A noncontact article temperature measuring device adapted for evaluating
the quality including the food temperature, freezed/thawed state,
presence/absence of bubble based on food capacitance measurement data and
for evaluating/controlling the operation of a thawing device and used for
a freezing/thawing system so as to solve conventional problems. The
measuring device is so provided that an article of food can be passed or
is provided on both vertical sides of a space or on the same plane of one
of the sides. The measuring device comprises at least a pair of electrodes
serving as a capacitance sensor and a capacitance measuring section for
measuring the capacitance of the food article placed in the space from the
signal generated by the paired electrodes. The capacitance is measured by
applying a predetermined voltage between the electrodes, and the
temperature of the article is determined and the freezed/thawed state is
recognized from the measured capacitance. The voltage applied to the plus
electrode is preferably a high-frequency voltage the frequency of which
ranges from 50 kHz to 1 MHz. A guard electrode for preventing lines of
electric force from diffusing surrounds the plus electrode at an
insulation distance is preferably provided.