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:
The regulations and requirements surrounding bioengineered foods are confusing, especially when navigating federal regulations and the voluntary non-GMO Project verification. This FAQ answers common questions surrounding the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard, the non-GMO Project, and testing options at Eurofins.
Following the recent webinar titled "Validation of Thermal Processes Applied to Low-Water Activity Foods" experts Shirin Abd and Dr. Wilfredo Ocasio answered some frequently asked questions.
Pathogenic organisms, like Salmonella and E. coli, can grow in low water activity foods, leading to foodborne illness outbreaks. Thermal processes inhibit microbial growth and ensure only safe ingredients and products reach the shelves. Thermal processes must be validated to make sure they fully prevent pathogen growth. This blog outlines what foods may need an LWAF thermal process, what a validation study looks like, and the results the experts at Eurofins provide.
Ethylene oxide is gaining attention in the food regulatory space. EtO was banned as a food fumigant in 1991 in the EU. While ethylene oxide is not banned for use in foods in the United States, it is important to understand the allowed tolerances in the US and EU, especially as regulations continue to evolve and online sales contribute to increasing overseas exports. This article outlines the uses and toxicity of EtO, US and EU regulations, and EtO analysis at Eurofins.
Foreign materials in products can be dangerous to consumers and damage a brand's reputation. At Eurofins, we have the expertise and experience to handle all kinds of foreign material investigations, including issues in food and beverage packaging. This case study outlines how we used analytical chemistry approaches, including LC-MS. GC-MS, and FTIR to identify a contaminant causing a bitter taste in Jello Shots
Foreign materials in products can be dangerous to consumers and damage a brand's reputation. At Eurofins, we have the expertise and experience to handle all kinds of foreign material investigations, including complaints of rodents in hamburger buns! This case study walks through how we helped a client avoid legal action by using microscopy and chemical analysis to prove their buns are not contaminated.
In this webinar attendees will learn about the technical, instrument, and regulatory considerations for chromatographic method feasibility, development, optimization, verification, validation also method transfer considerations. Original airdate October 20, 2022.
Foreign materials and off-odor or off-flavors in a product may result in loss of consumer trust or a damaged brand reputation. In the worst cases, these issues can be dangerous. The first step in eliminating foreign material and off-odor or off-flavor risk is understanding the sources of contamination, including packaging and production issues and chemical and microbial contamination. This blog explains the benefits of foreign material, off-odor, and off-flavor analysis, the sources of contamination, and the tests available for testing.
Is your product an acidified food? This infographic goes over what an acidified food is, the regulations associated with acidified foods, and different sterilization techniques (thermal processing and cold-fill-hold) for various products. Our experts are here to help you determine if your product is an acidified food, what testing is required, and come up with a solution that is right for you.
Food fraud is a widespread and worldwide problem. Watch this video to learn more about which products are most frequently impacted, and how it can impact your business.
