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:
Standard sugar analyses don’t always tell the full story, especially when isomaltose is present. Eurofins Food Chemistry Testing Madison, Inc. addresses this gap by measuring isomaltose as part of your product’s sugar profile. Why is this testing important? Keep reading to find out.
In today’s highly regulated dairy and infant formula market, manufacturers need deeper visibility into how processing impacts product quality. Learn how high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) is emerging as a critical tool for dairy testing and infant formula analysis.
Liquid multivitamin supplements are growing in popularity, offering flexibility, convenience, and consumer-friendly dosing. However, testing liquid multivitamins presents significant analytical challenges due to their complex composition and the inherent instability of many vitamins.
Testing gummy supplements require specialized expertise, advanced preparation techniques, and a deep understanding of matrix effects. This is where the team at Eurofins Supplement & OTC in Madison, WI demonstrates proven leadership.
A leading pet treat and supplement manufacturer needed a faster, more reliable way to monitor product quality across multiple production lines. Their products require tight control of key nutritional and physical attributes. Here is how Eurofins QTA team helped.
The recent FDA Dietary Supplement Innovation Public Meeting marks a pivotal moment for our industry. The agency is reexamining foundational concepts, including how dietary ingredients are defined and regulated.
In today’s rapidly evolving infant nutrition landscape, manufacturers are under increasing pressure to deliver formulas that are both safe and nutritionally aligned with breast milk. One of the most important scientific tools supporting this effort is proteomics. Learn more about how Eurofins leading laboratory is ensuring product integrity, optimizing formulations, and confidently bringing new innovations to market.
Understanding and effectively formulating lipids has become essential for today’s product developers. Whether replacing synthetic preservatives, selecting alternative oils, delivering specific health benefits, or exploring novel lipid technologies, each decision has impacts. Learn how Eurofins testing can help.
As consumer demand for women-focused health solutions accelerates, successful product development requires more than trend alignment, it demands clinically grounded, format-ready ingredient strategies. Learn more about the insights of developing functional food, beverage, and supplements products that address key women’s health needs.
Innovation in the nutraceutical and functional food space is accelerating, but commercialization is struggling to keep pace. The conversation is shifting from “What can we formulate?” to a much harder question:
“What will actually work in a factory, at scale, for 12+ months?” Here are the biggest takeaways from Vitafoods Europe 2026.
