More than 200 children are receiving hospital treatment for lead poisoning after consuming contaminated food at a kindergarten in northwest China, according to the BBC. The incident occurred at Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui City, Gansu province, where kitchen staff used inedible paint to add color to food served to students.
Police have arrested eight people in connection with the case after laboratory tests revealed that food samples contained lead levels 2,000 times higher than national safety standards. A total of 233 children from the kindergarten showed elevated lead levels in their blood following consumption of steamed red date cake and sausage corn bun.
According to police statements, the school principal directed kitchen staff to purchase the paint online for food decoration purposes. When children began falling ill, officers discovered that the supplies had been concealed by school staff. The paint products were clearly labeled as inedible, authorities confirmed.
Laboratory analysis revealed that the red date cake contained lead levels of 1,052 milligrams per kilogram, while the corn sausage rolls measured 1,340 milligrams per kilogram. Both measurements far exceed China’s national food safety standard limit of 0.5 milligrams per kilogram.
Chinese state media broadcast footage allegedly from security cameras in the kindergarten kitchen, showing staff members adding paint pigment directly to food during preparation. The footage serves as evidence in the ongoing investigation.
Parents have expressed concerns about potential long-term health effects on their children. One parent traveled to Xi’an for specialized medical testing after other parents raised initial concerns about the situation. His son now requires 10 days of treatment and medication to address the lead exposure.
Several parents reported to Chinese state media that their children had been experiencing stomach pain, leg pain, and decreased appetite since March. These symptoms prompted parents to contact local authorities, leading to the formal investigation that uncovered the contamination.
The privately-operated kindergarten’s principal and seven other individuals, including the facility’s main investor, now face investigation on suspicion of producing toxic and harmful food. The charges carry serious legal implications under Chinese food safety regulations.
The duration of paint use in food preparation remains unknown, though parent reports of symptoms dating to March suggest the practice may have continued for several months before discovery.
Tianshui Mayor Liu Lijiang addressed the incident publicly, acknowledging that it revealed significant gaps and weaknesses in the city’s food safety supervision systems. He stated that local authorities would implement lessons learned from the event to prevent similar incidents.
