FRANKFURT, Feb 25 - Latest consumer price data from Germany's most populous state on Monday confirmed inflation in Europe's largest economy is easing again, after prices spiked up in January on a jump in fresh food prices and taxes. North Rhine-Westphalia's consumer price inflation slowed to 0.4 percent month-on-month in February from 0.8 percent in January, with the annual rate easing to 1.5 percent from 1.8 percent, the state's statistics office said. Analysts said the NRW data, which followed similar reports of slowing inflation from the states of Hesse and Saxony last Friday, indicated prices were returning to normal levels. "I was surprised to see that food prices fell (month-on-month), whereas they normally rise in February. This indicates a process of normalisation in prices after January's strong rise," said Volker Nitsch, an economist at Bankgesellschaft Berlin. The euro EUR= showed no reaction to the data, holding steady against the dollar at $0.8738 at 0830 GMT. Food prices fell 0.3 percent month-on-month in February, in sharp contrast to the jump of 2.2 percent recorded in January. Inflation in January was also boosted by higher taxes on energy and insurance as well as some euro-induced price hikes. The annual rates of inflation in Hesse and Saxony slowed to 1.7 and 1.6 percent respectively from 2.1 and 2.3 percent. Month-on-month, prices rose 0.3 percent in Hesse and held steady in Saxony. Nitsch said the NRW data were consistent with the consensus forecast for a pan-German inflation rate of 0.3 percent month-on-month and 1.8 percent on the year. "There was great uncertainty ahead of the February data, but the figures have turned out to be rather unspectacular," he said. The states of Bavaria, Baden-Wuerttemberg, and Brandenburg are due to release their February consumer price data later on Monday. Data from these states plus North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse and Saxony are used to calculate the pan-German inflation figure, also likely on Monday.