PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for making a rice ball by which a rice ball is prevented from becoming brittle, even when it contains large-amount ingredients, and by which a synthetic resin film can be smoothly removed from the rice ball, and to provide rice balls made by the method and a rice ball making machine.SOLUTION: The method for making a rice ball includes a cooked rice-supplying process of forming a mass of cooked rice into an almost rectangular plate state and supplying the thus-formed mass of cooked rice an ingredient-placing process of placing ingredients on the mass of cooked rice formed into the almost rectangular plate state a cooked rice-folding process of doubly folding the mass of cooked rice, in the longitudinal direction to envelop the ingredients in the cooked rice in gripping state by one half part of the mass and the other half part thereof and a molding process of inserting the folded mass of the cooked rice into a molding frame, to be molded into a prescribed shape. According to the method for making a rice ball or a rice ball-making machine, the one half part and the other half part each of the doubly-folded mass of the cooked rice which grip the ingredients, are joined together via a turnoff part at which the cooked rice is folded back, while the cooked rice grains are bound to one another.COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT【課題】大きな具材を内包してもおにぎりが脆弱化してしまうのを防ぐことができ、合成樹脂フィルムを円滑に除去することのできるおにぎりの製造方法及びおにぎり並びにおにぎり製造機を提供する。【解決手段】米飯塊を略矩形板状に成形して供給する米飯供給工程と、略矩形板状に成形された前記米飯塊に具材を載置する具材載置工程と、前記米飯塊を長手方向に二つ折りにして、一方の半塊部と他方の半塊部とにより前記具材を挟持した状態で米飯中に内包する米飯折畳み工程と、折り畳んだ前記米飯塊を成形枠内に挿入して所定形状に成形する成形工程とを経るおにぎりの製造方法及び装置により、具材を挟持する二つ折りされた前記米飯塊の前記一方の半塊部と前記他方の半塊部とは、米飯同士が結着した状態で折り返された折曲部を介して連続しているおにぎりとした。【選択図】図3
