China Detains Kindergarten Principal After 200 Children Suffer Lead Poisoning

TIANSHUI, CHINA – July 9:
A disturbing food safety scandal has rocked northwest China after over 200 children at Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui City, Gansu Province, were diagnosed with abnormally high levels of lead in their blood, reportedly caused by contaminated date cakes and corn rolls served at the school.

According to state broadcaster CCTV, 233 children were found to have elevated blood lead levels, with 201 currently undergoing hospital treatment. The incident has triggered national outrage and revived painful memories of past food scandals in China.

An investigation launched last week revealed that the children were served food items that tested more than 2,000 times above the national safety limits for lead. Specifically, the date cakes served at breakfast were found to contain 1,052 milligrams of lead per kilogram, while corn rolls contained 1,340 mg/kg — far exceeding the permissible limit of 0.5 mg/kg for food products made from wheat and starch.

Surveillance footage from the school’s kitchen showed staff adding packaged yellow pigments — later found to be industrial paint pigments marked “inedible” — to the flour used in preparing the tainted food.

Authorities have detained the kindergarten’s principal, identified by her surname Zhu, and a school investor named Li, along with six other individuals. Two additional suspects have been placed on bail pending trial.

Preliminary findings suggest that Zhu and Li had knowingly approved the use of hazardous pigments, purchased online, in the school’s food preparation.

Parents had earlier raised concerns after children began complaining of stomach pain, nausea, and, in some cases, blackened teeth — classic symptoms of lead toxicity. The scandal drew immediate comparisons to China’s 2008 melamine-tainted milk crisis that affected hundreds of thousands of infants and resulted in multiple deaths.

Authorities confirmed that other kindergartens affiliated with Peixin returned normal test results, suggesting the contamination was limited to a specific location.

The incident has sparked fresh debate about food safety enforcement in China, especially in institutions serving children. While national standards have improved, recent events — including a 2023 scandal involving cooking oil transported in fuel containers — have highlighted persistent regulatory challenges.

The government has vowed strict action, with potential criminal charges expected against those responsible for the gross negligence and endangerment of children’s lives.

Parents and child advocacy groups are calling for stricter oversight of school catering services and tougher penalties for violations involving toxic substances in food.