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:
This article discusses the main labeling requirements for food allergens in the US as well as the recent addition of sesame to monitored allergen list for foods and supplements in the US. Learn more regarding upcoming changes and allergen testing.
Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), in particular, is a group of E. coli strains most associated with foodborne outbreaks. As food producers, you have the responsibility to ensure your consumers don't become a statistic. Read on to learn more about STEC and other food pathogens and how to eliminate them from your products.
We are proud to share the publication of a new scientific article from our team overseas. This article details the optimization of the NMR method, and the validation of the enhancements made. This unique analysis can differentiate agave inulin/syrup/alcohol from cane or corn adulterants.
The FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), requires domestic and foreign food facilities registered with section 415 of the Food, Drug, & Cosmetic (FD&C) Act to enact risk-based preventive controls. This document provides information on the required analysis of hazards and risk-based preventive controls to minimize or prevent identified hazards.
How do you determine the identity of a unknown material I found in my product? Patricia Quinn from Eurofins SF Analytical in New Berlin, WI discusses this topic in this short video. Eurofins publishes our Ask an Expert Series weekly on our social media platforms.
Why was the genus Lactobacillus reclassified? Andrzej Benkowski, Technical Leader from Eurofins Microbiology in Madison, WI discusses this topic in this short video. Eurofins publishes our Ask an Expert Series weekly on our social media platforms.
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.
Have a product needing a Facts Panel and not sure which one to use? This article explains the differences between food and dietary supplement labeling and what food and supplement manufacturers must include on their labels.
This blog will focus on clarifying a less familiar cousin of the well-established sugar – the sugar alcohol.
Is "not detected" the same as "absent"? David Legan, Ph.D. from Eurofins Microbiology in Madison, WI discusses this topic in this short video.
