BEIJING, July 22 — Chinese authorities have arrested six people and are investigating 27 others after more than 230 children at a kindergarten in Gansu province were poisoned by food coloured with industrial-grade lead paint.
An official investigation released on Sunday found severe failures in oversight, food safety, and attempts to cover up the incident, including bribery and falsification of test results, The Guardian reported.
The principal of Brownstone Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui allegedly sought to attract more enrolments by making food look more appealing using non-edible pigment bought online.
Despite clear warnings that the pigment was “not for consumption,” the school’s cook added it to children’s meals, preferring its “brighter” hues to safer, cheaper food-grade alternatives.
One pigment used in the food contained lead levels that exceeded legal limits by 400,000 times, according to the Gansu provincial party committee report.
Initially, 235 children were hospitalised after consuming the tainted food, showing symptoms including nausea, stomach pain, and discoloured teeth, with later tests confirming 247 people had elevated blood lead levels.
Six kindergarten staff, including the principal, now face criminal charges for knowingly serving toxic food, while 27 others from the school, hospital and government are under disciplinary review.
The report also revealed that the Gansu Provincial Centre for Disease Control mishandled the case and conducted tests improperly, leading to results that did not reflect actual exposure.
At least two test results at Tianshui Second People’s Hospital were deliberately altered to show falsely low lead levels, while the hospital was described as poorly managed and lacking proper training.
Parents reportedly protested outside the kindergarten on Sunday night, clashing with police and demanding accountability, as authorities promised further investigations into corruption, misconduct, and regulatory failures at every level.
Six arrested, dozens investigated over use of toxic paint to brighten food in China kindergarten
