In brief
In Tianshui, Gansu province, Li Huifang, head of the Heshi Peixin Kindergarten, was sentenced to life imprisonment for and her staff received up to 15 years after poisoning more than 200 children with meals laced with lead and inedible paint. Investigators found food samples with lead levels up to 1,340 mg/kg, 2,000 times the national safety limit, and discovered attempts by officials to cover up the incident. The court seized half a million yuan in Li’s assets and imposed fines on the nursery’s principal. China has since issued new national guidelines mandating testing of all food batches and centralised procurement to prevent a repeat of such a tragedy.
A nursery owner and five staff members have been jailed after a toxic poisoning scandal that left over 200 children ill.
Li Huifang, who ran the Heshi Peixin Kindergarten in the Gansu‑province city of Tianshui, was sentenced to life imprisonment for producing and selling food laced with dangerous levels of lead. The sentencing followed a 2025 investigation that revealed chefs had used inedible paint to “enhance the look” of their meals, while also adding toxic ingredients.
Chief administrator Zhi Jinglin received a 15‑year term and a 300,000‑yuan fine, while four kitchen staffers were handed sentences between six and eight years. The court also ordered the confiscation of 500,000 yuan of Li’s personal assets.
Samples of the red‑date cake and sausage‑corn bun that sparked the outbreak contained lead levels of 1,052 mg/kg and 1,340 mg/kg respectively—far beyond China’s 0.5 mg/kg safety limit and 2,000 times the permissible amount.
Lead poisoning is especially hazardous to young children, with the WHO warning it can severely damage the brain and central nervous system. The incident prompted investigations into attempts by provincial officials and hospital staff to tamper with blood tests and accept bribes from the nursery’s investor.
In response, China has introduced new national guidelines for meals served on campuses, mandating routine testing of every new batch and restricting raw materials to centralised procurement points.
