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:
The goal of the FDA's proposed rule for Front-of-Package (FOP) nutrition labeling is to require easily noticeable and obvious nutrition information. Check out our infographic about the FDA's proposed rule for front-of-package (FOP) nutrition labeling.
February 17, 2025 – In response to increasing global demand for high-phenolic olive oils, Eurofins Craft Technologies Inc. has developed an innovative method for quantifying Valuable Olive Polyphenols (VOPs) in olive oil, olive leaf extracts, and other olive-derived products. Read more about the new method and applications for olive oil products.
As part of an effort to promote public health, the FDA has updated the requirements that food must meet in order to use the “healthy” claim on their labels. Our infographic gives background on the update and a high-level view of the criteria.
In this on-demand webinar, Mollie Van Alst provides a straight-forward explanation of the FDA's proposed changes to the definition of "healthy" on food labels. Original Air Date November 7, 2024.
Is your Astaxanthin natural or synthetic? Review this infographic to learn more about astaxanthin.
As a food manufacturer, you have several options for adding sweetness to your product, including sugars, sugar alcohols, and artificial sweeteners. But how do they compare, and how do they impact the caloric content of your final product?
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.
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.
Launching a pet food or pet treat company can be an exciting journey, but ensuring the safety, quality, and compliance of your products is crucial for success. Not sure where to start? There's where we can help.
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!
