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:
Researchers from Eurofins Microbiology and Third Wave Bioactives collaborated to compare the microbial succession of refrigerated chicken noodle soup. The purpose of better understanding how various culture ingredients not only prevent microbial spoilage populations, but also dive deeper into how microbial populations evolve over time.
This white paper explores off-flavor and odor investigations performed by Eurofins SFA. Authored by Eurofins' scientist Jamie Willems Ph.D.
The experts at Eurofins have identified some key considerations for environment sample collection that will help ensure quality results. These quick tips will help you build a solid foundation for detecting facility risks as you conduct your environmental monitoring programs.
This infographic highlights the most frequent reasons for variability of laboratory results and measures third party laboratories implement to address variability.
The Eurofins network of laboratories has multiple laboratories that have been specifically outfitted to meet customer's needs for shelf life and product stability testing.
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.
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.
If you are seeking your initial GFSI benchmarked certification and aren’t sure if you’re ready, a pre-assessment audit is a great tool to verify your preparedness. You can think of a pre-assessment as a “practice audit” that will provide an expanded review of your facility’s program and procedures as they relate to the audit scheme.
Fingerprinting Fruits Using Coumarins & Psoralens, Authentication Tool for Meyer Lemons
This poster describes some of the work Eurofins has conducted on procedures to help control the quality of agave syrups.
