Sweet Protein Ingredient Gains Scientific Backing As Sugar Reduction Efforts Accelerate

Amai Proteins has announced the publication of clinical trial results for its sweet protein ingredient sweelin® in the peer-reviewed journal Food Chemistry, marking what the company describes as the world’s first human clinical study examining the metabolic effects of sweet proteins.

According to the company, the double-blind, randomized, crossover study found that sweelin® did not affect blood glucose, insulin or GLP-1 levels in healthy adults when compared with stevia and dextrose. The findings add to the growing body of evidence supporting the use of alternative sweetening technologies as food and beverage manufacturers seek to reduce sugar levels without compromising taste.

For bakery and snack manufacturers, the development highlights the increasing maturity of sweet protein technologies, which are emerging as potential alternatives to both sugar and conventional high-intensity sweeteners in reduced-sugar formulations.

The study was conducted at the Clinical Research Center of Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center under Good Clinical Practice standards. Participants consumed beverages sweetened with sweelin®, glucose or stevia, matched for sweetness intensity equivalent to 75 grams of glucose in a standard Oral Glucose Tolerance Test. Blood glucose, insulin and GLP-1 levels were monitored over a 120-minute period.

According to Amai Proteins, all participants completed the trial, with no dropouts or test-item-related adverse events reported. The company said the results demonstrated that even high doses of sweelin® did not affect blood glucose, insulin or GLP-1 levels in healthy individuals.

The publication comes as food manufacturers continue to seek new approaches to sugar reduction amid growing consumer demand for healthier products. While sweeteners such as stevia have gained widespread acceptance, ingredient developers continue to pursue alternatives that offer improved taste performance and greater formulation flexibility.

Amai Proteins positions sweelin® as a next-generation sweet protein designed to replace conventional sweeteners while delivering a clean taste profile and compatibility with industrial food processing applications. The company says the ingredient is based on monellin, a naturally occurring sweet protein, and is produced through precision fermentation.

The publication also follows several recent regulatory milestones for the ingredient. Amai Proteins received FDA Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) approval for sweelin® in February 2026 and obtained approval as a food additive from the Singapore Food Agency in May 2026.

“Although not required by regulatory authorities, Amai Proteins decided to conduct this study to enhance consumer and market confidence in the safety and health profile of sweelin®,” said Dr. Amir Guttman, CEO of Amai Proteins. “sweelin® can help consumers globally who are trying to reduce added sugars in their diet but don’t want to compromise on taste or health.”

The company believes publication in Food Chemistry strengthens the scientific and commercial foundation for the ingredient as it advances product trials and commercial discussions with food and beverage manufacturers in the United States and other markets.

For bakery manufacturers, sweet proteins are attracting growing interest as the sector seeks solutions that can support sugar reduction targets across categories including biscuits, cakes, sweet baked goods and snack products. The ability to maintain sweetness while reducing sugar content remains one of the industry’s most significant formulation challenges.

Amai Proteins said sweelin® is intended for use across a broad range of applications, including food and beverages, confectionery, chewing gum, condiments and dietary supplements. The company states that the ingredient can enable sugar reduction while maintaining taste and processing performance.

The study was published as: Lifshitz, Yael, et al., “sweelin®, a novel sweet protein, does not affect blood glucose and insulin levels – a double-blind, crossover, randomized study,” Food Chemistry (2026).