233 Children Poisoned by Food Decoration at Chinese Preschool
More than 200 children have been hospitalized with lead poisoning in northwest China after a shocking case of negligence at a kindergarten in Tianshui City, Gansu province. The cause: inedible paint was used by kitchen staff to decorate food meant for toddlers.
According to investigators, eight people have been arrested, including the principal and the main investor of the privately-run Peixin Kindergarten, after food samples showed lead levels up to 2,000 times over the national safety limit.
The tainted items, steamed red date cakes and sausage corn buns, contained lead concentrations of 1,052mg/kg and 1,340mg/kg, far exceeding the national limit of 0.5mg/kg.
In total, 233 children were found to have elevated blood lead levels. CCTV footage aired by Chinese state media shows staff in the kitchen mixing paint pigment into the food.
Authorities confirmed that the paint used was clearly labeled as inedible. Yet the principal reportedly instructed staff to purchase the paint online, and once children began falling ill, the paint supplies were hidden to avoid detection.
Many parents have reported symptoms in their children going back to March, including stomach pain, leg pain, and loss of appetite. One parent, Mr. Liu, took his son to a hospital in Xi’an after hearing about the scandal and was told his child now needs at least 10 days of treatment.
Following growing outrage, local authorities launched an investigation. The mayor of Tianshui, Liu Lijiang, admitted that the incident “exposed shortcomings and loopholes in public food safety supervision”.
What this underscores is a grave disregard for the safety and well-being of children. By using inedible paint to decorate food, the school violated the children’s right to health and failed to uphold the most basic duty of care owed to young learners. Every child has the right to be safe, nourished, and protected.
