Used widely in the food industry as a sweetener and flavor enhancer, particularly in baked goods, beverages, and confectionery. It serves as a stabilizer and texturizer in dairy products like yogurt and ice cream. In pharmaceuticals, it acts as an excipient in tablets and capsules, improving stability and solubility. It is also employed in microbiology as a nutrient source in culture media for growing bacteria and yeast. Additionally, it is utilized in biochemical research for studying enzyme activity and carbohydrate metabolism.