More than one in three people is worried about the level of food hygiene when buying take-aways and fast food, a survey shows.

Cleanliness of staff and premises top the list of concerns, followed by the way food is cooked and handled.

Thirteen per cent of those who took part in the survey said they had suffered food poisoning in the last year - with three-quarters blaming food prepared by someone else outside the home.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA), which carried out the study, is targeting catering workers to improve hygiene standards.

The small but steady decline in public concern about food safety and some important food issues is extremely positive news Sir John Krebs, Food Standards Association

The worrying lack of hygiene of some people who work in kitchens was revealed in another survey for the agency, published last October, that found more than a third fail to wash their hands after going to the toilet and before handling food.

Despite a fall of 3% on 2000, 68% of those surveyed still remain concerned about food safety in general, the report says.

Of the 3,000 people polled, 82% were concerned about standards in takeaways and 73% in fast food outlets.

BSE concerns decline

Chairman of the FSA Sir John Krebs said: "The small but steady decline in public concern about food safety and some important food issues is extremely positive news, both for consumers and the Food Standards Agency.

"This annual survey, by continuing to highlight changing opinion about the issues that matter to consumers, is a valuable contribution to the continuing public debate on food safety and standards."

Catering staff are being targeted

One of the survey's key findings was a 16% fall in concern about mad cow disease, from 61% in 2000 to 45% last year, and genetically modified food, down from 43% to 36% over the same period.

The report also found public awareness of the FSA had risen, from 58% in 2000 to 76% in 2002.

The Restaurant Association trade body said it was working hard to educate its members about the need for good hygiene.

A spokeswoman said: "We are involved in a scheme to educate front-of-house staff about the importance of hygiene when handling food and ensuring this is done in conjunction with those working in the kitchen."

Despite concerns over food hygiene, the study found just 25% of those who say they had food poisoning in the last year reported it to anyone, with GPs the most likely route among 19%.