World food prices hit new peak

World food prices have reached a new peak, a United Nations agency has said.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said its food price index was up 3.4% in December from a month earlier.

Rising food prices have been among the triggers for protests in Egypt, Algeria and elsewhere.

FAO said the food price index in January reached 231 points, the highest level registered since 1990 when the agency started monitoring prices.

The index regularly checks monthly changes in global food prices, looking at cereals, fats, dairy, sugar and meat prices. Only meat prices were stable.

FAO economist Abdolreza Abbassian said the increase in food prices was not slowing.