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:
Discover how a leading brand overcame protein precipitation and visual separation issues in their dairy-based RTD coffee. Explore the innovative solutions implemented to stabilize the coffee-dairy matrix and ensure product consistency.
The demand for shelf-stable beverages continues to grow across categories, from juices and ready-to-drink teas to dairy-based and plant-based protein drinks. However, ensuring both safety and product integrity requires a clear understanding of processing methods, particularly as they relate to high-acid vs. low-acid beverages. This white paper outlines best practices for processing high-acid and low-acid beverages, common formulation challenges, and key factors for ensuring a safe, high-quality final product.
Precise instrument calibration is critical for maintaining accurate mass balance in dairy plants. As highlighted in this Eurofins Case Study, inconsistent calibration practices can disrupt the accuracy of milk-to-butterfat ratios, leading to substantial revenue losses during production.
In the product development process, scaling dairy-based systems takes more than a good formula—it takes a deep understanding of how everything works together.
November 2024 - Eurofins DQCI and Eurofins Microbiology Laboratories, Inc. are excited to announce the launch of an innovative new test for Avian Influenza A in raw milk, designed to safeguard dairy herds and ensure the health and safety of milk production. This test offers dairy farmers and processors a crucial tool to detect and manage avian flu outbreaks efficiently.
In this on-demand webinar discover the strategies to address chemical contamination in Clean in Place (CIP) processes effectively. Original airdate April 17, 2024.
We are excited to announce the promotion of Dr. Dino Holmquist as the Chief Science Officer for the US Dairy industry. He brings over a decade of experience in dairy analytical testing and a strong commitment to food safety and quality assurance.
This white paper will provide a brief overview of both prevention and investigation of spoilage. By focusing on principles, it will not be able to answer every question, but rather will illustrate questions to ask during product design and failure investigations.
Calibration standards are a necessary investment in reducing production risks and improving overall profit. How do you choose the right calibration frequency for your diary production?
One way to improve profitability is to reduce waste by not placing more of the valuable components in your products than is necessary. In the dairy industry, shrink may be seen when producing products with more protein and/or fat than may be required based on industry-determined minimum values.
