One in five adults don't know sausages and bacon come from pigs, survey shows

Yet a fifth of the population apparently don't realise that this is where their bacon and sausages come from.

A poll of 1,700 adults revealed astonishing ignorance about the origins of food.

A third did not know oats were grown by British farmers, while half were unaware that ingredients for beer were produced in this country.

The research was commissioned to highlight the chronic lack of knowledge about the countryside and how food ends up on our plates.

It follows another survey, earlier this year, which showed that thousands of city children believe bacon comes from sheep and that cows lay eggs.

Peter Kendall, president of the National Farmers' Union, said: "The green rolling fields and fertile farmland that surrounds our cities is a wonderful food larder.

"Yet most people are blinkered by the bright dazzling lights in their supermarket.

"More than half the food consumed in the UK is produced on British farms yet the public, and especially young people, are unable to make this connection."

The poll, by TNS, offered adults a list of foods and asked them if their ingredients were produced on British farms.

When questioned, 22 per cent did not believe sausages and bacon started life on UK farms, 23 per cent did not realise bread originated there and 47 per cent were unaware British farmers produce the oats and milk used to make porridge.

A third did not realise the main ingredients of an omelette could be produced in Britain, while 40 per cent were unaware cooking oil could be made in this country. The origins of yoghurt confused 37 per cent.

In February, the dairy industry carried out a similar food origins survey of 1,000 children.

One in ten eight-year-olds did not know that pork chops came from pigs, while 18 per cent were left scratching their heads over the ingredients of yoghurt.