On September 11th, a food poisoning incident occurred at the elementary school department of Huamei Experimental School in Puning, Lu Feng City, Guangdong Province, resulting in at least 94 students being hospitalized. Authorities reported on September 19th that the poisoning was caused by the prolonged storage at room temperature of the “Braised Chicken Legs” served in the school cafeteria for dinner. This official explanation was met with skepticism from the public, who questioned why they were trying to downplay a clear case of food poisoning by simply changing the terminology.
According to a report issued by the Lu Feng Education Bureau in Shanwei on September 19th, 17 batches of food samples sent for testing at the Guangzhou Huibiao Inspection Center showed “no abnormalities.” The causative agent was identified as Clostridium perfringens, which resulted in acute gastroenteritis. The main reason for the outbreak was linked to the “Braised Chicken Legs” dish served at the school cafeteria on September 10th. The dish had been prepared in the morning and stored at room temperature for an extended period after stewing, and it was not reheated before dinner service.
The report also mentioned that 18 individuals responsible for the incident had been dealt with by the authorities, although the specific actions taken were not disclosed.
In another official report, it was stated that the school had replaced the cafeteria manager and chef, as well as the food safety director, in response to the incident.
The official announcements prompted questioning from internet users. Many expressed doubts, with comments like, “Why avoid calling it food poisoning and instead use a vague term like gastrointestinal discomfort? If they can’t even face the truth about this, how can they expect to make real improvements?” Others pointed out concerns such as the practice of storing frozen chicken legs at room temperature and suspicions about cost-cutting measures affecting food quality in school cafeterias.
One netizen revealed, “Some children in Lu Feng Hospital did not show signs of improvement and had to be transferred to hospitals in Guangzhou.”