Amai Proteins Cleared to Sell Precision-Fermented Sugar Alternative in Singapore
Israeli startup Amai Proteins has obtained regulatory approval to sell Sweelin, a sweet protein inspired by serendipity berries, in Singapore – a first for the country.
Targeting Singapore’s drive to cut sugar consumption, Amai Proteins is bringing its fermentation-derived ‘sweet protein’ to the island.
The startup has received approval from the Singapore Food Agency to use Sweelin, its flagship sweet protein, as a sweetening agent in food and beverage products. It comes three months after it obtained the regulatory green light from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US.
“Singapore continues to demonstrate global leadership in food innovation through its forward-looking regulatory framework,” said Amai Proteins CEO Amir Guttman. “We are honoured that Sweelin is the first precision fermentation-derived sweet protein approved in this ecosystem.”
Sweelin has no impact on blood glucose
Sweet proteins are a new class of sweeteners derived from natural proteins and produced via fermentation, offering a low-GI, cost-effective alternative to sugar and existing sweeteners.
Amai Proteins, founded a decade ago by Ilan Samish, uses its AI-powered Pro3 Platform to develop a line of “designer sweet proteins” to slash the added sugar content in everything from dairy alternatives, soft drinks and fruit juices to peanut butter, snacks and ketchup.
Sweelin, its first product, is based on monellin, a sweet protein found in the serendipity berry. It’s 3,000 times sweeter than sugar, making it one of the most saccharine alternatives approved for use in food products.
It’s a calorie-free ingredient made via the precision fermentation of Komagataella phaffii, the same yeast strain that powers the heme ingredient in the Impossible Burger.
Sweelin can replace 40-70% of added sugar content, and has a 98% lower climate footprint. So a teaspoon of this sweet protein is equivalent to 12kg of sugar, saving enough water to fill 150 bathtubs, energy to power a clothes dryer for 30,000 hours, and land spanning two football fields.
It is described as having a clean flavour and competitive pricing, without any effect on blood glucose or insulin, as proven in a controlled clinical trial. Last year, a landmark study also demonstrated full digestion of the ingredient, with no harmful effects even at the highest dose tested.
The Singapore regulatory milestone follows Sweelin’s FDA approval in the US, where it can be labelled ‘serendipity berry sweet protein’ on food packaging, making it easy to understand for consumers looking for next-gen sugar alternatives and GLP-1 friendly products.
Tapping into Asia-Pacific’s sugar reduction drive
Amai Proteins is now positioning itself to ramp up its commercial activities and expand engagement with food and beverage manufacturers across Singapore and the wider Asia-Pacific region.
It comes as consumers increasingly shift away from sugar in these geographies. Last year, research by ADM found that 77% of APAC consumers are looking to cut back on the sweet stuff, but 82% still seek products with appealing or interesting flavours.
Likewise, Ingredion’s 2025 survey revealed that 80% of APAC residents would pay up to 30% more for products with ‘no added sugar’ or ‘reduced sugar’ claims. And according to Cargill, the share of drink launches containing additive sweeteners across the region increased from 18% in 2017 to 29% in 2024.
Sugar reduction has been a big focus for Singapore’s government – more than two in five of its citizens are overweight or obese, and over 11% have diabetes (mostly type 2). The country’s Nutri-Grade labelling system, introduced in 2022, grades food and drinks based on their sugar and saturated fat content.
According to its health ministry, the median sugar level of pre-packaged beverages fell from 7.1% in 2017 to 4.6% in 2023, while the average daily sugar intake slimmed from 60g in 2018 to 56g in 2022.
Amai Proteins is actively working with strategic partners and investors across APAC to support scale-up activities and the commercial rollout of its sweet protein.
“Receiving regulatory approval for Sweelin in Singapore is a defining milestone for Amai Proteins,” said Guttman. “This approval validates our regulatory strategy and creates exciting opportunities for commercialisation throughout Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region.