J. David Legan

J. David Legan, PhD

Director of Science

David earned his Ph.D. in Food Technology from the University of Reading in the UK by modeling the ecology of mixed microbial populations, and then moved to Campden BRI in a variety of microbiological food safety research and client service roles. During that time, he was project lead for the Bacillus component of the UK’s pathogen modeling program. He moved again to Nabisco Research in New Jersey where he ran the corporate microbiology lab and developed a program of preservation technology development and microbial modeling. After the Kraft Foods acquisition, he moved to Chicago to work on Food Safety and Preservation research, and through modeling and validation studies:

Optimized Oscar Mayer’s use of lactate and diacetate and their naturally cultured alternatives as Listeria-control agents in Ready to Eat meats
Specified process conditions central to Oscar Mayer’s commercial launch of High Pressure Pasteurization of naturally cured RTE meats

David had responsibility for the Kraft cultures R&D group, developed a partnership to explore microwave sterilization leading to several patents, and led a program that developed an internal proprietary natural antimicrobial commercialized in several Kraft products. Technologies from his group supported approximately $4 billion in annual sales.

After years as a microbiology "client", he is now back in the "provider" role as Director of Science at Eurofins Microbiology Laboratories, Inc., by way of the Covance Food Solutions group based in Madison, WI, which he joined in 2016. In this role, he ensures appropriate method validation, explores new testing technologies, and fields multiple complicated food microbiology questions.

Products that his team has evaluated or developed and launched include:

The 3M MDS platform in the Madison microbiology laboratory
Flow cytometry for enumeration of probiotics
Strain-level confirmation of probiotic identification using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
Next-generation sequencing using the Oxford Nanopore Technologies GridION sequencing platform for microbial identification and microbiome analysis

Below are resources from David:

Product Packaging Considerations and What to Do When Things Go Wrong

Are you a food safety, quality, design, packaging production, or risk mitigation professional? Learn the top reasons for packaged food, beverage, and ingredient failures—and what to do when faced with a crisis scenario.

Keywords: Webinar Special Investigations Food Beverages

Shedding Light on Photostability

Does your food or supplement package contain translucent packaging? If so, your product and its ingredients could be susceptible to photochemical changes. This infographic illustrates the mechanics of photostability studies as well as the key attributes and product types impacted by light exposure.

Keywords: Infographic Shelf Life Food Beverages

Off-flavor and Odor Investigations White Paper

This white paper explores off-flavor and odor investigations performed by Eurofins SFA. Authored by Eurofins' scientist Jamie Willems Ph.D.

Keywords: Scientific Research Special Investigations Food Beverages Off-Flavor Off-Odor Jwillems

It’s the Little Things that Count: Quantifying & Characterizing Microplastics in Bottled, Drinking, & Source Waters

The suspected toxicity risks of microplastics as contaminants in drinking water sources have been known for years. However, public concerns recently thrust microplastics to the forefront of the health and safety conversation. In our webinar, Dr. Mike Dziewatkoski of Eurofins SF Analytical covers the current status of microplastics testing.

Keywords: Webinar Special Investigations Food Beverages Foreign Material ID

Debunking the Mystery of Air, Water, Gas, & Ice in Food Manufacturing

Air, gas, water, and ice used in manufacturing processes must be properly maintained and regularly tested in order to ensure compliance with regulations and safety for consumers. Our webinar aims to clear the mystery surrounding these standards and regulations. Viewers will learn how to navigate the appropriate requirements while protecting their customers.

Keywords: Webinar Nutritional Food Beverages Auditing Certification

Fingerprinting Fruits Using Coumarins & Psoralens, Authentication Tool for Meyer Lemons

Keywords: Scientific Research Authenticity Food Beverages Ingredients Food Fraud Lemon

Anthocyanins and Assessment of Authenticity of Red & Black Juices

Originally showcased at the 2016 annual AOAC meeting, this poster presents data for the “new” variety that will be valuable to anyone who buys or uses this type of fruit for processing.

Keywords: Scientific Research Authenticity Food Beverages Ingredients Anthocyanins Raspberry Juice

Prop 65 Guidance White Paper

This Proposition 65 Guide will help food, ingredient, and supplement companies navigate the regulatory and testing challenges that Proposition 65 presents when selling products into the state of California.

Keywords: Scientific Research Contaminants Regulatory Food Beverages Supplements Prop 65

Lactic Acid Bacteria: About, Testing and Considerations

Although many genera of bacteria produce lactic acid as a primary or secondary end-product of fermentation, the term Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) is conventionally reserved for genera in the order Lactobacillales. LAB have many applications in food production and spoilage, all of which apply when considering when and how to test for lactic acid bacteria in food.

Keywords: Blog Microbiology Food Beverages

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly: Identifying Foreign Materials in Raw Materials & Finished Products

Whether it’s a finished food item or a component of pharmaceuticals, identifying suspect batches of any product is an important part of the quality control process. In this webinar, Michael Dziewatkoski of Eurofins gives you the inside look into analysis of foreign materials along with actual case studies.

Keywords: Webinar Special Investigations Food Beverage Ingredients Foreign Materials

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