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 episode of The Scoop, host Keren Breiterman speaks with Andrezj Benkowski, Senior Technical Manager for Eurofins Chemistry Testing Laboratories - Madison, about Whole-Genome Sequencing—from its origins to its modern evolution through Next-Generation Sequencing.
At Eurofins Nutrition Analysis Center, we highlight the critical role of texture analysis in pet food quality. This video explains how texture analysis quantifies product consistency and provides valuable insights into performance across the supply chain from R&D to addressing customer complaints.
At Eurofins Nutrition Analysis Center, we break down the latest AAFCO changes to dietary fiber labeling in pet foods. In this video, our experts guide you through selecting the right testing method based on product type, offering a comprehensive overview of available analytical approaches.
In this video, Eurofins Nutrition Analysis Center experts delve into the importance of using specialized test methods for chondroitin and glucosamine in complex pet food and treat matrices. We showcase the proprietary method developed by our scientists to overcome analytical challenges and ensure accurate results.
In this episode of The Scoop, host Keren Breiterman speaks with Dave Ellingson, Director of Scientific Strategy for Eurofins Chemistry Testing Laboratories - Madison, about the role of phospholipids in infant formula and their importance in replicating the composition of human milk.
In this episode of The Scoop, host Keren Breiterman speaks with Dave Ellingson, Director of Scientific Strategy for Eurofins Chemistry Testing Laboratories - Madison, about Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs)—what they are, why they matter, and how they’re shaping the future of infant nutrition.
In this video, Business Unit Manager Ian Laessig shares how the Eurofins team collaborates with OTC and GMP clients to ensure compliant testing and a seamless experience.
In this video, Business Unit Manager, Mallory Bolander, discusses what trends Eurofins Food Chemistry Testing Madison, Inc. is seeing across the food and dietary supplement industries and how they adapt to changing client needs.
In this video, Business Unit Manager Ian Laessig explores how Eurofins Food Chemistry Testing supports the OTC and GMP industries with comprehensive testing solutions for APIs in finished products, ingredients, and excipients.
In this episode of The Scoop, host Keren Breiterman speaks with Chief Science Officer, Daryl Sullivan about the evolution of infant formula testing standards and his role in shaping them.
