Over 200 children in China’s Gansu province have been diagnosed with lead poisoning after allegedly consuming food laced with non-edible paint at Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui City, according to People. The case, confirmed by local authorities on July 1, has triggered national outrage and led to multiple arrests.
The contamination came to light after parents began noticing unusual symptoms in their children. Health authorities tested all 251 enrolled students and found elevated blood lead levels in 233 of them, officials said.
Tests on food samples revealed shocking results:
- A red date steamed cake served for breakfast had 1,052 mg/kg of lead
- A corn roll sausage given at dinner contained 1,340 mg/kg of lead
Both values far exceed China’s safety threshold of 0.5 mg/kg.
According to authorities, school principal Zhu Moulin and financial backer Li Moufang instructed kitchen staff to purchase paint online and mix it into children’s meals, despite warnings on the packaging that it was not safe for consumption.
Video footage obtained by Sky News allegedly shows staff pouring paint into a mixing bowl during food preparation. The footage has sparked further outrage online and across the country.
Zhu, Li, and eight others have been detained for allegedly producing toxic and harmful food. Two more individuals have been released on bail pending further investigation.
Peixin Kindergarten received operational certification in 2022, and students began attending in August 2024.