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:
Manufacturing microwave food or Ready-to-Heat (RTH) products have compelling benefits and challenges. Learn more about the chemistry of how microwave technology works, applications in the food industry, and how testing is an important piece when manufacturing or selling these products.
High-Pressure Processing is a food processing technology that enables food safety while maintaining food quality. Learn how this high-pressure technology contributes to food science and testing to help support HPP processing and HPP food safety.
What's the role of microbiology in the food industry? Learn how microorganisms can positively or negatively affect food production and storage. Partner with our ISO 17025 accredited laboratory for all your food safety microbiology testing needs.
Fermented foods have gained popularity in recent years. Learn about the fermentation process, how they contribute to food sustainability and safety, and how partnering with a reputable ISO 17025 laboratory like Eurofins is essential for the success of your product.
If you are a manufacturer or sell probiotic supplements, testing for counts of probiotic strains is not always straight forward. Here are five tips you should know when it comes to testing your product and verifying your label claims.
Testing or enumeration Bacillus coagulans in gummies is not as straight forward as it seems. Sometimes product matrices are challenging and require a new custom method. Learn how our testing experts know exactly how to problem solve testing in tough matrices like gummy candies.
If you have been using an established probtioic enumeration method with good results, introducing new probiotic strains into your formulas may mean changes need to be made. Read this case study to learn how Eurofins finds a solution to challenging product with multiple strains from multiple manufacturers.
Is your probiotic supplement formulated with both probiotic bacteria and active compounds? If so, getting accurate enumeration of probiotic strains can be a challenge. Learn how our experts in probiotic testing are skilled in finding solutions to tough probiotic formulations in this case study.
Historically, the fresh produce industry has viewed food quality and food safety as different disciplines and utilizing separate science. That is changing. The lines between food safety and quality are becoming blurred.
For processors, retailers, growers and suppliers, the need to understand the intersection of food quality and safety has never been more critical. The strategic partnership between the Qfresh Lab and Eurofins was created specifically to address this need within the industry.
This webinar explores how to navigate through the combination of foods safety and quality.
This webinar with presenter Joelle Mosso, Associate Chief Scientific Officer for the Eurofins Produce Segment, discusses testing and introduces a new rapid screening tool for enteric pathogens Salmonella and Shiga toxigenic E. coli: EPRITM.
