Gold nanoparticles combined with a polyphenolic glycoside (alpha-glucosylrutin) were prepared and applied for the selective detection of proteins. Glucosylrutin was coated onto gold nanoparticles with a particle size of 40 nm, without aggregates and color changes. The glucosylrutin-coated gold surface was preferentially adsorbed with concanavalin A, which has specificity against glucosides and mannosides. When the glucosylrutin-coated gold nanoparticles were mixed with concanavalin A, the color of the dispersion changed from red to reddish violet. The level of chromatic change was dependent on the concentration of concanavalin A. When other proteins (bovine serum albumin and peanut agglutinin) were added to the dispersion, no color change was observed. The molecular recognition site for detection of concanavalin A was the glycoside moiety, because the catechin-coated gold nanoparticles have no function in the detection of concanavalin A. Urchin-shaped glucosylrutin-coated gold nanoparticles were also useful for the visual sensing of concanavalin A. (C) 2020 The Society of Powder Technology Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. and The Society of Powder Technology Japan. All rights reserved.