The object of the invention is to solve the problems regarding the
quality control of processed products (including packaged products and intermediate products during production processes) by establishing a non-destructive and non-
contact type method for the measurement of
gel state of a material body and a change in
sol-
gel state of the material body, and thereby to provide a quick automatic inspection
system by which 100% inspection can be carried out easily and inexpensively on the
production line. The problem is solved by observing an
image formation or
speckle pattern of a light section formed on the surface or observing face of the material body, using a
light scattering observation system in which a coherent light (e.g., from near
infrared as a
laser beam) is applied to a gel material body or a material which causes a change in
sol-
gel state, and its reflection or permeated
scattered light is image-formed by a two-dimensional image recognizing means, and analyzing and numerically treating conditions of the image (e.g., average brightness, shape, contrast of speckles and the like) and thereby evaluating gel conditions of the material body (concentration,
hardness,
viscosity, coagulation deterioration, texture and the like qualities and the like), conditional (quality) change from
sol to gel and conditional (quality) change from gel to sol. The invention was completed by realizing a practically inexpensive, 100% inspection-performable, quick, non-contact and non-destructive automatic measuring
system which is illustratively equipped with a
laser beam
irradiation source, a
CCD camera or the like two-dimensional image recognizing means and a transferring means, can grasp an image or
speckle pattern of a light section image-forming on the material
body surface or light intercepting device, as a two dimensional image, and can judge the qualities of said material body by analyzing the image data.