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:
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.
Clinical studies suggested that glucosamine has the potential to be used to relieve joint pain causing by Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis. We offer several methods for the characterization and quantification of glucosamine in dietary supplements and ingredients. The selection of the testing technique is dependent on the sample matrix, formulation, and the method used when establishing product specifications. Read through this article to learn more about the use of glucosamine in supplements and the options for testing methods.
Eurofins presents at AOAC Annual Meeting and Exposition in 2020 summarizing the modifications made to the AOAC Official Method 2018.11 for quantification of cannabinoids to include conversion of Δ9-THCA into Δ9-THC.
Eurofins develops and validates a versatile HPLC-UV/DAD method for analyzing twelve major cannabinoids in dried plant materials, concentrates and oils. Method was granted AOAC First Action OMA status (AOAC Official Method 2018.11).
This online presentation announces the establishment of a groundbreaking partnership. Backed by a grant from the US Department of Commerce, the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) and National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) have partnered with the China Society for Inspection and Testing (CSIT) and Eurofins to establish a qualification program focused on high-quality botanical and nutritional ingredients from China, and to provide new direct access to the Chinese consumer market for US dietary supplements for humans and pets.
For ethanol and IPA-based hand sanitizers to be effective as disinfecting agents, they must contain at least 60% ethanol or 70% IPA by volume. Eurofins SF Analytical is pleased to offer two new test offerings to meet client demand for alcohol content in disinfecting products, including hand sanitizer.
The Hemp Industry often needs support for testing the safety and quality of their products from seeds to finished products. Read this white paper to learn more about
how developers can make use of hemp-specific analytical tests, including potency,to ensure their products are safe and deliver the highest quality, key factors to
establishing and maintaining a role in today’s competitive cannabinoids marketplace.
Spice Industry Rapid Test Methods: Near - Infrared Spectroscopy Applications
