L-rhamnose is sweet in taste but not found in nature in its free form. It is always attached to several other biomolecules from lipid/fat molecules to proteins to other metabolites like flavonoids, steroids, or terpenoids.
Rhamnose plays the role of chiral intermediate in the organic synthesis of pharmaceutically important agents and plant protective agents. The α-l-rhamnosidase cleaves the l-rhamnose from the glycosides that contain terminal l-rhamnose. Thus α-l-rhamnosidase has potential in the manufacture of l-rhamnose.