More than 200 children at Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui City, Gansu province, China, are being treated in hospital for lead poisoning after school chefs used inedible paint to decorate their food. Tests revealed lead levels in food samples were 2,000 times over the national safety limit. Eight people, including the principal and main investor, have been arrested on suspicion of producing toxic and harmful food. Parents reported children complaining of stomach and leg pain and a lack of appetite since March, which led to an investigation.
China: Chef's food 'decoration' at pre-school poisons children
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️More than 200 children at Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui City, Gansu province, China, are being treated in hospital for lead poisoning after school chefs used inedible paint to decorate their food. Tests revealed lead levels in food samples were 2,000 times over the national safety limit. Eight people, including the principal and main investor, have been arrested on suspicion of producing toxic and harmful food. Parents reported children complaining of stomach and leg pain and a lack of appetite since March, which led to an investigation.
Trending- 1 March 2025 (inferred): Children began complaining of symptoms.
- 2 Recently: Parents raised concerns, investigation launched.
- 3 Recently: Police searched for hidden paint supplies.
- 4 Recently: 8 people arrested.
- 5 Last week (from Mr. Liu's perspective): Mr. Liu took his child to Xi'an for testing.
- 6 July 8, 2025: Article published.
- Over 200 children hospitalized with lead poisoning, requiring treatment
- Arrests of school staff and investors on suspicion of producing toxic food
- Exposed shortcomings and loopholes in public food safety supervision in Tianshui
- Potential long-term health effects for affected children
What: Over 200 children at a pre-school in Tianshui City, China, were poisoned with lead after school chefs used inedible paint to decorate food.
When: Children fell ill recently, with parents reporting symptoms since March (likely 2025). The investigation was launched recently, leading to arrests and hospital treatments.
Where: Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui City, Gansu province, north-west China. Some children were taken to a hospital in Xi'an for testing and treatment.
Why: The school principal instructed kitchen staff to buy inedible paint online for food decoration, leading to extreme lead contamination in the food.
How: Chefs added paint pigment, clearly marked as inedible, to food items such as steamed red date cake and sausage corn bun. An investigation, including searching for hidden supplies and reviewing CCTV footage, confirmed the use of the toxic paint.