Lead Poisoning Scandal at Chinese Preschool Affects 233 Children

Wed Dec 03 2025 14:16:53 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a shocking incident, over 200 children in China have been hospitalised due to lead poisoning from tainted school food.

In Tianshui City, Gansu province, 233 children from Peixin Kindergarten consumed food decorated with hazardous paint, leading to alarming levels of lead poisoning. The paint, reportedly marked as inedible, was misused by school chefs who have since been arrested. Tests revealed the food contained lead levels thousands of times above safe limits. Parents are worried about the long-term health implications for their children, who have displayed symptoms since the incident. The city’s mayor acknowledged the urgent need for improved food safety oversight.

More than 200 children in north-west China are suffering from lead poisoning due to contaminated food served at Peixin Kindergarten. Eight individuals, including the school principal and kitchen staff, have been arrested after it was revealed that inedible paint was used to decorate food items. Tests indicated that food samples contained lead levels astoundingly higher than the national safety limit, leading to 233 children being treated across multiple hospitals.

Parents became concerned when their children exhibited various symptoms, including stomach pain and loss of appetite since March, prompting an investigation by local authorities. Chinese state media aired footage from the kitchen, showing staff improperly adding paint to the food, raising serious questions about food safety protocols. The city’s mayor, Liu Lijiang, has since acknowledged systemic shortcomings in food safety supervision and promised corrective measures following this harrowing incident.