Nearly half of all hospital kitchens and canteens in England could be failing to meet basic standards of cleanliness and hygiene, it was revealed yesterday

Vermin, cockroaches and mouse droppings, medical waste on food handling equipment and poor personal hygiene among catering staff were all cited as problems.

The report said dozens of hospitals were failing to store food at the correct temperature, while 18 had food that was out of date, putting patients' health at risk.

The findings came from a Freedom of Information request submitted to a quarter of all English local authorities, asking them for their local authority health inspection reports into the food preparation areas of hospitals within their authority.

It revealed nearly a fifth of hospitals surveyed kept food at the wrong temperature or in unsafe conditions, while 11 had problems with vermin.

Of the 377 hospitals included in the responses, 173 displayed poor cleanliness and 68 fell below the legal requirements for food storage conditions.

A total of 107 hospitals did not have correct food safety documentation, 25 had inadequate staff training and 66 stored food at incorrect temperatures.

The findings showed 11 institutions had a vermin or pest problem, while 57 had staff with poor personal hygiene or a lack of hand washing.

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Norman Lamb MP said: ''These findings paint a shocking picture of hospital food hygiene in this country.

''It is simply unacceptable that such terrible practices are taking place in an environment where hygiene and safety should be paramount.

''Sick people are already vulnerable to infection. They don't need the added risk of food-borne bacteria.

''Patients have a right to know how their food is being prepared. Hygiene standards must be made public via clear and accessible ratings for each institution."

A Department of Health spokesperson said: ''Failure to meet hygiene standards is unacceptable and where there are problems, we expect the local authorities to take action.'