The Israeli Ministry of Health has approved Amai Proteins' sweelin® as a novel food ingredient, authorizing its use across more than 25 food and beverage categories — the company's third regulatory clearance in fewer than six months and the first sweet protein to receive approval in Israel.
The decision allows Israeli food and beverage manufacturers to immediately formulate and commercialize products containing sweelin®, a precision-fermented sweet protein derived from a monellin structure inspired by the serendipity berry. The ingredient is approximately 3,000 times sweeter than sugar on a weight basis, enabling use at very low inclusion levels and supporting up to 70% sugar reduction without reformulation trade-offs the company says affect taste or processing compatibility.
Regulatory Trifecta
The Israel clearance follows U.S. FDA GRAS approval and a Singapore Food Agency authorization for use as a sweetening agent, both secured earlier in 2026. Together, the three approvals represent the broadest simultaneous multi-market regulatory position achieved by any sweet protein ingredient to date. Amai is now actively working with manufacturers across the three authorized markets to bring finished products to retail and foodservice channels.
The Israeli ministry's guidance covers a wide swath of applications including confectionery, condiments, chewing gum, beverages, and dietary supplements — categories that collectively represent a large share of reformulation activity as manufacturers respond to consumer pressure to reduce added sugars and to align with GLP-1 friendly positioning, a segment attracting growing retail and foodservice interest. For a deeper look at how ingredient suppliers are navigating the better-for-you reformulation wave, see our coverage of supply-chain shifts in alternative sweeteners and precision fermentation's role in food innovation.
Clinical Backing
Amai also cites published clinical evidence as a differentiator: the company says sweelin® is the subject of the world's first published human clinical study on a sweet protein, with data showing no measurable effect on blood glucose, insulin, or GLP-1 levels. That profile positions the ingredient at the intersection of two of the food industry's most commercially active trends — sugar reduction and metabolic health — and gives manufacturers a science-backed claim set for label and marketing purposes.
"We are especially proud that sweelin® is the first sweet protein approved in Israel," said Dr. Amir Guttman, Chief Executive Officer of Amai Proteins. "As an Israeli company, we are excited to make this innovative ingredient available to local food and beverage manufacturers and help them develop healthier products without compromising on taste."
The Rehovot-based company's technology platform combines precision fermentation with food-grade processing to produce sweelin® at scales compatible with industrial manufacturing — a practical constraint that has historically limited sweet protein adoption despite strong consumer interest in the category. With three regulatory jurisdictions now cleared, Amai moves from a development-stage regulatory story to an active commercialization phase, with the pace of product launches by manufacturer partners likely to become the next key metric for the market to watch.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
