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:
How does Prop 65 relate to dietary supplements? How do I test for heavy metals in dietary supplements to ensure compliance with Prop 65? Is Prop 65 specific to California? Get the answers to these questions and more!
In a recent webinar, experts answered some FAQs about probiotic enumeration, with a focus on the applications of flow cytometry to probiotic products. This blog provides an overview of the questions and answers, including the benefits of flow cytometry, how it compares to plate counts, and considerations for testing.
The current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMPs) regulations for dietary supplements in the US were implemented in 2007, but there is still a great deal of enforcement activity by FDA. This white paper will provide an overview of the regulations, but more importantly will highlight some of the most commonly cited issues in FDA Form 483 observations.
In this webinar, Jeff Stassi and Lukas Vaclavik will discuss testing for both contaminants and adulterants in your products. Also, the importance of designing the proper monitoring program to ensure your products are safe and compliant. Original airdate June 20, 2023.
Learn how mushrooms can become contaminated with bacteria and what you can do to protect your consumers. Eurofins provides comprehensive food testing services.
Botanical supplement contamination can be dangerous, and preventing contamination starts with understanding its sources. This infographic explains different sources of contamination in a botanical supplement's life cycle - from growing in the soil to packaging and storage.
Chemical and microbial exposure are the most common types of contamination during food processing. Understanding the sources of each type of contamination helps to effectively prevent problems before they arise. This infographic below explains various contamination sources in food, feed, and botanical products. These include residual solvents, storage issues, improper handling, and more.
Manufacturers and marketers of dietary supplements often have questions about what testing is required for Supplement Facts labels. This white paper is intended to provide information to help companies make informed choices about the testing and claims made on dietary supplements.
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.
Phytochemicals are chemicals derived from plants used to test the purity, composition, adulteration, and potency of botanical products. Discover how plant chemistry shapes and motivates botanical product authentication.
