Abstract: Identification apparatus is capable of automatically performing processing for separation of objects from background to definitively extract objects to be identified. Backlighting is used to cause illumination from behind a tray on which pastry serving as object has been placed, and while in this state an image of the pastry and the tray are captured. The captured image is converted into an L image representing the L-axis component in Lab color space (S11). The L image is used to create a Canny edge image (S12), and contour extraction is carried out (S13). Pastry region(s) are extracted from background region(s), and a mask image is output (S14, S15). The extracted pastry region(s) are used to carry out identification of pastry type by comparison with registered characteristic quantities. Determination of pastry region(s) is carried out based on magnitude of chromatic dispersion and distance between colors in Lab color space.