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:
Mushroom toxicity comes from many sources, including the soil, processing, and the mushrooms themselves. This infographic outlines sources of contamination, as well as steps to take to minimize the risk of toxins entering the food chain.
IR spectroscopy, including NIR and mid-IR, is a useful technology for food and beverage analysis. The experts at Eurofins QTA recently answered five common questions about IR spectroscopy to help you determine if it is right for you and your products. This infographic provides an overview of how IR spectroscopy is helpful for product analysis.
This webinar presentation covers a background review of how we have come to report results as “presumptive”, the current state of rapid and confirmation testing, and possible future direction. Original airdate December 7, 2023.
Beginning Nov 9, 2023, Eurofins Food Chemistry Testing Madison will include Allulose testing as an optional component of its primary sugar profile analysis, at no additional charge to its valued customers.
In this on-demand webinar, you will learn how to assess your microbiological food safety hazards related to these holding steps and determine if pathogen growth and/or toxin production may occur. We will discuss several case studies as well as different strategies you may employ to address these identified risks. Original airdate October 11, 2023.
Microbiological specifications are tools used to help manage risk in a food business. A specification defines the limits of acceptable and unacceptable conditions at important decision points in the manufacturing and distribution continuum, from ingredient specifications to final product specifications. In this white paper we will explore the types, uses, and creation of microbiological specifications.
Eurofins Craft Technologies has a broad range of service offerings, including phytochemical analysis, carotenoid profiles, vitamin testing, and various biological analyses. This flyer highlights the current offerings and details how Craft can support your testing needs.
This case study details how Eurofins The National Food Lab was able to assist an ingredient supplier in understanding their new product's key performance differentiators to demonstrate their value proposition to potential clients.
This case study details how Eurofins The National Food Lab was able to assist a Consumer Packaged Goods company in evaluating the options for plant protein alternatives as a new ingredient option.
PFAS limits and allowances in food contact materials, food products, and the environment are increasing. The FDA banned some PFAS compounds and has strict regulations on others. This flyer provides an overview of PFAS regulationsand how Eurofins can support your PFAS monitoring programs.
