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:
Navigate pesticide MRLs with confidence. This guide explains pesticide maximum residue limits, key Maximum Residue Limits regulations, and how pesticide residue testing supports global compliance. Learn what food export MRL requirements mean for suppliers, brands, and QA teams to protect products and ensure market access.
Selecting the right microbiological testing method isn’t just about speed or cost. It’s about risk management, product integrity, and regulatory compliance. Click to read about the strengths and limitations of different methodologies essential to avoid false negatives, regulatory citations, or costly recalls.
Ensure pet food label accuracy with pet food safety testing, GMO screening, and ingredient authentication. Learn how to verify pet food label claims and meet global regulations.
In the world of dietary supplements and food testing, unexpected results like failed specifications, out-of-spec (OOS) results, or surprising contaminant detections can be unsettling, but they’re not uncommon. Here’s how to navigate the process when results don’t align with expectations.
When it comes to refrigerated and frozen foods, shelf-life testing isn’t just about timelines, it’s about protecting your brand, your label claims, and your consumer’s experience. In this Ask the Expert feature, Sam Wiesenfeld shares insights into the most common questions clients face when designing shelf-life testing protocols for refrigerated and frozen foods.
Learn how mycotoxins like aflatoxin and ochratoxin impact food safety, and why effective mycotoxin testing and monitoring are essential for reducing contamination risks.
When it comes to dietary supplement testing, one seemingly small detail can have outsized consequences: specifying the correct vitamin form. Understanding and communicating the exact vitamin form in your product is not just a technical necessity, it’s a strategic imperative in ensuring accurate results, timely reporting, and regulatory compliance.
Switching oil sources, or developing a new product with an alternative oil, requires more than a label change. It demands a holistic view of how the oil behaves in your product, how it interacts with other ingredients, and how it holds up over time. Click to learn about the key considerations.
In the world of dietary supplements, ingredient authenticity is directly linked to quality, compliance, safety, and consumer trust. With the complexity of botanical materials and the limitations of individual testing techniques, relying on a single method for identity verification can be risky. That’s where orthogonal methods come in. Read to learn more.
Discover how GLP-1 medications are reshaping consumer behavior and driving innovation in food, beverage, and supplement industries , ushering in the “smaller-appetite era” of nutrition and wellness.
