To what level should a HACCP team leader be trained

[Chisala Ng'andwe]

This question was raised during a HACCP course where someone shared that the main reason they were attending a Level 4 HACCP and Food Safety course (advanced level) as a third party auditor advised' (sharing best practice and not consulting as we hope they should be) following some non-conformities and a few 'discomforts' observed during the audit. What would be considered an acceptable level of TRAINING for a HACCP team leader?

 

[Marzena STC & QTC]

Honestly, Level 4 HACCP and Food Safety is a solid baseline for a HACCP team leader, it shows you’ve got the technical side covered. But after digging into some recent studies (like the one by Manning and Grant, 2025- long, but worth to read), I’d say that’s just part of the puzzle.

Food safety decisions aren’t just about ticking boxes- they’re also influenced by how we think, the shortcuts our brains take (hello, heuristics and biases), and even how our teams interact. The study pointed out that decisions can be skewed by stuff like overconfidence, habits, or just assuming things are "fine" because they’ve always been- typical, right?

So yeah, Level 4 is great,but the real game-changer is when a team leader also has solid leadership skills, can manage group dynamics, and is aware of how culture and mindset play into food safety decisions. It shouldn’t just fall on one person either (looking at you, lone Technical Manager )- building a competent team that actually shares the responsibility is key.