Used in biochemical research as a model substrate for studying enzyme activity, particularly in assays involving α-glucosidases. It helps in understanding the mechanism of glycoside hydrolysis due to its stable α-glycosidic bond and aromatic aglycone. Also employed in the development and testing of analytical methods for carbohydrate detection, including as a standard in chromatographic analyses. Its structure makes it useful in enzymatic and metabolic studies related to glucose metabolism and enzyme kinetics. Emerging applications include biotechnology for producing alternative sugars or structure-specific food additives.