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:
Eurofins Central Analytical Laboratories (ECAL) is excited to announce the promotion of Christine McIntosh-Cole to the role of Business Unit Manager (BUMa) for Eurofins Central Analytical Laboratories(ECAL) GeneScan.
Eurofins GeneScan is pleased to announce the promotion of Frank Spiegelhalter to the position of Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) for Allergens and GMO Testing. In this new role, Frank will lead GeneScan's efforts in advancing allergen and GMO testing capabilities, continuing the tradition of innovation and excellence that the company is renowned for.
What are the labeling standards for gluten-free foods? Gain insights on the FDA's definition of gluten-free products and foods and how to meet voluntary labeling standards.
What tools do you have in place to prevent cross-contact of allergens in your facility? Check out our helpful and comprehensive guide to understanding and implementing a successful food allergen environmental monitoring plan.
Testing food and ingredients is a proactive step you can take to analyze and verify the quality and safety of your products. There are many considerations you should know about using test kits and instruments in your manufacturing plant. This article provides advice and considerations when buying in-house test kits and instruments.
This article discusses the main labeling requirements for food allergens in the US as well as the recent addition of sesame to monitored allergen list for foods and supplements in the US. Learn more regarding upcoming changes and allergen testing.
Join our webinar speakers as they tackle one of the leading causes of recalls – the presence of undeclared food allergens!
In this digital conference Eurofins experts, industry partners and food safety thought leaders guide attendees through a discussion of the latest solutions and controls for persistent pet food manufacturing issues.
Eurofins Nutrition Analysis Center has released the inaugural Nutrition Labeling Guide. The guide encompasses NLEA requirements and more.
In this educational webinar, Eurofins is joined by the Allergen Control Group and the Beyond Celiac to present on the many factors facing the gluten free community. Included in this special 75-minute webinar, our presenters cover allergen relations, advantages of gluten-free certifications, applicable training validation methods and audit tips.
