Sweelin protein offers high-intensity sweetness without insulin spikes

Researchers at Amai Proteins Ltd. have developed Sweelin, a sweet protein that is approximately 3,500 times sweeter than sucrose. Based on the structure of monellin, a protein from the West and Central African serendipity berry, Sweelin is produced through precision fermentation and computer-aided structural modification.

A small clinical study involving 19 healthy adults compared the metabolic effects of Sweelin, Stevia, and dextrose. The results indicated that Sweelin caused almost no measurable changes in blood glucose, insulin, or the gut hormone GLP-1, performing similarly to Stevia. In contrast, dextrose triggered significantly stronger metabolic responses, with the integrated glucose response being 31 times higher and the insulin response 81 times higher than that of Sweelin.