Used primarily in biochemical research to study protein cross-linking and amino acid metabolism. It serves as a model compound for investigating the formation of unnatural amino acids in processed proteins, especially in heat-treated or alkali-treated foods. Helps assess the nutritional impact of food processing methods on protein quality. Also utilized in studies related to enzyme inhibition and protein structure modification. Its presence is monitored in food safety research due to potential cytotoxic effects observed in some biological systems.