247 children and staff were found to have abnormally high blood lead levels. Alamy Stock Photo
Lead Poisoning
An investigation found that staff had added inedible paint to meals to make them more appealing.
A NURSERY OWNER in northwest China has been sentenced to life in prison after more than 200 children were poisoned by food containing dangerous levels of lead.
Li Huifang, who ran the Heshi Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui, Gansu province, was convicted of producing and selling toxic and harmful food, according to local state-owned media.
Five other members of staff were also jailed over the incident, which came to light in July 2025 after children began falling ill.
According to Chinese state media, the Lanzhou Intermediate People’s Court sentenced nursery principal Zhu Jinglin to 15 years in prison, while four kitchen workers received sentences ranging from six to eight years.
Li was also ordered to forfeit 500,000 yuan (approximately €61,000) in personal assets.
A police investigation statement published in July 2025 found that nursery staff had added inedible paint to food to make it more visually appealing.
The paint was clearly labelled as unsuitable for consumption.
Investigators found that samples of steamed red date cakes contained 1,052 milligrams of lead per kilogram, while sausage and corn buns contained 1,340 milligrams per kilogram.
Both were far above China’s national food safety limit of 0.5 milligrams per kilogram.
In total, 247 children and staff were found to have abnormally high blood lead levels.
The court found that the kitchen workers had been instructed by nursery management to add the toxic ingredients to meals served to children and staff, according to local media.
A subsequent investigation also found that officials and hospital staff had attempted to conceal the scale of the poisoning by interfering with blood test results.
Lead poisoning is particularly dangerous for young children and can cause serious damage to the brain and central nervous system, according to the World Health Organization.