A colorimetric and fluorescence turn-on probe for the detection of ascorbic acid in living cells and beverages

•A colorimetric and fluorescence turn-on dual-signal method for the detection of ascorbic acid was developed.•The established probe was used successfully for ascorbic acid detection in living cells and beverages.•A linear detection range for ascorbic acid is 1–200 μM and the LOD is 0.15 µM and 0.023 µM by fluorescence method and colorimetric, respectively.