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 dietary supplement industry has become an increasingly regulated industry since the introduction of the dietary supplement GMPs in 2007. There is still to this day an industry confusion as to the requirements needed to comply with the dietary supplement GMP requirement to use a scientifically valid method. So does this mean the method must be validated?
Rapid Analysis of In-Process Fish Oil by Quality Trait Analysis (QTA) Infrared Spectroscopy
The risk of mycotoxigenic molds on crops has increased due to changing weather conditions. In this article learn about the different ways mycotoxins are being tested for and what industries they are affecting.
Read about the new gluten test method available from Eurofins helping companies provide additional safety for consumers with celiac disease.
In this informative conversation between Vanessa Snyder and Grace Bandong they discuss contaminant testing in hemp and CBD products and why it is important. Grace tells companies the importance of testing for contaminants and gives advice for when and what to test.
Are you struggling with positive environmental pathogen tests? This may indicate that your facility is suffering from microbial harborage sites. A harborage site is a growth niche in which bacteria or other microorganisms can reside and grow for months and possibly years.
QTA technical experts will work with client to develop infrared testing methods for their high volume and high frequent products. The tests are easy to use by any operators, non-technical personal with minimal training.
In this white paper, you'll learn more about the details of Section 402(a)(1) of the Food Drug and Cosmetic Act that defines adulteration. What is considered contamination? How it can happen. What levels of extraneous material are acceptable? Filth analysis should be part of any HACCP plan that requires examination of raw material.
Eurofins presents a validation of USP <467> residual solvent methodology for testing on CBD and hemp-based products at the North American Chemical Residue Workshop.
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.
