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:
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.
Eurofins is proud to offer a new service as part of its dairy testing portfolio. The Eurofins team has developed and validated a method to detect recombinant Bovine Somatotropin (rBST) in liquid milk products.
Ethylene oxide is gaining attention in the food regulatory space. EtO was banned as a food fumigant in 1991 in the EU. While ethylene oxide is not banned for use in foods in the United States, it is important to understand the allowed tolerances in the US and EU, especially as regulations continue to evolve and online sales contribute to increasing overseas exports. This article outlines the uses and toxicity of EtO, US and EU regulations, and EtO analysis at Eurofins.
Foreign materials in products can be dangerous to consumers and damage a brand's reputation. At Eurofins, we have the expertise and experience to handle all kinds of foreign material investigations, including contamination of finished products, like cheese. This case study explains how we helped a client determine the source of foreign material contamination and eliminate future issues using microscopy and elemental analysis.
Eurofins has a unique approach to A2 beta-casein testing. Our assay and LC-MS/MS testing options can be used on raw milk, milk batches, and finished products. View this infographic to learn more about A2 testing at Eurofins DQCI!
A2 beta-casein milk is gaining popularity as the health-oriented consumer base grows. Reliable A2 products start with pure A2 raw milk. Traditional genetic testing is limited to single cows and raw products. Eurofins offers assay and LC-MS/MS methods to test beta-casein protein levels in raw milk from individual cows and batches, as well as finished products. This article covers the science behind A2 beta-casein and the testing options at Eurofins DQCI.
