The incident of lead poisoning among children at the Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui, Gansu Province has attracted widespread attention. According to the official report issued by the Chinese authorities on July 8th, out of the total 251 children at the school, 233 tested positive for lead poisoning. The toxic exposure came from the three-color jujube cakes and corn sausage rolls served at the kindergarten. Currently, the school principal, investors, and 6 others have been arrested.
On July 8th, the joint investigation team in Tianshui City, Gansu Province, reported that as of 10 pm on July 7th, all 251 children at Peixin Kindergarten had been tested, with 233 showing abnormal lead levels and 18 within normal range. The samples taken from Weibei Kindergarten, Ciai Kindergarten, and Mondi Ai Kindergarten associated with Peixin Kindergarten all showed normal results.
The report indicated that two samples from Peixin Kindergarten failed the inspection, one from the breakfast leftovers of the three-color jujube cake and the other from the dinner leftovers of the corn sausage rolls, with lead contents of 1052 mg/kg and 1340 mg/kg respectively, both exceeding the national food safety standards limit of 0.5 mg/kg for food contaminants.
It was found during the investigation that kitchen staff at the kindergarten, with the consent of the principal Zhu and investor Li, purchased colored paint through an online platform, diluted it, and used it in food preparation. This paint contained lead (clearly labeled as not for consumption). Zhu, Li, and 6 others have been criminally detained for the suspected production of toxic and harmful food, while 2 others have been placed under mandatory bail pending trial.
Reports prior to this incident revealed that on July 1st, several parents reported that some children at Peixin Kindergarten had been showing symptoms like nausea and diarrhea, which led to the discovery of lead poisoning after medical examinations. On July 3rd, the person in charge of the kindergarten was officially investigated.
This news caused panic among parents, prompting many to take their children to Xi’an Central Hospital for examination, as the hospital is the chemical poisoning treatment base in Shaanxi Province.
The test reports of hospitalized children showed lead levels exceeding 250 μg/L, with some exceeding 450 μg/L. The highest lead level was found in a 5-year-old girl at 528 μg/L. However, parents claimed that the authorities in Tianshui had previously notified them that their children’s lead test results were normal. The local test results are now being questioned for potential falsification.
Furthermore, several teachers at Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui also tested severely positive for lead poisoning. According to reports on July 8th by The Paper, after some children were found to have excessive lead levels, many teachers at the kindergarten were tested and also found to be severely positive for lead poisoning.
A family member of one teacher mentioned that the test results of multiple teachers have been released, with two individuals showing results of 395 μg/L and over 500 μg/L.
A parent of a kindergarten child at Xi’an Central Hospital later confirmed that multiple teachers received test results showing lead poisoning above the standard. The teachers at the kindergarten had previously stated that they eat and live together with the children at the kindergarten.
Prior reports:
Lead poisoning found in some children at Gansu kindergarten, Principal under investigation
Dozens of children in Gansu have elevated lead levels, local test results questioned for potential falsification
Lead poisoning outbreak in Gansu kindergarten, highest test results soaring above 500