Sodium hippurate is primarily used in microbiology as a component in culture media to differentiate and identify certain bacteria, particularly Streptococcus species. It serves as a substrate in the hippurate hydrolysis test, where bacteria capable of producing the enzyme hippuricase can break it down into glycine and benzoic acid. This test is crucial for identifying Group B Streptococcus (GBS) in clinical diagnostics. Additionally, it finds application in research settings for studying bacterial metabolism and enzyme activity. Its role in these diagnostic and research applications makes it valuable in both medical and scientific laboratories.