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:
What is spectroscopy? What is the difference between NIR vs. Mid IR? What are the benefits of NIR vs traditional wet chemistry? The team at Eurofins QTA answers these questions and more in this edition of our Ask An Expert blog about infrared spectroscopy.
Alicyclobacillus is a non-pathogenic spoilage bacteria that silently sours fruit juice products. With the ability to survive commercial pasteurization, Alicyclobacillus causes unpleasant odors in food products that make the products undesirable to consumers. Is your product at risk?
Foreign materials in products can be dangerous to consumers and damage a brand's reputation. At Eurofins, our team of experts is equipped to identify the cause of contamination and help come up with the ideal solution for you. The case study outlines our approach to identifying the source of microbial contamination in bottled juice, and how we work with clients to prevent future issues.
In this webinar attendees will learn about the technical, instrument, and regulatory considerations for chromatographic method feasibility, development, optimization, verification, validation also method transfer considerations. Original airdate October 20, 2022.
Foreign materials and off-odor or off-flavors in a product may result in loss of consumer trust or a damaged brand reputation. In the worst cases, these issues can be dangerous. The first step in eliminating foreign material and off-odor or off-flavor risk is understanding the sources of contamination, including packaging and production issues and chemical and microbial contamination. This blog explains the benefits of foreign material, off-odor, and off-flavor analysis, the sources of contamination, and the tests available for testing.
Food fraud is a widespread and worldwide problem. Watch this video to learn more about which products are most frequently impacted, and how it can impact your business.
We recently hosted a webinar titled "GC-MS Techniques for Troubleshooting Off-Flavor, Off-Odor, and Flavor Scalping in Foods and Beverages Webinar." This Q&A with Dr. Jamie Willems provides a deeper look in to common questions associated with GC-MS, contaminant detection, and out capabilities at Eurofins.
Natural and synthetic food dyes are used in almost all industries. Understanding the potential for dye adulteration is critical to knowing how and why products are affected. Furthermore, testing with a third-party lab can lead to standardized product coloration and reliable ingredient claims. This White Paper introduces the types of food dyes, the benefits of testing, types of tests, and considerations for choosing a third-party lab.
When a product doesn't taste or smell right, it is a good indicator of contamination or packaging and processing issues. GCMS analysis is reliable method for finding the cause of off-odor or flavor and getting your products back to normal! This infographic provides an overview and a case study of how GCMS is used for off-odor and flavor analysis.
This webinar discusses the risks of foreign materials in food, beverages, ingredients, dietary supplements, and ways to mitigate risks in your supply chain and production process. Also, analytical techniques for foreign material, unknown object isolation, and positive identification. Original airdate August 17, 2022.
