J. David Legan

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:

MicroTally™ Swab Testing for Meat

MicroTally™ has created an easy, FSIS compliant tool for meat sampling. Learn how Eurofins support can make using this tool even easier.

Keywords: Blog Meat Microbiology MicroTally

Are Your Products at Risk for Food Fraud?

Food fraud can result in serious public health consequences and damage to your brand's reputation. Learn about products at risk for food fraud and steps you can take to protect your company.

Keywords: Infographic Authenticity ID & Purity Botanicals Supplements Food Beverages Ingredients Meat

Indicator Organism Testing

Indicator organisms are groups of microbes that are correlated with other groups. In other words, the presence of one indicates the presence of another. So, indicator testing detects a small group of pathogens instead of running over 30 tests to look for all potential harmful groups. This reduces testing times and costs.

Keywords: Blog Microbiology Food Meat

USDA vs. FDA Food Labeling

Which food labeling rule applies to your food product? Learn more about USDA and FDA Food Labeling guidelines, coverage, and differences.

Keywords: Blog Nutritional Regulatory Food Dairy Meat

Understanding the Nutrition Facts Panel: What is required by the USDA and FDA for your product?

Watch this webinar to gain an understanding of the difference between the USDA and FDA labeling regulations. Also, learn which products fall into which regulation.

Keywords: Webinar Regulatory Food Nutritional Meat

Understanding Food Fraud, Food Defense, Authenticity, and Adulteration of Foods

Learn more about the similarities and differences between the terms: fraud, defense, authenticity, and adulteration when it comes to foods, ingredients, and supplements.

Keywords: Blog Authenticity ID & Purity Regulatory Botanicals Supplements Food Ingredients Meat

Validation of Eurofins GeneScan BACGene Mplex STEC Screen Kit Using MicroTally™ Enrichment Cloths

New validated methods are here at Eurofins! Check out this white paper written by Joelle Mosso on our new method for faster and more cost efficient pathogen analysis on beef trim using MicroTally® cloths!

Keywords: Scientific Research Microbiology Meat Beef

Uses of Whole-Genome Sequencing

Whole-Genome Sequencing aids in tracking foodborne illnesses and drug resistance in food pathogens. Read on to learn how WGS ensures food safety and quality.

Keywords: Blog Microbiology Probiotics Food Beverages Meat DNA Sequencing

Understanding STEC: Information You Need to Know

Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), in particular, is a group of E. coli strains most associated with foodborne outbreaks. As food producers, you have the responsibility to ensure your consumers don't become a statistic. Read on to learn more about STEC and other food pathogens and how to eliminate them from your products.

Keywords: Microbiology Blog Food Meat Pathogens

Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventative Controls Program Development and Validation

The FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), requires domestic and foreign food facilities registered with section 415 of the Food, Drug, & Cosmetic (FD&C) Act to enact risk-based preventive controls. This document provides information on the required analysis of hazards and risk-based preventive controls to minimize or prevent identified hazards.

Keywords: Blog Regulatory Food Safety FSMA HACCP Food Beverages Meat

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