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:
Company X, a leading national supplier of prepared foods, was set with their environmental monitoring program. Their plan and testing protocols were effective and efficient in collecting samples and evaluating for the organisms of concern. The problem was that they had been unable to eliminate the Listeria or trace it back to a source, so they turned to Eurofins and Rheonix.
Eurofins accepted a request to perform testing compliant with 21 CFR Parts 210/211 on an excipient material for over-the-counter pharmaceutical products and develop specific test methods to support the risk assessment of the manufacturing process and batch release. Read about what happened in response to the OOS test results.
Foreign materials in products can be dangerous to consumers and damage a brand's reputation. At Eurofins, we have the expertise and experience to handle all kinds of foreign material investigations, including issues in food and beverage packaging. This case study outlines how we used analytical chemistry approaches, including LC-MS. GC-MS, and FTIR to identify a contaminant causing a bitter taste in Jello Shots
Foreign materials in products can be dangerous to consumers and damage a brand's reputation. At Eurofins, we have the expertise and experience to handle all kinds of foreign material investigations, including issues in pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements. This case study outlines how we used microbial culture methods and 16S PCR to identify a bacterial contaminant and prevent future issues.
Foreign materials in products can be dangerous to consumers and damage a brand's reputation. At Eurofins, we have the expertise and experience to handle all kinds of foreign material investigations, including issues in pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements. This case study outlines how we used soot, ash, and char analysis to help a client avoid weeks of factory closure following a small fire.
Foreign materials in products can be dangerous to consumers and damage a brand's reputation. At Eurofins, we have the expertise and experience to handle all kinds of foreign material investigations, including issues in pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements. This case study outlines how we used microscopy and elemental analysis to determine the cause of discoloration in a pharmaceutical tablet.
Foreign materials in products can be dangerous to consumers and damage a brand's reputation. At Eurofins, we have the expertise and experience to handle all kinds of foreign material investigations, including complaints of rodents in hamburger buns! This case study walks through how we helped a client avoid legal action by using microscopy and chemical analysis to prove their buns are not contaminated.
Foreign materials in products can be dangerous to consumers and damage a brand's reputation. At Eurofins, our team of experts is equipped to identify the cause of contamination and help come up with the ideal solution for you. The case study outlines our approach to identifying the source of microbial contamination in bottled juice, and how we work with clients to prevent future issues.
Foreign materials in products can be dangerous to consumers and damage a brand's reputation. At Eurofins, we have the expertise and experience to handle all kinds of foreign material investigations, including contamination of finished products, like cheese. This case study explains how we helped a client determine the source of foreign material contamination and eliminate future issues using microscopy and elemental analysis.
A client requested testing for the cGMP-compliant analysis of cattle feed medicated with monensin. Watch our case study video below to learn how Eurofins Animal Health Testing evaluated and validated AOAC Official Method 2006.01 Monensin, Narasin, and Salinomycin in Mineral Premixes, Supplements, and Animal Feeds.
