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:
Understand what an acidified food is, the regulations associated with acidified foods, and different sterilization techniques (thermal processing and cold-fill-hold) for various food products. This guide will help you to determine the classification of a food, and provide resources to aid in processing, FDA filing, and where to go to with further questions.
Is your Astaxanthin natural or synthetic? Review this infographic to learn more about astaxanthin.
Mushroom toxicity comes from many sources, including the soil, processing, and the mushrooms themselves. This infographic outlines sources of contamination, as well as steps to take to minimize the risk of toxins entering the food chain.
IR spectroscopy, including NIR and mid-IR, is a useful technology for food and beverage analysis. The experts at Eurofins QTA recently answered five common questions about IR spectroscopy to help you determine if it is right for you and your products. This infographic provides an overview of how IR spectroscopy is helpful for product analysis.
Navigating the testing options and regulatory requirements for pet foods and treats gets confusing, even for long standing companies. This infographic provides an overview of the key components of a testing plan for pet foods, including nutritional analysis, microbial testing, and product formulation.
Eurofins Central Analytical Laboratories (CAL) offers unrivaled expertise and an ISO 17025:2017 accreditation for all aspects of tea testing, including dried and fresh tea analysis, brewed service testing, and pesticide analysis. This flyer provides an overview of ECAL's tea offerings and the benefits of testing with Eurofins.
As the global leader in food testing, Eurofins has a few tips as you prepare your sample for submission to our laboratories. These tools will inform you how to expedite the testing process, ensure sample integrity and keep your samples on track. Connect with us today to get started!
After collecting your samples making sure that they arrive at the laboratory at the correct temperature is the main priority. This guide walks through FIVE key steps for you to follow.
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.
