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:
Bringing a new food or beverage product to life takes more than a good idea—it takes execution. And for early-stage brands, that executional gap between your kitchen and your consumer can feel massive. The problem isn’t passion or creativity. It’s infrastructure. Enter: The Pilot Plant.
You’ve launched before. You know the drill. But in today’s landscape—where trends evolve fast and pressure to innovate is nonstop—even the best R&D teams need an edge. Enter: the pilot plant. It’s your sandbox for rapid iteration, precise testing, and format exploration—without tying up commercial line time or internal resources.
You believe in your ingredient. You’ve seen the research, tested the science, and refined the story. But for buyers, belief isn’t enough—it needs to be experienced. That’s where a pilot plant makes all the difference. Read our blog to learn about the value of a pilot plant for ingredient suppliers.
How is protein quality determined and how is protein content assessed for food labeling? What is an Amino Acid Score? These questions are all answered in our blog about how PDCAAS shapes nutritional claims.
The Scoop Podcast returns with season 2! In this first episode of the new season, host Keren Breiterman, explores the essential role of vitamins in infant formula and their impact on early development with Staff Scientist Dan Hengst.
Creatine is one of the most extensively studied and widely used ingredients in sports nutrition, prized for its well-documented ability to enhance strength, increase lean muscle mass, and improve performance during high-intensity, short-duration exercise. Learn about its benefits, biological role, and the importance of rigorous testing for quality and compliance.
With rising demand for A2-type dairy, precise A1/A2 testing is essential. Eurofins' advanced LCMS technology ensures product integrity and consumer confidence in a transparent food supply chain. Learn about the structure of A1/A2 and the importance of testing.
Iodine is an essential trace element found in many food sources as well as the environment. AAFCO recognizes iodine as an essential nutrient for both dogs and cats at differing, species specific levels. This infographic explains explores considerations for iodine in pet food and reasons to test for it.
Hydrolyzed proteins play a crucial role in the pet food, animal nutrition, and feed industries, offering significant benefits in digestibility, allergen reduction, and bioavailability. This white paper explores the advantages of hydrolyzed proteins and their impact on product formulation.
The Pet Food Label Modernization (PFLM) initiative is reshaping industry standards, making dietary fiber a required metric. Learn how this change impacts pet food formulations, testing methods, and nutritional transparency.
