Lead Poisoning Incident at Chinese Kindergarten Affects 233 Children

In a shocking incident in north-west China, 233 children from Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui have been hospitalized due to lead poisoning after consuming food decorated with inedible paint. Eight individuals, including the school principal, have been arrested as investigations unveil alarming levels of lead in the food.

 

In a harrowing event that has drawn national attention, over 200 children from Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui City, Gansu province, are currently receiving medical treatment for lead poisoning. The dire situation arose after chefs at the kindergarten used inedible paint to decorate food items, with shocking tests revealing lead levels in the meals that exceeded national safety limits by a staggering 2,000 times.

Authorities have arrested eight individuals, including the principal of the privately-run kindergarten, following the discovery that food samples contained hazardous levels of lead. Children reportedly consumed steamed red date cake and sausage corn buns treated with the toxic paint, which local police confirmed was marked as inedible.

One concerned parent, Mr. Liu, spoke to reporters about the grave implications for his son’s health, citing fears over potential damage to his liver and digestive system. Following rising complaints of stomach and leg pain among the children, investigations were initiated when parents took their concerns to local officials.

Chinese state media displayed images allegedly from the kindergarten’s kitchen, showing staff adding paint pigments to meals, with lead levels in the red date cake and corn sausage rolls being documented at 1,052 mg/kg and 1,340 mg/kg, respectively. This is in stark contrast to China’s food safety standard limit of 0.5 mg/kg.

Tianshui’s mayor, Liu Lijiang, acknowledged the incident as a significant failure in food safety oversight, promising that the city would take necessary steps to prevent such events in the future. As parents anxiously monitor their children's health, questions linger about the duration the inedible paint was used and the extent of its impact on young victims.