Megazyme International Ireland Ltd. was founded in 1988 with the specific aim of developing and supplying diagnostic test kits and analytical reagents for the cereals and allied industries.
Prof. Barry McCleary, CEO, received his PhD degree in 1975 from University of Sydney, and DScAgr degree in 1989. In 2002, he is a recipient of the Harvey W. Wiley Award, AOAC's highest scientific award ‘for contributions to Analytical Chemistry’, the Clyde H. Bailey Medal at the ICC 13th World Cereal and Bread Congress held in Madrid in June 2008 for “Outstanding Achievements in the Service of Cereal Science and Technology”, and in September 2008, he was awarded the Edith A. Christensen Award at the AACC International Annual Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii. Dr. McCleary is listed on the Science Citation Index as one of the world’s most highly cited scientists.
Megazyme was named 'Innovator of the Year' at the SFA National Business Awards, 2009 held in Dublin, and Prof Barry McCleary has been selected as a finalist in this year’s Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award – in the ‘International’ Category.
Megazyme is committed to the development of improved test kits and reagents for the food, feed, fermentation, wine and dairy industries. In 2005, the research facility was extended from 10,000 to 26,000 sq ft to accommodate a new molecular biology division. This initiative was undertaken to allow Megazyme to produce a wide range of enzymes for research and for inclusion in new analytical test kits. With this capability, Megazyme released over 57 new test kits over the past 5 years, including a full set of advanced test kits for the wine and dairy industries. In the past 2 years Megazyme, thanks to this investment and innovation, has taken a dominant position in wine testing worldwide.
In the same period the company developed a new, all inclusive, method for measurement of total dietary fibre which allows accurate measurement of resistant starch and non-digestible oligosaccharides. This method is the subject of a current AOAC International/AACC International inter-laboratory evaluation.
