The pandemic may have led complacent Huntingdonshire businesses to lower their standards of food hygiene safety.
The warning has been given to members of Huntingdonshire District Council licensing and protection committee.
Claudia Deeth, interim community service manager, says in her report: “Officers are finding standards have declined where businesses have gone a number of years without inspection due to the pandemic.
“This is leading to longer inspection times.”
She says the inspection for programme for 2022-23 is being completed in line the food safety recovery plan “which determined new business and highest risk businesses must be inspected first”.
“It is noted that due to the inspection programme being suspended during the pandemic there are more inspections than usual due this year.
“There are also a large number of new businesses continuing to register.”
She adds: “There currently remains a backlog of inspections.”
Ms Deeth added: “The drive towards the most efficient inspection process remains a high priority.”
The council says that a food hygiene training programme was suspended during the pandemic but there have been requests for an in-person classroom training course.
One has been arranged for 20 October 2022 at Pathfinder House, Huntingdon.
