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:
A guide to frequently asked questions around testing dietary supplements and ingredients with US Pharmacopeia (USP) microbiology methods. Learn more about testing samples with USP.
Read about the function of probiotics in the body, the different varieties and benefits, and how they’re consumed in the diet, from common to new sources. See what to consider when choosing a third party lab for testing and how Eurofins is one of the most trusted labs in the industry.
Instrument calibration management is the key to mass balance optimization in dairy plants. Eurofins DQCI is the dairy industry’s leading analytical laboratory, adhering to the highest standards supporting infrared and near-infrared technology worldwide.
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.
Clinical studies suggested that glucosamine has the potential to be used to relieve joint pain causing by Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis. We offer several methods for the characterization and quantification of glucosamine in dietary supplements and ingredients. The selection of the testing technique is dependent on the sample matrix, formulation, and the method used when establishing product specifications. Read through this article to learn more about the use of glucosamine in supplements and the options for testing methods.
What species of microorganisms are present in your dairy products? Learn why you need microbiome monitoring for your dairy products.
The quality and safety of infant formula and baby food are a major concern for parents, public health authorities, and regulatory bodies worldwide. Infant formula and baby food producers need to design comprehensive testing plans to ensure that their supply chain and finished products are free of harmful chemicals and pathogens. In this article Lukas Vaclavik, Contaminants Senior Staff Scientist for Eurofins Food Chemistry Testing discusses potential contaminants, the challenges and solutions around testing for contaminants and pesticide residues.
In this article get answers to some frequently asked questions about sterol testing. Learn how the method is run, what matrices it is suitable for, and more.
Oil and water don't mix, but they can be made into an emulsion. In this blog read about how emulsions in food products can pose issues for traditional analytical methods and how Eurofins rises to the challenge with specific methodology for these food products.
In this blog post Eurofins Analytical Services Manager Jeff Stassi explains why it is so important to set specifications for dietary supplements.
