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:
Innovation in the nutraceutical and functional food space is accelerating, but commercialization is struggling to keep pace. The conversation is shifting from “What can we formulate?” to a much harder question:
“What will actually work in a factory, at scale, for 12+ months?” Here are the biggest takeaways from Vitafoods Europe 2026.
For brands involved in pet food product development, 2025 has been a year of acceleration. Looking ahead to 2026, formulation complexity and commercialization risk will only increase. New trends are shaping the future of pet nutrition. Keep reading to learn more about what they mean for R&D, manufacturing, and regulatory strategy.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have become a growing focus for regulators, manufacturers, and consumers alike especially when it comes to foods intended for vulnerable populations such as infants. Learn about the importance of proactive PFAS testing and how Eurofins can help here.
Our "Behind the Science" series looks at food testing from the perspective of the testers and industry experts who devote their careers to it. In this episode, Eurofins Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Doug Marshall speaks with Josh Rhein, Business Unit Manager at Eurofins Special Analysis Group. Originally aired on May 19, 2026.
This webinar from our Best-in-Class series, compiled and presented by Eurofins Advanced Learning Institute lead instructor Mike Cramer, provides an introductory lesson on Foreign Material Prevention as it applies to food processing operations. Originally Aired on May 6, 2026
This webinar from our Best-in-Class series, compiled and presented by Eurofins Advanced Learning Institute lead instructor Mike Cramer, provides an introductory lesson on Food Allergen Management as it applies to food processing operations. Originally Aired on April 15, 2026
Watch our webinar for an introduction to Eurofins QTA’s Modeling as a Service (MaaS) offering, a flexible way for organizations to build, maintain, and improve chemometric models for FTIR and FTNIR analysis without committing to a full turnkey option. Whether you already have an IR program or are looking to start one, MaaS provides a scalable path that fits your needs and the level of support you are looking for. Original Airdate: April 16, 2026
What makes Eurofins’ Supplement Testing Vitamin D analysis different from standard testing methods? Learn the answer to this question and more in our infographic about Vitamin D Analysis by Mass Spectrometry.
This session explores current state and Federal efforts to define ultra-processed foods and establish related nutritional and ingredient constraints. We discuss how these evolving definitions influence product development, including new challenges surrounding ingredient selection, consumer perception, and regulatory compliance. Originally Aired on April 1, 2026
This webinar focuses on the key improvements for dietary fiber testing with AOAC 2017.16 and AOAC 2022.01 versus the previous AOAC 2009.01 and AOAC 2011.25 methods, the impact for certain products and fiber types, and the status for the movement to these new methods from scientific organizations and international reference guidelines. Originally Aired on March 10, 2026
