Distributing apparatus comprising: - at least one first manifold comprising a plurality of first ports for the passage of material; - at least one second manifold comprising a plurality of second ports for the passage of material; - at least one transport portion (7; 8) for transporting material, said at least one transport portion comprising at least one first mouth that is movable with the possibility of selectively assuming a plurality of positions in each of which is connected to a respective first port, said at least one transport portion comprising at least one second mouth that is movable with the possibility of selectively assuming a plurality of positions in each of which is connected to a respective second port, to allow passage of material, selectively, between any first port and any second port; - at least one first auxiliary mouth arranged so as to connect said at least one transport portion (7; 8) with the outside; - at least one first valve susceptible of assuming at least one transport position in which said second mouth does not communicate with said first auxiliary mouth and communicates with said first mouth to allow the transport of material and a possible cleaning flow along said transport portion between said first mouth and said second mouth, and at least one cleaning position in which said second mouth communicates with said first auxiliary mouth and does not communicate with said first mouth to allow a cleaning flow between said first auxiliary mouth and said second mouth; characterized by comprising programmable electronic control means provided with computer program instructions comprising instructions for carrying out a cleaning operation which includes the steps of positioning said at least one first valve in said cleaning position and operating means for generating a cleaning flow between said first auxiliary mouth and said second mouth and/or instructions for carrying out a cleaning operation which includes the steps of positioning at least one second valve in a cleaning position and operating means for generating a cleaning flow between a second auxiliary mouth and said first mouth. - at least one first manifold comprising a plurality of first ports for the passage of material; - at least one second manifold comprising a plurality of second ports for the passage of material; - at least one transport portion (7; 8) for transporting material, said at least one transport portion comprising at least one first mouth that is movable with the possibility of selectively assuming a plurality of positions in each of which is connected to a respective first port, said at least one transport portion comprising at least one second mouth that is movable with the possibility of selectively assuming a plurality of positions in each of which is connected to a respective second port, to allow passage of material, selectively, between any first port and any second port; - at least one first auxiliary mouth arranged so as to connect said at least one transport portion (7; 8) with the outside; - at least one first valve susceptible of assuming at least one transport position in which said second mouth does not communicate with said first auxiliary mouth and communicates with said first mouth to allow the transport of material and a possible cleaning flow along said transport portion between said first mouth and said second mouth, and at least one cleaning position in which said second mouth communicates with said first auxiliary mouth and does not communicate with said first mouth to allow a cleaning flow between said first auxiliary mouth and said second mouth;