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:
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.
Eurofins Microbiology Laboratories, Inc (Lafayette, CO) is excited to announce it has been certified by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to conduct microbial hemp compliance testing for industrial hemp and hemp derived products.
Gummy supplements continue to trend among consumers, but this matrix can be challenging to test. How does Eurofins address these challenges? Read about the answer from Jeff Stassi, Sr. Analytical Services Manager with Eurofins Food Chemistry Testing in Madison, WI.
This article outlines what ISO 17025:2017 is, and why it is important to choose an accredited lab for testing. An FAQ section details the process and technicalities of ISO accreditations and emphasizes the role of accreditations in providing reliable results.
This webinar discusses current analytical trends, focusing on low level cannabinoids testing and meeting stringent limits for pesticide residue testing. We briefly review navigating API and OTC testing to meet GMP requirements. Finally, we share updates related to hemp and feed, as well as the certification process of the USHA.
Eurofins Food Chemistry Testing (Madison, WI) is excited to announce it is the first testing laboratory certified by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to conduct hemp compliance testing for manufactured industrial hemp products for all seven of the CDPHE certification categories.
Eurofins QTA offers a unique service by testing using infrared lights. Learn about what infrared is, how it works, how QTA differentiates from other providers, How to convert to infrared testing, and how to get started with QTA.
Eurofins is proud to announce that our method for determining potency in hemp has been approved and validated by the AOAC.
Eurofins has completed the development and validation of a ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method for low-level quantification in CBD isolate matrices.
In this article read about how Eurofins QTA has developed a new method using NIR to test the THC levels of hemp and cannabis that are being utilized by state police to rapidly determine the THC levels of confiscated cannabis.
