A method is provided that can form a clear textural structure image of a
processed food or a raw material for the processed. Also, said method can
form an image clear enough to clearly discern even an intertwined
structure of starches, proteins and lipids of a processed food or a raw
material for the processed food. The method includes light-exciting the
processed food or the raw material for the processed food which is
stained with a fluorescent dye having triphenylmethane skeleton;
collecting data about the light-excited processed food or the
light-excited raw material using at least three kinds of monitoring
lights, that is, a monitoring light A having a fluorescence wavelength of
380 nm or longer and shorter than 450 nm, a monitoring light B having a
fluorescence wavelength of 450 nm or longer and shorter than 560 nm, and
a monitoring light C having a fluorescence wavelength of 560 nm to 700
nm; and forming an image on the basis of the collected data.