Used as a mild sweetener in food products, particularly in baked goods and confections, due to its lower sweetness compared to sucrose and ability to retain moisture. Serves as a carbon source in microbial fermentation processes for producing antibiotics, enzymes, and other biochemicals. Employed in pharmaceutical formulations as an excipient to stabilize proteins and protect cells during freeze-drying. Also utilized in research as a substrate for studying enzyme activity, especially in assays involving amylases and maltase.