This article reports on the grave health risks faced by young children after inedible paint was used in food decoration at a kindergarten in Gansu province, leading to hospitalizations and a public safety outcry.
Lead Poisoning Scandal at Chinese Kindergarten Affects 233 Children
Lead Poisoning Scandal at Chinese Kindergarten Affects 233 Children
In a shocking incident, over 200 children in north-west China have faced lead poisoning due to contaminated food decoration.
More than 200 children are hospitalized in north-west China following a distressing case of lead poisoning attributed to the use of inedible paint for food decoration at their kindergarten. Parents are furious after tests revealed that the food served at Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui City contained lead levels soaring to 2,000 times above the national safety limit.
In total, 233 students fell ill after consuming steamed red date cakes and sausage corn buns, both of which have shown alarming lead contamination. Authorities have stated that the principal instructed the kitchen staff to procure the paint online, which was later found hidden during police investigations. The paint, clearly labeled as inedible, was used to add color to the meals.
One father described his worry for his son's health after taking him to a hospital in Xi'an for testing when other parents raised their concerns. His son is now undergoing a 10-day treatment regimen, alarming many about the front-end risks of lead exposure on young, developing bodies.
Authorities have released footage from kitchen CCTV showing staff mixing the toxic pigment into food. Alarmingly, lead levels recorded were 1052mg/kg in the red date cakes and 1340mg/kg in the corn rolls, far exceeding the safe limit of 0.5mg/kg established by national standards.
Now, the kindergarten principal, alongside seven others—counting the main financier—faces investigation for charges related to the production of toxic food. Reports indicate it's unclear how long this hazardous practice persisted, but parents have voiced ongoing complaints of their children's health issues, including stomach pain and loss of appetite, dating back to March.
Local officials, including Tianshui's mayor Liu Lijiang, have admitted that this incident exposes significant flaws in public food safety oversight and expressed a commitment to ensuring such negligence does not recur.
