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CCTV footage of the kindergarten cafeteria in Gansu Province, China (Source: Chinese media, Yonhap news) |
[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] A mass lead poisoning incident at a kindergarten in northwest China’s Gansu Province was found to have been caused by the use of inedible industrial paint in food preparation.
According to a joint investigation team cited by China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency and other local media, the kindergarten principal, investor, and cafeteria staff conspired to add yellow paint—containing lead levels over 2,000 times the legal limit—to food served to children.
The paint discovered on-site was explicitly labeled "not for consumption," and CCTV footage revealed kitchen staff mixing the yellow pigment into flour dough. Investigators concluded that the group used the toxic substance as a cost-cutting measure.
As of the afternoon of July 7, 233 children had shown symptoms of lead poisoning. Blood lead levels among affected students ranged from 200 to 500 micrograms per liter (µg/L)—up to five times the national safety threshold in China.
Authorities have detained eight individuals, including the principal, on charges of manufacturing and distributing toxic food.
알파경제 Paul Lee 특파원(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
