this study, the core-shell structured Cu@carbon sphere (Cu@CS) nanohybrid was prepared and then used as electrocatalyst to construct an electrochemical platform for the rapid and sensitive detection of Rhodamine B (RB). Owing to the synergistic effect of the good conductivity of Cu nanoparticles and the high surface area of CS, the Cu@CS nanohybrid-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) showed excellent electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of C=N group that connects the benzene ring in RB, exhibiting as greatly increased oxidation peak current. The linear range was from 0.3 to 30.0 prnol L-1, and the limit of detection was 0.1 pmol L-1 after 240 s accumulation. Finally, this method was used in real food samples analysis, and the results consisted with the values that obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.