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:
Learn about frequent causes of off-flavor, off-odor, and flavor scalping in packaged foods, beverages, and pet food products, including analytical techniques ranging from GCMS to ICP to LCMSMS for troubleshooting and detection, with a focus on SPME-GC-MS analysis. Learn how improper product packaging, production, or transportation issues can cause your product to be recalled. Factors that can negatively impact flavor and aroma. The analytical techniques range from GCMS to ICP to LCMSMS for troubleshooting and detection.
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are a wide group of natural toxins that present a potential risk to consumers. Find out more if your dietary supplements or herbal supplements are at risk and how to test and verify your product's safety for consumers.
The botanical supplement and cosmetic industries are rapidly changing, and the increase in consumer demand calls for upscaling raw material sourcing. This means there is higher pressure for scientifically-valid contaminant testing, including screens for pesticides and heavy metals, while maintaining a fast turn-around time. Watch this webinar to learn modern approaches to contaminant detection, with an emphasis on market trends, broad dietary supplement applications, and OTC cosmetics.
PFAS have valuable uses and extreme chemical stability, but can lead to adverse health outcomes. Learn why PFAS testing in foods is now becoming an essential need for your food and supplement products in the market.
Ethylene oxide is a highly reactive gas used in some countries to inhibit microbial contamination in certain food products.
This article discusses aflatoxins in food and how to mitigate risks for food safety. Aflatoxins are a serious concern for food producers, but Eurofins can help with ISO 17025 accredited laboratories for testing as well as On-Site Grain Inspection services.
The risk of mycotoxigenic molds on crops has increased due to changing weather conditions. In this article learn about the different ways mycotoxins are being tested for and what industries they are affecting.
In this informative conversation between Vanessa Snyder and Grace Bandong they discuss contaminant testing in hemp and CBD products and why it is important. Grace tells companies the importance of testing for contaminants and gives advice for when and what to test.
The quality and safety of infant formula and baby food are a major concern for parents, public health authorities, and regulatory bodies worldwide. Infant formula and baby food producers need to design comprehensive testing plans to ensure that their supply chain and finished products are free of harmful chemicals and pathogens. In this article Lukas Vaclavik, Contaminants Senior Staff Scientist for Eurofins Food Chemistry Testing discusses potential contaminants, the challenges and solutions around testing for contaminants and pesticide residues.
Eurofins presents a validation of USP <467> residual solvent methodology for testing on CBD and hemp-based products at the North American Chemical Residue Workshop.
