes through the geometric center P1 and extends in the thickness direction, i.e., so as to have three-fold symmetry. In this embodiment, the first extension 121, the second extension 122, and the third extension 123 do not reach the outer circumferential surface 13. However, as a modified example, one, two, or three of the first extension 121, the second extension 122, and the third extension 123 may reach the outer circumferential surface 13.

[0017] Groove 12 may be formed so that the shortest distance from outer peripheral surface 13, i.e., the distance between the outer ends of the three extension portions (first extension portion 121, second extension portion 122, third extension portion 123) and outer peripheral surface 13, is, for example, 8 mm or less, 7 mm or less, 6 mm or less, 5 mm or less, 4 mm or less, or 3 mm or less. Furthermore, groove 12 may be formed so that the shortest distance from outer peripheral surface 13 is, for example, 4 times or less, 3 times or less, or 2 times or less the number average minor axis of the rice grains that make up the rice ball.

[0018] The rice ball 1 has a flat plate-like portion 15 on its lower side (in the direction of arrow b). The plate-like portion 15 is an area closer to the second main surface 112 than the dashed line in FIG. 4. The plate-like portion 15 extends parallel or approximately parallel to the first main surface 111. In this embodiment, the plate-like portion 15 is disposed at the lower end of the rice ball 1 in the thickness direction, and the lower surface of the plate-like portion 15 forms the second main surface 112. On the upper side (in the direction of arrow a) of the plate-like portion 15, a massive portion group 14 including a plurality (in this embodiment, three) of massive portions (a first massive portion 141, a second massive portion 142, and a third massive portion 143) separated by grooves 12 is erected so as to protrude upward (in the direction of arrow a). The plate-like portion 15 connects and integrates the first lump portion 141, the second lump portion 142, and the third lump portion 143 that belong to the lump portion group 14 on the lower side of the rice ball 1.

[0019] The thickness of the plate-shaped portion 15 is approximately 1 / 3 of the thickness of the rice ball 1. However, the thickness of the plate-shaped portion 15 is arbitrary, and may be, for example, within a range of 1 / 4 to 3 / 4 of the thickness of the rice ball 1, or within a range of 1 / 4 to 1 / 2 of the thickness of the rice ball 1. Typically, the thinner the plate-shaped portion 15, the easier it is for a child to divide the rice ball 1, and the thicker the plate-shaped portion 15, the more stable the shape of the rice ball 1.

[0020] The multiple lump portions (first lump portion 141, second lump portion 142, third lump portion 143) belonging to the lump portion group 14 all have the same or approximately the same shape. In this embodiment, when viewed from above, each lump portion has a shape in which a certain arc is joined to another arc with a larger radius than the previous arc, with the convex portions facing in opposite directions. The multiple lump portions (first lump portion 141, second lump portion 142, third lump portion 143) belonging to the lump portion group 14 are arranged on the same circumference at equal intervals (every 120°) or approximately equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0021] In this embodiment, the multiple massive portions (first massive portion 141, second massive portion 142, third massive portion 143) are connected to one another at the periphery of the rice ball 1. Specifically, the first massive portion 141 is connected to the second massive portion 142 adjacent to it in the clockwise direction when viewed from above via a first connecting portion 161. The second massive portion 142 is connected to the third massive portion 143 adjacent to it in the clockwise direction when viewed from above via a second connecting portion 162. The third massive portion 143 is connected to the first massive portion 141 adjacent to it in the clockwise direction when viewed from above via a third connecting portion 163. The first connecting portion 161, the second connecting portion 162, and the third connecting portion 163 are located at the tip ends (outer ends) of the first extending portion 121, the second extending portion 122, and the third extending portion 123 of the groove 12, respectively.

[0022] The minimum dimension (the dimension in the direction away from the geometric center P1, which is the smallest dimension when viewed from above) of each connecting portion (first connecting portion 161, second connecting portion 162, third connecting portion 163) may be 1 / 3 or less, 1 / 4 or less, 1 / 5 or less, or 1 / 6 or less of the shortest distance from the geometric center P1 to the outer end portion (outer peripheral surface 13) of the connecting portion. Typically, the smaller the minimum dimension of the connecting portion, the easier it is to divide the rice ball 1. Note that the rice ball 1 may have only two or only one of the connecting portions (first connecting portion 161, second connecting portion 162, third connecting portion 163), or the rice ball 1 may not have any connecting portions.

[0023] The minimum dimension of each connecting portion (first connecting portion 161, second connecting portion 162, third connecting portion 163) may be, for example, 8 mm or less, 7 mm or less, 6 mm or less, 5 mm or less, 4 mm or less, or 3 mm or less. Also, the minimum dimension of each connecting portion (first connecting portion 161, second connecting portion 162, third connecting portion 163) may be, for example, 4 times or less, 3 times or less, or 2 times or less the number average minor axis of the rice grains that make up the rice ball.

[0024] The mass of the rice ball 1 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, within a range of 15 g to 80 g, a range of 20 g to 60 g, or a range of 25 g to 40 g. Typically, if the mass of the rice ball 1 is within an appropriate range, stable production becomes possible and the overall size is less likely to become excessively large.

[0025] The value obtained by dividing the total mass of the rice ball 1 by the number of the plurality of lump portions belonging to the lump portion group 14 (three in this embodiment) may be, for example, within a range of 5 g to 20 g, a range of 6 g to 18 g, a range of 7 g to 16 g, a range of 8 g to 14 g, or a range of 9 g to 12 g. Typically, when the value obtained by dividing the total mass of the rice ball 1 by the number of the plurality of lump portions belonging to the lump portion group 14 is within an appropriate range, the rice ball 1 will be divided into portions of a size that is easy for small children to eat.

[0026] The maximum length of each of the chunks (first chunk 141, second chunk 142, third chunk 143) when viewed from above may be, for example, 35 mm or less, 33 mm or less, 31 mm or less, or 29 mm or less. Typically, if the size of the chunks of rice ball 1 is within an appropriate range, when rice ball 1 is divided, it will be of a size that is easy for young children to eat.

[0027] For each lump, the difference in mass between the lump with the smallest mass and the lump with the largest mass may be 15% or less, 10% or less, 8% or less, 6% or less, or 4% or less of the mass of the lump with the largest mass.

[0028] The rice ball 1 is shaped so that it can be easily divided along the groove 12 by grasping the block and pulling it outward. Therefore, while the size of the rice ball as a whole is easy to manufacture industrially and reliably, it can also be easily divided into sizes suitable for small mouths of small children. Even when eating the rice ball 1 without dividing it, the groove 12 serves as a guide for the size of the pieces to be bitten off, making it easy for small children to eat. Furthermore, when the rice ball 1 is frozen, the presence of the groove 12 improves the efficiency of heating and thawing. In addition, after thawing, the rice ball 1 can be quickly cooled to a temperature suitable for eating by small children.

[0029] In onigiri 1, grooves 12 do not reach outer peripheral surface 13, and multiple block-shaped portions are connected to each other at the periphery of onigiri 1. This makes it easier to maintain its shape during storage, distribution, thawing, and eating. Furthermore, onigiri 1 can be manufactured, for example, by pressing a convex mold corresponding to the shape of grooves 12 onto a concave mold filled with cooked rice. In this case, since grooves 12 do not reach outer peripheral surface 13, onigiri 1 can be easily manufactured without the convex mold rubbing against the concave mold.

[0030] 5 is a photograph showing a manufacturing example of the rice ball 1 according to this embodiment. The rice ball 1 has a trefoil-shaped appearance, making it familiar to small children.

[0031] [Second embodiment] A second embodiment, which is an example of the present disclosure, will be described below with reference to the drawings (FIGS. 6 to 8). FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of a rice ball 2 according to this embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of the rice ball 2. FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the rice ball 2 (cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 7).

[0032] The rice ball 2 has a pair of main surfaces 21 consisting of a first main surface 211 and a second main surface 212, and a groove 22 is formed from the first main surface 211 toward the second main surface 212, not reaching the second main surface 212. When viewed from above and below, the rice ball 2 has an overall shape formed by two circles joined together, each having the same or nearly the same shape. As shown in FIG. 7, the rice ball 2 has a shape that nearly overlaps when rotated 180° around an axis that passes through the geometric center P2 and extends in the thickness direction, i.e., a shape that is nearly two-fold symmetric. Here, the geometric center P2 is the geometric center of the rice ball 2 in a projection view viewed from above.

[0033] As shown in Fig. 7, the first main surface 211 is the end surface on the upper side (direction of arrow a) of the rice ball 2. In each drawing, the first main surface 211 is illustrated as a schematic plane, but in reality, unevenness is formed by numerous rice grains and the like. The outer shape of the first main surface 211 is a shape in which two circles of the same or approximately the same shape are joined together. A linear opening of the groove 22 is formed in the first main surface 211.

[0034] The second main surface 212 is the end surface on the lower side (in the direction of arrow b) of the rice ball 2. In Figure 8, the second main surface 212 is illustrated as a schematic flat surface, but in reality, it has irregularities formed thereon due to the presence of many rice grains and the like. The outer shape of the second main surface 212 is a shape formed by joining two circles of the same or approximately the same shape.

[0035] The first main surface 211 and the second main surface 212 extend parallel or approximately parallel. As shown in Fig. 6, the first main surface 211 and the second main surface 212 are connected by an outer peripheral surface 23 extending in the thickness direction. In each drawing, the outer peripheral surface 23 is schematically shown as a smooth surface, but in reality, unevenness is formed by numerous grains of rice and the like.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 7, the groove 22 is formed as a linear recess when viewed from above. The groove 22 is formed to extend from the first main surface 211 toward the second main surface 212, i.e., downward (in the direction of arrow b), to partway in the thickness direction. As shown in FIG. 8, the groove 22 does not reach the second main surface 212. The depth of the groove 22, i.e., the dimension in the thickness direction, is approximately 2 / 3 of the thickness of the rice ball 2. However, the depth of the groove 22 is arbitrary, and the depth of the groove 22 may be, for example, within a range of 1 / 4 to 3 / 4 of the thickness of the rice ball 2, or within a range of 1 / 2 to 3 / 4 of the thickness of the rice ball 2. Typically, the deeper the groove 22, the easier it is for a child to divide the rice ball 2, and the shallower the groove 22, the more stable the shape of the rice ball 2.

[0037] In this embodiment, the grooves 22 do not reach the outer circumferential surface 23. However, as a modified example, one end and / or the other end of the grooves 22 may reach the outer circumferential surface 23.

[0038] Grooves 22 may be formed so that the shortest distance from outer peripheral surface 23, i.e., the distance between each end of groove 22 and outer peripheral surface 23, is, for example, 8 mm or less, 7 mm or less, 6 mm or less, 5 mm or less, 4 mm or less, or 3 mm or less. Also, grooves 22 may be formed so that the shortest distance from outer peripheral surface 23 is, for example, 4 times or less, 3 times or less, or 2 times or less the number average minor axis of the rice grains constituting the rice ball.

[0039] The rice ball 2 has a flat plate-like portion 25 on its lower side (in the direction of arrow b). The plate-like portion 25 is an area closer to the second main surface 212 than the dashed line in FIG. 8. The plate-like portion 25 extends parallel or approximately parallel to the first main surface 211. In this embodiment, the plate-like portion 25 is disposed at the lower end of the rice ball 2 in the thickness direction, and the lower surface of the plate-like portion 25 forms the second main surface 212. On the upper side (in the direction of arrow a) of the plate-like portion 25, a block-like portion group 24 including a plurality (two in this embodiment) of block-like portions (first block-like portion 241, second block-like portion 242) separated by grooves 22 is erected so as to protrude upward (in the direction of arrow a). On the lower side of the rice ball 2, the plate-like portion 25 connects and integrates the first block-like portion 241 and the second block-like portion 242 belonging to the block-like portion group 24.

[0040] The thickness of the plate-shaped portion 25 is approximately 1 / 3 of the thickness of the rice ball 2. However, the thickness of the plate-shaped portion 25 is arbitrary, and may be, for example, within a range of 1 / 4 to 3 / 4 of the thickness of the rice ball 2, or within a range of 1 / 4 to 1 / 2 of the thickness of the rice ball 2. Typically, the thinner the plate-shaped portion 25, the easier it is for a child to divide the rice ball 2, and the thicker the plate-shaped portion 25, the more stable the shape of the rice ball 2.

[0041] The multiple massive portions (first massive portions 241, second massive portions 242) belonging to the massive portion group 24 all have the same or approximately the same shape. In this embodiment, when viewed from above, each massive portion has a shape like an arc with a central angle of more than 180°, with both ends connected by a line segment. The multiple massive portions (first massive portions 241, second massive portions 242) belonging to the massive portion group 24 are arranged on the same circumference at equal intervals (every 180°) or approximately equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0042] In this embodiment, the multiple chunk portions (first chunk portion 241, second chunk portion 242) are connected to one another at the periphery of the rice ball 2. Specifically, the first chunk portion 241 is connected to the adjacent second chunk portion 242 via a first connecting portion 261 and a second connecting portion 262. The first connecting portion 261 and the second connecting portion 262 are disposed at one end and the other end of the groove 22, respectively.

[0043] The minimum dimension (the dimension in the direction away from the geometric center P2, which is the smallest dimension when viewed from above) of each connecting portion (first connecting portion 261, second connecting portion 262) may be 1 / 3 or less, 1 / 4 or less, 1 / 5 or less, or 1 / 6 or less of the shortest distance from the geometric center P2 to the outer end portion (outer peripheral surface 23) of the connecting portion. Typically, the smaller the minimum dimension of the connecting portion, the easier it is to divide the rice ball 2. Note that the rice ball 2 may have only one of the connecting portions (first connecting portion 261, second connecting portion 262), or the rice ball 2 may not have any connecting portions.

[0044] The minimum dimension of each connecting portion (first connecting portion 261, second connecting portion 262) may be, for example, 8 mm or less, 7 mm or less, 6 mm or less, 5 mm or less, 4 mm or less, or 3 mm or less. Also, the minimum dimension of each connecting portion (first connecting portion 261, second connecting portion 262) may be, for example, 4 times or less, 3 times or less, or 2 times or less the number average minor axis of the rice grains that make up the rice ball.

[0045] The mass of rice ball 1 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, within a range of 10 g to 40 g, a range of 12 g to 30 g, or a range of 15 g to 25 g. Typically, if the mass of rice ball 2 is within an appropriate range, stable production becomes possible and the overall size is less likely to become excessively large.

[0046] The value obtained by dividing the total mass of the rice ball 2 by the number of the plurality of lump portions belonging to the lump portion group 24 (two in this embodiment) may be, for example, within a range of 5 g to 20 g, a range of 6 g to 18 g, a range of 7 g to 16 g, a range of 8 g to 14 g, or a range of 9 g to 12 g. Typically, when the value obtained by dividing the total mass of the rice ball 2 by the number of the plurality of lump portions belonging to the lump portion group 24 is within an appropriate range, the rice ball 2 will be divided into portions of a size that is easy for small children to eat.

[0047] The maximum length of each of the lump portions (first lump portion 241, second lump portion 242) when viewed from above may be, for example, 35 mm or less, 33 mm or less, 31 mm or less, or 29 mm or less. Typically, if the size of the lump portions of the rice ball 2 is within an appropriate range, when the rice ball 2 is divided, it will be of a size that is easy for young children to eat.

[0048] For each lump, the difference in mass between the lump with the smallest mass and the lump with the largest mass may be 15% or less, 10% or less, 8% or less, 6% or less, or 4% or less of the mass of the lump with the largest mass.

[0049] Onigiri 2 has the same characteristics as those described above for Onigiri 1. In addition, Onigiri 2 has a snowman-like shape, making it familiar to young children.

[0050] [Third embodiment] A third embodiment, which is an example of the present disclosure, will be described below with reference to the drawings (FIGS. 9 to 11). FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a rice ball 3 according to this embodiment. FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of the rice ball 3. FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the rice ball 3 (cross-sectional view taken along the CC cross section in FIG. 10).

[0051] The rice ball 3 has a pair of main surfaces 31 consisting of a first main surface 311 and a second main surface 312, and a groove 32 is formed from the first main surface 311 toward the second main surface 312, but does not reach the second main surface 312. The rice ball 3 has an overall flower-like shape when viewed from above and below. Here, "flower-like" refers to a shape obtained by recessing each side of a rounded pentagon toward a geometric center P3. As shown in FIG. 10, the rice ball 3 has a shape that nearly overlaps when rotated 72° around an axis that passes through the geometric center P3 and extends in the thickness direction, i.e., a shape that is nearly five-fold symmetric. Here, the geometric center P3 is the geometric center of the projection of the rice ball 3 when viewed from above.

[0052] As shown in Fig. 10, the first main surface 311 is the end surface on the upper side (direction of arrow a) of the rice ball 3. In each figure, the first main surface 311 is illustrated as a schematic plane, but in reality, it has irregularities formed thereon due to the presence of numerous rice grains and the like. The outer shape (outer contour shape) of the first main surface 311 is flower-shaped. A star-shaped pentagonal opening of the groove 32 is formed in the first main surface 311.

[0053] The second main surface 312 is the end surface on the lower side (in the direction of arrow b) of the rice ball 3. In Fig. 11, the second main surface 312 is illustrated as a schematic flat surface, but in reality, it has irregularities formed thereon due to the presence of numerous rice grains and the like. The outer shape of the second main surface 312 is flower-shaped.

[0054] The first main surface 311 and the second main surface 312 extend parallel or approximately parallel. As shown in Fig. 9, the first main surface 311 and the second main surface 312 are connected by an outer peripheral surface 33 extending in the thickness direction. In each drawing, the outer peripheral surface 33 is illustrated as a schematic smooth surface, but in reality, it has irregularities formed thereon due to numerous grains of rice and the like.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 10, the groove 32 is formed as a recess having a pentagonal star shape when viewed from above. The groove 32 is formed to extend from the first main surface 311 toward the second main surface 312, i.e., downward (in the direction of arrow b), to partway in the thickness direction. As shown in FIG. 11, the groove 32 does not reach the second main surface 312. The depth of the groove 32, i.e., the dimension in the thickness direction, is approximately 2 / 3 of the thickness of the rice ball 3. However, the depth of the groove 32 is arbitrary, and the depth of the groove 32 may be, for example, within a range of 1 / 4 to 3 / 4 of the thickness of the rice ball 3, or within a range of 1 / 2 to 3 / 4 of the thickness of the rice ball 3. Typically, the deeper the groove 32, the easier it is for a child to divide the rice ball 3, and the shallower the groove 32, the more stable the shape of the rice ball 3.

[0056] The groove 32 has five extensions (first extension 321, second extension 322, third extension 323, fourth extension 324, and fifth extension 325) that extend radially from the geometric center P3 of the rice ball 3 when viewed from above toward the outer peripheral surface 33. The first extension 321, second extension 322, third extension 323, fourth extension 324, and fifth extension 325 are narrower than other portions of the groove 32. The five extensions are arranged so that they overlap when rotated 72° around an axis that passes through the geometric center P3 and extends in the thickness direction, i.e., so that they are five-fold symmetric. In this embodiment, the first extension 321, second extension 322, third extension 323, fourth extension 324, and fifth extension 325 do not reach the outer peripheral surface 33. However, as a variant, one, two, three, four, or five of the first extension portion 321, the second extension portion 322, the third extension portion 323, the fourth extension portion 324, and the fifth extension portion 325 may reach the outer peripheral surface 33.

[0057] Grooves 32 may be formed so that the shortest distance from outer peripheral surface 33, i.e., the distance between the outer ends of the five extension portions (first extension portion 321, second extension portion 322, third extension portion 323, fourth extension portion 324, fifth extension portion 325) and outer peripheral surface 33, is, for example, 8 mm or less, 7 mm or less, 6 mm or less, 5 mm or less, 4 mm or less, or 3 mm or less. Furthermore, grooves 32 may be formed so that the shortest distance from outer peripheral surface 33 is, for example, 4 times or less, 3 times or less, or 2 times or less the number average minor axis of the rice grains constituting the rice ball.

[0058] The rice ball 3 has a flat plate-like portion 35 on its lower side (in the direction of arrow b). The plate-like portion 35 is an area closer to the second main surface 312 than the dashed line in FIG. 11. The plate-like portion 35 extends parallel or approximately parallel to the first main surface 311. In this embodiment, the plate-like portion 35 is disposed at the lower end of the rice ball 3 in the thickness direction, and the lower surface of the plate-like portion 35 forms the second main surface 312. On the upper side (in the direction of arrow a) of the plate-like portion 35, a massive portion group 34 including a plurality (five in this embodiment) of massive portions (a first massive portion 341, a second massive portion 342, a third massive portion 343, a fourth massive portion 344, and a fifth massive portion 345) separated by grooves 32 is erected so as to protrude upward (in the direction of arrow a). The plate-shaped portion 35 connects and integrates the first lump portion 341, the second lump portion 342, the third lump portion 343, the fourth lump portion 344, and the fifth lump portion 345 belonging to the lump portion group 34 on the underside of the rice ball 3.

[0059] The thickness of the plate-shaped portion 35 is approximately 1 / 3 of the thickness of the rice ball 3. However, the thickness of the plate-shaped portion 35 is arbitrary, and may be, for example, within a range of 1 / 4 to 3 / 4 of the thickness of the rice ball 3, or within a range of 1 / 4 to 1 / 2 of the thickness of the rice ball 3. Typically, the thinner the plate-shaped portion 35, the easier it is for a child to divide the rice ball 3, and the thicker the plate-shaped portion 35, the more stable the shape of the rice ball 3.

[0060] The multiple massive portions (first massive portion 341, second massive portion 342, third massive portion 343, fourth massive portion 344, fifth massive portion 345) belonging to the massive portion group 34 all have the same or approximately the same shape. In this embodiment, each massive portion has an approximately cylindrical shape. The multiple massive portions (first massive portion 341, second massive portion 342, third massive portion 343, fourth massive portion 344, fifth massive portion 345) belonging to the massive portion group 34 are arranged on the same circumference at equal intervals (every 72°) or approximately equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0061] In this embodiment, the multiple massive portions (first massive portion 341, second massive portion 342, third massive portion 343, fourth massive portion 344, fifth massive portion 345) are connected to one another at the periphery of the rice ball 3. Specifically, the first massive portion 341 is connected to the second massive portion 342, which is adjacent to it in the clockwise direction when viewed from above, via a first connecting portion 361. The second massive portion 342 is connected to the third massive portion 343, which is adjacent to it in the clockwise direction when viewed from above, via a second connecting portion 362. The third massive portion 343 is connected to the fourth massive portion 344, which is adjacent to it in the clockwise direction when viewed from above, via a third connecting portion 363. The fourth massive portion 344 is connected to the fifth massive portion 345, which is adjacent to it in the clockwise direction when viewed from above, via a fourth connecting portion 364. The fifth massive portion 345 is connected to the first massive portion 341 adjacent thereto in the clockwise direction when viewed from above via a fifth connecting portion 365. The first connecting portion 361, the second connecting portion 362, the third connecting portion 363, the fourth connecting portion 364, and the fifth connecting portion 365 are disposed at the tip ends (outer ends) of the first extending portion 321, the second extending portion 322, the third extending portion 323, the fourth extending portion 324, and the fifth extending portion 325 of the groove 32, respectively.

[0062] The minimum dimension (the dimension in the direction away from the geometric center P3, which is the smallest dimension when viewed from above) of each connecting portion (first connecting portion 361, second connecting portion 362, third connecting portion 363, fourth connecting portion 364, fifth connecting portion 365) may be 1 / 3 or less, 1 / 4 or less, 1 / 5 or less, or 1 / 6 or less of the shortest distance from the geometric center P3 to the outer end portion (outer peripheral surface 33) of the connecting portion. Typically, the smaller the minimum dimension of the connecting portion, the easier it is to divide the rice ball 3. Note that the rice ball 3 may have only four, three, two, or one of the connecting portions (first connecting portion 361, second connecting portion 362, third connecting portion 363, fourth connecting portion 364, fifth connecting portion 365). Alternatively, the rice ball 3 may not have any connecting portions.

[0063] The minimum dimension of each connecting portion (first connecting portion 361, second connecting portion 362, third connecting portion 363, fourth connecting portion 364, fifth connecting portion 365) may be, for example, 8 mm or less, 7 mm or less, 6 mm or less, 5 mm or less, 4 mm or less, or 3 mm or less. Furthermore, the minimum dimension of each connecting portion (first connecting portion 361, second connecting portion 362, third connecting portion 363, fourth connecting portion 364, fifth connecting portion 365) may be, for example, 4 times or less, 3 times or less, or 2 times or less the number average minor axis of the rice grains constituting the rice ball.

[0064] The mass of the rice ball 3 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, within a range of 25 g to 80 g, a range of 30 g to 70 g, or a range of 40 g to 60 g. Typically, if the mass of the rice ball 3 is within an appropriate range, stable production becomes possible and the overall size is less likely to become excessively large.

[0065] The value obtained by dividing the total mass of the rice ball 3 by the number of lump portions belonging to the lump portion group 34 (five in this embodiment) may be, for example, within a range of 5 g to 20 g, a range of 6 g to 18 g, a range of 7 g to 16 g, a range of 8 g to 14 g, or a range of 9 g to 12 g. Typically, when the value obtained by dividing the total mass of the rice ball 3 by the number of lump portions belonging to the lump portion group 34 is within an appropriate range, the rice ball 3 will be divided into portions of a size that is easy for young children to eat.

[0066] The maximum length of each of the chunks (first chunk 341, second chunk 342, third chunk 343, fourth chunk 344, fifth chunk 345) when viewed from above may be, for example, 35 mm or less, 33 mm or less, 31 mm or less, or 29 mm or less. Typically, if the size of the chunks of the rice ball 3 is within an appropriate range, when the rice ball 3 is divided, it will be of a size that is easy for young children to eat.

[0067] For each lump, the difference in mass between the lump with the smallest mass and the lump with the largest mass may be 15% or less, 10% or less, 8% or less, 6% or less, or 4% or less of the mass of the lump with the largest mass.

[0068] Onigiri 3 has the same characteristics as those described above for onigiri 1. In addition, onigiri 3 has an overall flower-like shape, and grooves 32 have a star-like shape, making it easy for young children to relate to.

[0069] [Fourth embodiment] A fourth embodiment, which is an example of the present disclosure, will be described below with reference to the drawings (FIGS. 12 and 13). FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view of a rice ball 4 according to this embodiment. FIG. 13 is a schematic plan view of the rice ball 4.

[0070] The rice ball 4 has a pair of main surfaces 41 consisting of a first main surface 411 and a second main surface 412, and a groove 42 is formed from the first main surface 411 toward the second main surface 412, not reaching the second main surface 412. The rice ball 4 has an overall shape that is roughly square when viewed from above and below. As shown in FIG. 13 , the rice ball 4 has a shape that almost overlaps when rotated 90° around an axis that passes through the geometric center P4 and extends in the thickness direction, i.e., a shape that is roughly four-fold symmetric. Here, the geometric center P4 is the geometric center of a projection of the rice ball 4 viewed from above.

[0071] As shown in Fig. 13, the first main surface 411 is the end surface on the upper side (direction of arrow a) of the rice ball 4. In each drawing, the first main surface 411 is illustrated as a schematic plane, but in reality, unevenness is formed by numerous rice grains and the like. The outer shape (outer contour shape) of the first main surface 411 is approximately square. The first main surface 411 is divided into four parts by the cross-shaped openings of the grooves 42.

[0072] Second main surface 412 is the end surface on the lower side (direction of arrow b) of rice ball 4. Second main surface 412 is actually uneven due to a large number of rice grains etc. The outer shape of second main surface 412 is approximately square.

[0073] The first main surface 411 and the second main surface 412 extend parallel or approximately parallel. As shown in Fig. 12, the first main surface 411 and the second main surface 412 are connected by an outer peripheral surface 43 extending in the thickness direction. In each drawing, the outer peripheral surface 43 is schematically shown as a smooth surface, but in reality, it has unevenness formed thereon by numerous grains of rice and the like.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 13 , groove 42 is made up of two straight groove portions that intersect perpendicularly. Groove 42 is formed so as to extend from first main surface 411 toward second main surface 412, i.e., downward (in the direction of arrow b), to partway in the thickness direction. Groove 42 does not reach second main surface 412. The depth of groove 42, i.e., the dimension in the thickness direction, is approximately 2 / 3 of the thickness of rice ball 4. However, the depth of groove 42 is arbitrary, and may be, for example, within a range of 1 / 4 to 3 / 4 of the thickness of rice ball 4, or within a range of 1 / 2 to 3 / 4 of the thickness of rice ball 4. Typically, the deeper groove 42 is, the easier it is for a child to divide rice ball 4, and the shallower groove 42 is, the more stable the shape of rice ball 4 will be.

[0075] The groove 42 has four extensions (first extension 421, second extension 422, third extension 423, and fourth extension 424) that extend radially from the geometric center P4 of the rice ball 4 when viewed from above toward the outer circumferential surface 43. The four extensions are arranged so that they overlap when rotated 90° around an axis that passes through the geometric center P4 and extends in the thickness direction, i.e., so as to have four-fold symmetry. In this embodiment, the first extension 421, second extension 422, third extension 423, and fourth extension 424 reach the outer circumferential surface 43. However, as a modified example, one, two, three, or four of the first extension 421, second extension 422, third extension 423, and fourth extension 424 may not reach the outer circumferential surface 43.

[0076] The rice ball 4 has a flat plate-like portion 45 on its lower side (in the direction of arrow b). The plate-like portion 45 is an area closer to the second main surface 412 than the dashed line in FIG. 12. The plate-like portion 45 extends parallel or approximately parallel to the first main surface 411. In this embodiment, the plate-like portion 45 is disposed at the lower end of the rice ball 4 in the thickness direction, and the lower surface of the plate-like portion 45 forms the second main surface 412. On the upper side (in the direction of arrow a) of the plate-like portion 45, a block-like portion group 44 including a plurality (four in this embodiment) of block-like portions (a first block-like portion 441, a second block-like portion 442, a third block-like portion 443, and a fourth block-like portion 444) separated by grooves 42 is erected so as to protrude upward (in the direction of arrow a). The plate-like portion 45 connects and integrates the first lump portion 441, the second lump portion 442, the third lump portion 443, and the fourth lump portion 444 belonging to the lump portion group 44 on the underside of the rice ball 4.

[0077] The thickness of the plate-shaped portion 45 is approximately 1 / 3 of the thickness of the rice ball 4. However, the thickness of the plate-shaped portion 45 is arbitrary, and may be, for example, within a range of 1 / 4 to 3 / 4 of the thickness of the rice ball 4, or within a range of 1 / 4 to 1 / 2 of the thickness of the rice ball 4. Typically, the thinner the plate-shaped portion 45, the easier it is for a child to divide the rice ball 4, and the thicker the plate-shaped portion 45, the more stable the shape of the rice ball 4 will be.

[0078] The multiple lump portions (first lump portion 441, second lump portion 442, third lump portion 443, fourth lump portion 444) belonging to the lump portion group 44 all have the same or approximately the same shape. In this embodiment, each lump portion has an approximately cubic shape. The multiple lump portions (first lump portion 441, second lump portion 442, third lump portion 443, fourth lump portion 444) belonging to the lump portion group 44 are arranged on the same circumference at equal intervals (every 90°) or approximately equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0079] The mass of the rice ball 4 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, within a range of 20 g to 80 g, a range of 25 g to 70 g, or a range of 30 g to 60 g. Typically, if the mass of the rice ball 4 is within an appropriate range, stable production becomes possible and the overall size is less likely to become excessively large.

[0080] The value obtained by dividing the total mass of the rice ball 4 by the number of lump portions belonging to the lump portion group 44 (four in this embodiment) may be, for example, within a range of 5 g to 20 g, a range of 6 g to 18 g, a range of 7 g to 16 g, a range of 8 g to 14 g, or a range of 9 g to 12 g. Typically, when the value obtained by dividing the total mass of the rice ball 4 by the number of lump portions belonging to the lump portion group 44 is within an appropriate range, the rice ball 4 will be divided into portions of a size that is easy for young children to eat.

[0081] The maximum length of each of the chunks (first chunk 441, second chunk 442, third chunk 443, fourth chunk 444) when viewed from above may be, for example, 35 mm or less, 33 mm or less, 31 mm or less, or 29 mm or less. Typically, if the size of the chunks of the rice ball 4 is within an appropriate range, when the rice ball 4 is divided, it will be of a size that is easy for young children to eat.

[0082] For each lump, the difference in mass between the lump with the smallest mass and the lump with the largest mass may be 15% or less, 10% or less, 8% or less, 6% or less, or 4% or less of the mass of the lump with the largest mass.

[0083] The rice ball 4 has the same characteristics as those described above for the rice ball 1. Furthermore, the rice ball 4 is easy to separate because the multiple chunks are not connected together.

[0084] [Fifth embodiment] A fifth embodiment, which is an example of the present disclosure, will be described below with reference to the drawings (FIGS. 14 and 15). FIG. 14 is a schematic plan view of a rice ball 5 according to this embodiment. FIG. 15 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the rice ball 5 (cross-sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. 14).

[0085] The rice ball 5 has a shape similar to the rice ball 2 according to the second embodiment, except that one additional block portion is added in a straight line. The rice ball 5 has three block portions (first block portion 541, second block portion 542, and third block portion 543) arranged in a straight line, and each block portion is separated by two parallel, straight, first and second grooves 521 and 522. The first block portion 541, second block portion 542, and third block portion 543 are connected and integrated by a plate-like portion 55 (the portion below the dashed line in FIG. 15 ). The first groove 521 and second groove 522 are similar to the groove 22 of the rice ball 2 according to the second embodiment. Other than the above, the rice ball 5 has the same configuration as the rice ball 2 according to the second embodiment, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted. The rice ball 5 has a shape similar to a skewered dumpling, making it easy for young children to eat.

[0086] [Manufacturing method] All onigiri of the present disclosure can be manufactured, for example, by pressing a convex mold corresponding to the shape of the groove onto a concave mold filled with cooked rice. In this case, onigiri with a structure in which the groove does not reach the outer periphery can be easily manufactured without the convex mold rubbing against the concave mold. Note that, for onigiri of the present disclosure, the groove may be formed using any means after the cooked rice is released from the concave mold. In this case, even onigiri with a structure in which the groove reaches the outer periphery can be easily manufactured.

[0087] [Variations] Although several embodiments have been described above, the onigiri of the present disclosure is not limited to the configuration of any of the above-described embodiments. The onigiri of the present disclosure does not have to be for infants. Furthermore, the onigiri of the present disclosure may differ from the exemplified embodiments in, for example, the following points:

[0088] In all of the illustrated embodiments, the plate-shaped portion is located at the end of the rice ball in the thickness direction, but the rice ball of the present disclosure may have plate-shaped portion 65 (the area inside the two dashed lines) located midway through the rice ball in the thickness direction, as in the rice ball 6 shown in the schematic cross-sectional view of Figure 16. In that case, in addition to the groove formed from the first main surface to the second main surface, the rice ball may additionally have a similar groove formed from the second main surface to the first main surface. Note that the modified rice ball 6 has the same configuration as rice ball 1 except for the above-mentioned features.

[0089] In the illustrated embodiments, the rice ball has a rotationally symmetric shape in all cases, but the rice ball of the present disclosure does not necessarily have to have a rotationally symmetric shape. The first main surface and / or the second main surface may be curved. The multiple block-shaped portions do not have to be arranged at equal or approximately equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and they do not have to be arranged on the same circumference. The block-shaped portion may be cylindrical, approximately cylindrical, triangular prism, approximately triangular prism, square prism, approximately square prism, pentagonal prism, approximately pentagonal prism, hexagonal prism, approximately hexagonal prism, sphere, approximately sphere, ellipsoid, approximately ellipsoid, cone, approximately cone, triangular pyramid, approximately triangular pyramid, square pyramid, approximately square pyramid, pentagonal pyramid, approximately pentagonal pyramid, hexagonal pyramid, approximately hexagonal pyramid, truncated cone, approximately truncated cone, triangular pyramid, approximately triangular pyramid, square pyramid, approximately square pyramid, pentagonal pyramid, approximately pentagonal pyramid, hexagonal pyramid, approximately hexagonal pyramid, truncated hexagonal pyramid, or other shape. The multiple blocks may each have different shapes and / or dimensions.

[0090] The rice balls of the present disclosure may be, for example, those shown as schematic plan views in Figures 17A to 25. An overview of each exemplary rice ball will be provided below. Figure 17A: A rice ball with an overall triangular or approximately triangular shape when viewed from above, with one linear groove formed that reaches the outer surface and two block-shaped parts with no connecting part (rice ball 7A). Figure 17B: A rice ball with an overall triangular or approximately triangular shape when viewed from above, with one linear groove formed that does not reach the outer surface, and two block-shaped parts with a connecting part (rice ball 7B).

[0091] Figure 18A: A rice ball that has a circular or nearly circular overall shape when viewed from above, with one linear groove that reaches the outer surface and two block-shaped parts that do not have a connecting part (rice ball 8A). Figure 18B: A rice ball that has a circular or nearly circular overall shape when viewed from above, with one linear groove formed that does not reach the outer surface, and two block-shaped parts with a connecting part (rice ball 8B).

[0092] Figure 19A: A rice ball that has a circular or nearly circular overall shape when viewed from above, with two intersecting linear grooves that reach the outer surface, and has four block-shaped parts with no connecting parts (rice ball 9A). Figure 19B: A rice ball that has a circular or nearly circular overall shape when viewed from above, with two intersecting linear grooves that do not reach the outer surface, and four block-shaped portions with connecting parts (rice ball 9B).

[0093] Figure 20A: A rice ball that has a circular or nearly circular overall shape when viewed from above, with three radial and linear grooves that reach the outer surface, and has three block-shaped parts that do not have connecting parts (rice ball 10A). Figure 20B: A rice ball that has a circular or nearly circular overall shape when viewed from above, with three radial and linear grooves that do not reach the outer surface, and three block-shaped parts with connecting parts (rice ball 10B).

[0094] Figure 21A: A rice ball that has an overall triangular or approximately triangular shape when viewed from above, with grooves formed to separate it into four identical or approximately identical triangular chunks, the grooves reaching the outer surface, and the chunks not having connecting parts (rice ball 11A). Figure 21B: A rice ball having an overall triangular or approximately triangular shape when viewed from above, with grooves formed to separate it into four identical or approximately identical triangular chunks, the grooves reaching the outer periphery, and the chunks having connecting portions (rice ball 11B).

[0095] Figure 22: A large circular mass is surrounded by a number of smaller, roughly circular masses connected in a circumferential direction, giving the rice ball an overall flower-like shape (rice ball 12). Figure 23: Two smaller, roughly circular portions are connected to the periphery of a larger circular portion at a specified interval, giving the overall shape of an animal's face (rice ball 13). Figure 24: A large circular mass is surrounded by multiple triangular or approximately triangular masses connected in a circumferential direction, giving the overall shape a sun-like shape (rice ball 14). FIG. 25: Six hexagonal or approximately hexagonal masses are connected around a hexagonal or approximately hexagonal mass in a circumferential direction (rice ball 15).

[0096] Furthermore, the rice ball of the present disclosure may be an intermediate form between the rice ball 1 of the first embodiment and the rice ball 3 of the third embodiment, i.e., a rice ball having four chunk-shaped portions so that it has an overall quatrefoil shape when viewed from above and below.

[0097] In addition, a person skilled in the art can appropriately modify the rice ball of the present disclosure and change the shape, dimensions, and combination of various components according to conventionally known knowledge. As long as such modifications still include the components of the present disclosure, they are of course included in the scope of the present disclosure.

[0098] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are set forth below. [1] A rice ball having a pair of main surfaces consisting of a first main surface and a second main surface, and a groove formed from the first main surface toward the second main surface, the groove not reaching the second main surface. [2] The rice ball according to [1], wherein the depth of the groove is 1 / 4 to 3 / 4 of the thickness of the rice ball. [3] The rice ball of [1] or [2], wherein the groove has three or more extending portions extending radially from the geometric center of the rice ball when viewed from above toward the outer periphery of the rice ball. [4] The rice ball according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the groove does not reach the outer peripheral surface of the rice ball. [5] A rice ball comprising a group of chunks including a plurality of chunks and a plate-like portion, the plate-like portion integrating the group of chunks. [6] The rice ball according to any one of [1] to [4], comprising a group of chunks including a plurality of chunks and a plate-like portion, the plate-like portion integrating the group of chunks. [7] The rice ball according to [5] or [6], wherein the plate-shaped portion is arranged at an end of the rice ball in the thickness direction. [8] The rice ball according to [5] or [6], wherein the plate-shaped portion is arranged midway through the thickness of the rice ball. [9] The rice ball according to any one of [5] to [8], wherein the thickness of the plate-shaped portion is 1 / 4 to 3 / 4, or 1 / 4 to 1 / 2, of the thickness of the rice ball.

[10] The rice ball according to any one of [5] to [9], wherein the group of chunks includes 2 to 5 chunks.

[11] The rice ball according to any one of [5] to

[10] , wherein the plurality of chunk-shaped portions are further connected to each other at the periphery of the rice ball.

[12] The rice ball according to any one of [5] to

[11] , wherein three or more of the block-shaped portions are arranged on the same circumference.

[13] The rice ball according to

[12] , wherein three or more of the block-shaped portions are arranged at equal or approximately equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

[14] A rice ball according to any one of [5] to

[13] , wherein the total mass divided by the number of said chunks is within the range of 5 g to 20 g, 6 g to 18 g, 7 g to 16 g, 8 g to 14 g, or 9 g to 12 g.

[15] The rice ball according to any one of [5] to

[14] , wherein the maximum length of the plurality of chunk-shaped portions is 35 mm or less, 33 mm or less, 31 mm or less, or 29 mm or less.

[16] The rice ball according to any one of [5] to

[15] , wherein the plate-shaped portion extends parallel or approximately parallel to one of the main surfaces of the rice ball.

[17] A frozen rice ball, any of [1] to

[16] . [Explanation of symbols]

[0099] 1,2,3,4,5,6...rice balls, 11,21,31,41...pair of main surfaces, 111,211,311,411...first main surface, 112,212,312,412...second main surface, 12,22,32,42,521,522...grooves, 13,23,33,43...outer surface, 14,24,34,44...group of block-shaped portions, 15,25,35,45,55,65...plate-shaped portions.

Claims

1. a pair of main surfaces consisting of a first main surface and a second main surface; A rice ball having a groove formed from the first main surface toward the second main surface, the groove not reaching the second main surface.

2. 2. The rice ball according to claim 1, wherein the depth of the groove is 1 / 4 to 3 / 4 of the thickness of the rice ball.

3. The rice ball according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the groove has three or more extending portions that extend radially from the geometric center of the rice ball when viewed from above toward the outer circumferential surface of the rice ball.

4. The rice ball according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the groove does not reach the outer peripheral surface of the rice ball.

5. a lump group including a plurality of lump portions; a plate-shaped portion, The plate-shaped portion integrates the group of chunk-shaped portions.

6. a lump group including a plurality of lump portions; a plate-shaped portion, The rice ball according to claim 1 , wherein the plate-shaped portion integrates the group of chunk-shaped portions.

7. The rice ball according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the plate-shaped portion is disposed at an end portion in the thickness direction of the rice ball.

8. The rice ball according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the plate-shaped portion is disposed midway in the thickness direction of the rice ball.

9. The rice ball according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the thickness of the plate-shaped portion is 1 / 4 to 3 / 4 of the thickness of the rice ball.

10. 7. The rice ball according to claim 5, wherein the group of chunks includes 2 to 5 chunks.

11. The rice ball according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the plurality of chunk-shaped portions are further connected to each other at the periphery of the rice ball.

12. The rice ball according to claim 5 or 6, wherein three or more of the block-shaped portions are arranged on the same circumference.

13. The rice ball according to claim 12, wherein three or more of the block-shaped portions are arranged at equal or approximately equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

14. 7. The rice ball according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the value obtained by dividing the total mass by the number of said chunk-shaped portions is within the range of 5 g to 20 g.

15. 7. The rice ball according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the maximum length of the plurality of chunk-shaped portions is 35 mm or less.

16. The rice ball according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the plate-shaped portion extends parallel or approximately parallel to any one of the main surfaces of the rice ball.

17. The rice ball according to claim 1 or 5, which is a frozen product.

Images