RECORD-BREAKING sales of Jamie Oliver’s latest cook book have helped publisher Penguin to its best financial performance.

The publisher’s owner, Pearson, said Penguin will report record sales and profits for last year, partly as a result of strong demand for Jamie’s 30- Minute Meals, which is the fastest-selling non-fiction book and has sold more than one million copies.

Pearson yesterday upgraded its profits forecast for the group for the third time in the past half-year. It expects underlying profits to rise by about 20 per cent to £850m for 2010-11.

It also owns The Financial Times, which is set to report substantial underlying profits growth.