The operator of a kindergarten in China has been sentenced to life in prison after more than 200 children were found with high levels of lead in their blood.
In July 2025, 247 pupils and staff at the nursery were found to have abnormally high blood lead levels after children began falling ill. Media reports said the school added inedible lead-containing pigments to their food for visual appeal.
A court ruled that nursery bosses had instructed four kitchen workers to add toxic and harmful substances to food consumed by young children and kindergarten staff.
Life sentence and fines
Li Huifang, who operated the Heshi Peixin Kindergarten in the city of Tianshui, Gansu province, has been sentenced to life in prison, with 500,000 yuan ($75,000) of her personal assets ordered to be confiscated, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
Authorities also sentenced the kindergarten's executive principal, Zhu Jinglin, to 15 years in prison with a 300,000 yuan ($44,800) fine, the state broadcaster reported. Four others who worked in the kindergarten kitchen were handed prison terms of between six and eight years, CCTV said.
Lead levels far above safety limits
Li and Zhu were found to be the ones who ordered that the harmful substances be added to the kids' meals, the court heard. Food samples were later found to contain lead 2,000 times in excess of China's national safety limit.
Investigators found that the red date cake and the corn sausage rolls had lead levels of 1052mg/kg and 1340mg/kg respectively, both of which far exceed the national food safety standard limit of 0.5mg/kg.
Lead poisoning is "particularly harmful to young children" and can "severely damage the brain and central nervous system", according to the World Health Organization.
National guidelines introduced
China has since published a set of national guidelines for the provision of meals on campuses. Among the measures is the requirement for every new batch of food to be tested, and for flour, rice and cooking oil to be purchased from centralised procurement points only.
