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:
Ethylene oxide is gaining attention in the food regulatory space. EtO was banned as a food fumigant in 1991 in the EU. While ethylene oxide is not banned for use in foods in the United States, it is important to understand the allowed tolerances in the US and EU, especially as regulations continue to evolve and online sales contribute to increasing overseas exports. This article outlines the uses and toxicity of EtO, US and EU regulations, and EtO analysis at Eurofins.
Human milk oligosaccharides are a key component of infant formula. Recent trends, including combining multiple HMOs in a single formula, have complicated analytical testing. Eurofins has an AOAC first action method for testing up to seven HMOs at a time. This blog outlines the benefits and trends of HMOs in infant formula, and Eurofins methods for testing.
Foreign materials and off-odor or off-flavors in a product may result in loss of consumer trust or a damaged brand reputation. In the worst cases, these issues can be dangerous. The first step in eliminating foreign material and off-odor or off-flavor risk is understanding the sources of contamination, including packaging and production issues and chemical and microbial contamination. This blog explains the benefits of foreign material, off-odor, and off-flavor analysis, the sources of contamination, and the tests available for testing.
We recently hosted a webinar titled "GC-MS Techniques for Troubleshooting Off-Flavor, Off-Odor, and Flavor Scalping in Foods and Beverages Webinar." This Q&A with Dr. Jamie Willems provides a deeper look in to common questions associated with GC-MS, contaminant detection, and out capabilities at Eurofins.
Cronobacter infection in infants can be deadly, and it is the responsibility of companies to make sure their products are safe. In this article, we explain what Cronobacter is, how it gets in products, and how testing can protect consumers and brand reputation.
A2 beta-casein milk is gaining popularity as the health-oriented consumer base grows. Reliable A2 products start with pure A2 raw milk. Traditional genetic testing is limited to single cows and raw products. Eurofins offers assay and LC-MS/MS methods to test beta-casein protein levels in raw milk from individual cows and batches, as well as finished products. This article covers the science behind A2 beta-casein and the testing options at Eurofins DQCI.
This article outlines what ISO 17025:2017 is, and why it is important to choose an accredited lab for testing. An FAQ section details the process and technicalities of ISO accreditations and emphasizes the role of accreditations in providing reliable results.
Learn more about the origins of the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) and Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) safety standards and how testing with a ISO 17025 accredited laboratory like Eurofins, can help you meet them.
The Stakeholder Program on Infant Formula and Adult Nutrition is an AOAC group dedicated to approving methods for testing the formulation and purity of infant formulas and nutritional products. Eurofins has always played a large role in SPIFAN, and continues to contribute new methods and expertise. Infant formula manufacturers can turn to Eurofins for all SPIFAN testing needs.
Besides flavor, salt is commonly used as a preservation ingredient to bind available water and help lower the water activity. It helps create conditions that are hard for pathogens to grow in. Learn more how the addition of salt in a smoked salmon product is not very straightforward with removing pathogen risk.
