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:
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.
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 Microbiology Laboratories, Inc (Lafayette, CO) is excited to announce it has been certified by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to conduct microbial hemp compliance testing for industrial hemp and hemp derived products.
The VIRSeek Hepatitis A, Norovirus G1 and G2 assays have been validated by ISO for detecting HAV and NoVG1 and NoVG2 in soft fruits, leaf, stem, and bulb vegetables, bottled water, bivalve molluscan shellfish, as well as on food surfaces.
April 10, 2023 - Eurofins Microbiology Laboratory, Inc. in Mounds View, MN is proud to announce both its new partnership with Rheonix and new offering of the Rheonix Listeria PatternAlert™ assay for Listeria presumptive samples. The Listeria PatternAlert™ assay enables rapid identification of recurring patterns of Listeria contamination across locations and time.
Eurofins' Lafayette, Colorado pilot plant, operated by The National Food Lab, is excited to announce a significant upgrade to its beverage canning capabilities, providing three times the daily production of high-quality beverages at an affordable price. This upgrade will take effect immediately, allowing businesses to take advantage of the expanded canning services and their benefits.
March 3, 2023 - Eurofins Craft Technologies Inc. is excited to announce it is the first laboratory in the world to offer an A2LA accredited option for astaxanthin ester profile. By reporting the ester profile rather than converting the astaxanthin to the free-form, there is less manipulation of the product, thereby minimizing the risk of loss and providing a more accurate result. As opposed to alternate methods, the ester profile displays an astaxanthin, profile which can be indicative of source material.
