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:
January 2024: Eurofins Grain Inspection is excited to announce the expansion of its on-site railcar inspection and testing services.
January 2024: Eurofins is pleased to announce Trish Hook as Technical Business Manager at Eurofins SF Analytical & S&N Labs West.
December 1st, 2023
Eurofins is excited to announce Nick Johnson has joined the team as the Regional Sales Manager at Eurofins Microbiology Laboratories in Tustin, California.
November 2023
Eurofins is pleased to announce the appointment of Justin Eason as the new Business Unit Manager for our North Carolina laboratory.
Beginning Nov 9, 2023, Eurofins Food Chemistry Testing Madison will include Allulose testing as an optional component of its primary sugar profile analysis, at no additional charge to its valued customers.
October 3rd, 2023
Eurofins is excited to announce that Dr. Cris Amarillas has joined the team as the Chief Science Officer, Botanicals.
Rafael Davila is the Business Unit Manager of four produce-focused microbiology laboratories for Eurofins US Foods in the Salinas Valley, CA and Yuma, AZ. Learn more here about his background and goals for produce food safety.
Eurofins, a leading global testing company, is thrilled to announce the inauguration of its cutting-edge microbiology laboratory located in Clayton, North Carolina. This state-of-the-art facility is set to cater to the needs of the food, feed, and ingredient industries by providing unparalleled microbiological testing and environmental monitoring services. The laboratory will also serve as a pivotal local access point to Eurofins' extensive network of laboratories worldwide.
Eurofins SFA SN Special Analysis West is pleased to announce the relocation of its DEA/GLP-compliant facility from a legacy facility at 2021 E. 4th St, Santa Ana, CA to a new, 3,800+ square foot state-of-the-art facility located at 2841 Dow Avenue, Tustin, CA
Eurofins, a leading global testing company with a presence in 61 countries, is thrilled to unveil its latest addition to the network of laboratories: a cutting-edge microbiology laboratory in Columbia, Missouri. This facility is set to revolutionize the field of microbiological testing, catering to the diverse needs of the food, feed, and ingredient industries, as well as providing essential environmental monitoring services.
