Objective To develop a method for detecting cyanide in food based on a novel fluorescent probe.Methods Based on the strong nucleophilicity of cyanide, a novel reactive coumarin fluorescent probe is synthesized. The response mechanism, reaction rate, selectivity, and linear relationship between the probe and cyanide are analyzed and validated using real samples.Results The probe has excellent selectivity for cyanide and demonstrates a rapid response to cyanide, able to complete the reaction within 1 minute. At a probe concentration of 10 μmol/L, the linear range of cyanide detection is 5~90 μmol/L, with a linear equation of Y=11.645 45+7.014 55X and a detection limit of 0.065 μmol/L. In actual sample testing, the recovery rate of spiked samples is 97.9%~105.0%.Conclusion This probe can quickly and accurately detect cyanide.