In a concerning incident in north-west China, over 200 kindergarten students were discovered to have dangerously elevated blood lead levels after food served at their school contained paint. This revelation has reignited longstanding food safety issues across China.
According to state broadcaster CCTV, the Heshi Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui city added paint to food in an attempt to enhance its visual appeal, aiming to draw in more students and boost revenue. The school reportedly purchased the paint online and incorporated it into meals, including a breakfast cake and a sausage dish. Testing revealed that out of the 251 students enrolled, 233 exhibited abnormal lead concentrations in their blood, with 201 of these children requiring hospital treatment.
Parents of the affected children have reported symptoms such as stomach pain, nausea, and discolouration of teeth. The World Health Organisation (WHO) warns that lead exposure is particularly detrimental to young children, especially regarding their neurological development, stressing that there is no safe level of lead exposure.
Although the investigation did not provide explicit details on blood tests, several media outlets indicated that numerous students had lead levels exceeding the national threshold for lead poisoning in minors. In response to this public health crisis, authorities have detained eight individuals, including the school’s headmaster.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges related to food safety in China, prompting calls for greater accountability and improved standards to protect the nation’s children.