Used as a mild sweetener in food products, especially in baked goods, confections, and brewing, where it acts as a fermentable sugar for yeast to produce alcohol and carbon dioxide. Its lower sweetness compared to sucrose and ability to retain moisture make it ideal for these applications. Commonly found in infant formulas and nutritional supplements as a source of digestible carbohydrate. Serves as a carbon source in microbiological culture media for growing bacteria and yeast in laboratories. Utilized in pharmaceutical formulations as an excipient to improve stability and texture of tablets and syrups. Also used in some cosmetic products to enhance skin hydration due to its humectant properties. Additionally, employed in medical and patient foods for its easy digestibility and rapid energy provision.