Widely used as a sweetener in food and beverages, it enhances flavor and palatability. It is a key ingredient in baking, providing texture, moisture, and browning to products like cakes and cookies. In the confectionery industry, it is essential for making candies, chocolates, and syrups. It also acts as a preservative in jams and jellies by inhibiting microbial growth. In pharmaceuticals, it is used as an excipient to improve the taste and stability of medications. Additionally, it serves as a fermentation substrate in the production of ethanol and other bio-based chemicals. In microbiology, it is used in culture media to support the growth of microorganisms.