PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a new component analysis method which enables a sample to be analyzed for contained components by putting the sample in a circular cell and projecting near infrared rays upon the sample, and the analytical accuracy of the sample to be improved while shortening the measuring time. SOLUTION: This method is executed by using a component analysis device provided with the circular cell 40 bottomed with a translucent plate 42 to house a sample, such as green tea leaves A, etc., a pressing mechanism 7 which can appropriately press the sample housed in the cell 40 against the translucent plate 42, and a near infrared ray projecting device 2 which projects the near infrared rays in a specific wavelength region upon the sample from its head 20 through the translucent plate 42. The analysis device is also provided with a cell rotating mechanism 5 which can rotate the cell 40 in the peripheral direction while the near infrared rays are projected upon the sample and a projecting device moving mechanism 3 which can move the head 20 forward and backward roughly along the diametral line of the cell 40. At the time of measurement, the measurement is performed by selecting a range in which little optical noise occurs or data are not picked up repeatedly, namely, a measuring area AR suitable for measurement in the cell 40. COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO
