An activated glassy carbon electrode was fabricated by cyclic voltammetry in 0. 5 mol /L H2SO4solution. Electrochemical behavior of Sudan I at the fabricated electrode was studied and the experimental results showed that the fabricated electrode exhibited excellent electrocatalytic effect on the oxidation of Sudan I. Utilizing the catalytic effect,an electrochemical method for the determination of Sudan I was developed. Further,analysis parameters were optimized in pH 4. 0 phosphate buffer solution. Differential pulse voltammetry was used for the analysis,the oxidation peak current of Sudan I increases linearly in a range from 4. 00 × 10- 8to 1. 00 × 10- 5mol/L and the linear regression equation can be expressed as ipa( A) = 0. 70c +5. 91 ×10- 7,r =0. 998 9,with a detection limit of 9. 00 × 10- 9mol/L. The activated glassy carbon electrode showed good sensitivity,selectivity and stability,and was applied to analysis of Sudan I in food products.