China: 233 hospitalized after consuming food tainted with inedible paint at kindergarten

China: A shocking food safety incident has left 233 children hospitalized after consuming food contaminated with inedible paint containing extremely high levels of lead at Peixin (Heshi) Kindergarten in Tianshui City’s Maiji District.

According to the information, 233 of 251 children enrolled at Chinese-preschool in north-western China suffered from lead poisoning and tested positive for high lead levels in their blood. Following which 201 children are currently being treated in hospital.  

The contamination was detected on July 1 after several children reported to be suffering from stomach and leg pains. Upon close examination of several children at the hospital the doctors discovered that the children from Peixin Kindergarten had consumed high levels of lead. 

Eight individuals have been placed under arrest, including the kindergarten's principal, surnamed Zhu, an investor surnamed Li,  and the kitchen staff of the school on the suspicion of “producing poisonous or harmful food. ” 

Upon the testing of the served food, the food authorities confirmed a high amount of lead concentration over 2,000 times over the national limit. 

Investigators found out that the lead concentration of 1,052 milligrams per kilogram in the red date cake served during the breakfast to the children and lead levels of 1,340 milligrams per kilogram on the corn sausage rolls served in another meal. Both the eatables have exceeded the national food safety standard limit of 0.5 milligrams per kg.

According to police reports, the kitchen staff had reportedly purchased decorative food paint, which was marked not edible. However, it was used after the principal instructed them to do so, to make food more pigmented. 

Reportedly the act was done to make food more appealing after the authorities uncovered the malpractice through CCTV footage showing kitchen staff adding paint to food. The remaining paint supplies, clearly marked “inedible,” were also seized

Parents have expressed their worry over the long term effects of high levels of lead poisoning on their children's liver and digestive systems.