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:
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.
Eurofins Meat Testing is thrilled to announce Brian McFarlane has recently joined the organization as the Senior Director of Technical Services for our Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Testing Division. With almost three decades of experience in the meat industry, he brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his new role.
February 2024: Eurofins Microbiology Laboratories, Louisville, KY welcomes Aubrey Ismaili as the new Business Unit Manager.
February 2024: Eurofins is pleased to announce Sam Wilson has been promoted to the position of Cluster Manager for the Northwest group of Micro labs.
Read this press release about the new rapid, accurate Chlortetracycline concentration testing methodology at Eurofins Animal Heath Testing for Type B and C Medicated Feeds.
November 2023
Eurofins is pleased to announce the appointment of Justin Eason as the new Business Unit Manager for our North Carolina laboratory.
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.
To support compliance with state regulations, Eurofins SF Analytical now offers a validated GC-MSMS method for the analysis of 1,4-dioxane with a reporting limit of 1 ppm. The method has been validated for use in solids, surfactant-containing solids, liquids, surfactant-containing liquids, solvent-based liquids, and oil-based liquids.
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.
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.
