Li Huifang, operator of the Heshi Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui, Gansu province, was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for producing and distributing food containing toxic substances. The court also ordered the confiscation of 500,000 yuan from her personal assets.
In July 2025, authorities detected abnormally elevated blood lead levels in 247 children and staff members at the facility. An investigation revealed that kitchen staff had intentionally added inedible paint marked as unsuitable for consumption to the meals in an effort to improve their visual presentation and attract additional enrollments. Food samples subsequently tested contained lead concentrations approximately 2,000 times higher than China’s national safety standards. Specific items including steamed red date cakes and sausage corn buns were found to contain lead at levels of 1,052 and 1,340 milligrams per kilogram respectively, compared to the permissible limit of 0.5 milligrams per kilogram.
The investigation identified that Li had instructed other staff members, including executive principal Zhi Jinglin, to incorporate harmful substances into food served to children. Zhi received a 15-year prison sentence and a fine of 300,000 yuan, while four kitchen workers received sentences ranging from six to eight years. Following the initial detection, 235 children required medical treatment for lead poisoning after consuming meals from the facility.
An expanded investigation uncovered attempts by provincial officials and hospital personnel to conceal the incident through blood test tampering and acceptance of bribes from a nursery investor. In response, Chinese authorities implemented new national guidelines for campus food provision, requiring testing of each new food batch and mandating that staple ingredients be procured from centralized distribution centers.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI