Used in the food industry as a sweetener and nutritional supplement, particularly in infant formula and dairy products to mimic the composition of human milk. It is also employed in the production of prebiotics to promote gut health by stimulating beneficial bacteria growth. In pharmaceuticals, it serves as a raw material for synthesizing drugs and diagnostic agents, including contrast media for medical imaging. Additionally, it is utilized in biochemical research to study carbohydrate metabolism and enzyme functions, aiding in the understanding of metabolic disorders like galactosemia.