L-(-)-Mannose is the L-enantiomer of the monosaccharide mannose, primarily utilized in specialized research and pharmaceutical applications due to its distinct stereochemical properties. In pharmaceutical synthesis, it acts as a chiral intermediate for producing stereospecific glycoproteins, oligosaccharides, and bioactive compounds where enantiomeric purity is essential. In biochemical research, it is employed to study enzyme stereospecificity, carbohydrate metabolism, and cellular recognition processes, often as a probe to differentiate L- from D-sugars in pathways like glycosylation and lectin binding. Unlike D-mannose, L-(-)-Mannose is not used in food, beverage, or consumer health products such as urinary tract supplements, as it lacks the metabolic and binding affinities of its D-counterpart. Its humectant properties may find limited use in cosmetic formulations, but applications are niche and research-oriented.