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:
As popularity of dietary supplements continues to grow, recent challenges in supply chain have shown an emergent growth in adulteration. Find out more on what the problem with adulteration is, and how is it being addressed.
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are a wide group of natural toxins that present a potential risk to consumers. Find out more if your dietary supplements or herbal supplements are at risk and how to test and verify your product's safety for consumers.
A new study published in JAMA Ophthalmology has found that lutein and zeaxanthin may be better alternatives to beta-carotene for supporting those inflicted with Age-Related Eye Disease (AREDS). This additional information may mean more lutein and zeaxanthin supplements on the market and more testing needed to verify suppliers.
The botanical supplement and cosmetic industries are rapidly changing, and the increase in consumer demand calls for upscaling raw material sourcing. This means there is higher pressure for scientifically-valid contaminant testing, including screens for pesticides and heavy metals, while maintaining a fast turn-around time. Watch this webinar to learn modern approaches to contaminant detection, with an emphasis on market trends, broad dietary supplement applications, and OTC cosmetics.
The USDA establishes a new standard for disclosing bioengineered food. Does the mandate apply to you? Read to learn more.
Where do you start when you're looking for a laboratory to for your testing needs? Check out our checklist of steps to choosing the right lab partner for your company.
PFAS have valuable uses and extreme chemical stability, but can lead to adverse health outcomes. Learn why PFAS testing in foods is now becoming an essential need for your food and supplement products in the market.
Validated methods are essential to reliable botanical testing. Method validation and development ensures analytical approaches are applicable to specific ingredients and provide accurate results. The process of method development and validation are outlined.
Botanical reference materials play a critical role in herbal product testing. Learn about the importance of botanical reference materials, and how choosing a lab with a large reference material library impacts analytical outputs.
What goes into producing a quality dietary supplement? Check out our infographic to learn about the six major characteristics that contribute to the quality of a dietary supplements product.
